I meant to say that in the “early 30’s,” Gibson changed its catalog to offer the UB-1, UB2, UB-2 ‘Deluxe’, the new flanged resonator UB-3, and the UB-4. See, you get confused even with the catalog in front of you.

However, in the late 20′s, Gibson changed its catalog listings. They offered the UB-1, UB2, UB-2 ‘Deluxe’ (which was the new designation for what we both recognize as a UB-3), a new UB-3 (which had a chrome-plated flanged resonator), and the UB-4 (which had a larger chrome-plated flanged resonator). In their next catalog, 1930, they offered a gold-plated version of the UB-4 as the UB-5 – see here: http://freespace.virgin.net/dennis.taylor/Page_13_gibson_ukulele_banjo.htm

As you can also see, In 1932, Gibson discontinued the old UB-2, at that point simply designating the the UB-3/UB-2 ‘Deluxe’ model as the standard UB-2.

By 1938, they had stopped making all of their 8″ pot ukes, discontinuing catalog listings for all marks of the UB series except for the UB-1, which they were at that point only offering with 8 tension rods instead of the usual 10. I used to have that version UB-1, and its not as good a player.

Why Gibson did this, I have no idea. But this is why occasionally, people identify the UB-3 as the UB-2 or UB-2 ‘Deluxe’. They’re not wrong, but it is damned confusing.

Thanks, Gibson!