New Flea and Fluke Designs, Fender Ukuleles
February 27, 2009
MGM has the latest batch of Flea and Fluke ukuleles: Bamboo Fluke, Tie-Dye Fluke, Denim Flea, Camp Flea.
Fender Ukuleles turn up on eBay UK.
Some serious vintage charm to this Dobro Cyclops ukulele.
One of the Collings Guitars ukuleles from NAMM has cropped up on eBay.
Not often you see RISA ukuleles on eBay in the US but there are a few on there right now.
Christmas Ukulele Window Shopping
December 5, 2008
A bit hard to find the interesting ukuleles this week and eBay is bulging with Christmas present ukes. MGM alone has 214 Kala ukuleles up for sale and also a ‘blowout’ on Koa Pili Kokos. But his most intriguing lot is a set of three Nunes style ukuleles by William King.
Not long left to bid on this Celtic Fluke. I would have thought that someone would have snapped it up on a Buy It Now a long time ago.
A couple of different eras of Disney ukuleles: Mousekulele and High School Musical ukulele.
You might know I’m very fond of my Ashbury Concert Koa, so I’m quite tempted to buy a spruce version and give it a light skinned brother.
There’s this strange ukulele on eBay France. You can get a clearer idea of what it looks like, on the maker’s website. And it looks like the French have the coolest ukulele instruction books and CDs.
Ukulele photo of the week. Why did the single curl of hair go out of fashion? That look is hot.
Plenty of Christmas ukulele kitsch around. Ukulele Christmas baubles like this and this are fair enough, but Ukulele Santa salt and pepper shakers?
eBay Ukulele Window Shopping
May 30, 2008
First off: if you’re in the UK and looking to buy a Fluke, friend of the blog, Gary is selling his Mango Fluke (right).
These four Oscar Schmidt OU2 with a busted bridge. I mentioned another Oscar Schmidt with a broken bridge not long ago. It does make me wonder if this is a common problem with the Oscar Schmidts.
I’m not too interested in this Liberty ukulele (particularly not at $800). But what a fantastic box.
If the Formby/Harrison ukuleles are a bit out of your range, there’s an “Abbot” Monarch ukulele for sale on eBay UK for a measly £6,000 (for that price tag, you’d expect them to spell ‘Abbott’ correctly).
Christmas Gifts for Ukulele Players: Patterned Ukes
December 16, 2007
When you’re giving someone a gift, you do want it to be that little bit more special. Ukuleles with an added design give that extra ‘wow factor’. You could commission yourself a painted uke. Or, if you’re a bit more strapped for cash and time, buy off-the-shelf.
Flukes seem to be almost universally popular. Even more so when there’s a half naked dolly-bird holding one aloft.
Inspiration for Fluke designs ranges from Hollywood to Dollywood (with their cowboy fluke). Flukes sell for between $200 and $300. You’ll pay a bit of a premium for the design and also if you want a rosewood fretboard (rather than the standard plastic).
Black Bear Christmas Bell
At the other end of the price spectrum is the beauty.
Duane Heilman of
The auction eBay auction for this one has finished now but it didn’t sell so it may return. If you’ve got a loved one worth $2,000 to you, keep your eyes peeled.
Pahu Kani
Another heftily priced ukulele. I have no idea how these sound but ooooh pretty, pretty, pretty. And, at the end of the day, isn’t it what’s on the outside that really counts?
More Christmas gifts for ukulele players
Window Shopping eBay Ukuleles
October 19, 2007
If you find that the pink Mahalos just aren’t camp enough, you might treat yourself to a Tiki King designed Cowboy Fluke. Those with more refined tastes might prefer a Curly Mango Fluke (complete with pickup).
Oh Kala, how you tempt me with your good looks and affordable price tag.
Friday Links
August 10, 2007
Ukulelenurkka will be celebrating International Ukulele Day (August 23rd) in Helsinki with two days worth of top-notch gigs. Appearances from Ukulelezaza, Pete Howlett, Shelley Rickey and Scheidenbach.
After I mentioned the Tay Zonday’s viral hit video Chocolate Rain in connection with this performance, WS64 produced a fantastic ukulele version of the song. Tay Zonday and WS64 – Chocolate Rain (mp3)
A couple of atmospheric photos of Amanda Palmer and one of her many surprise ukulele performances.
Learn how to tie your ukulele strings extra firmly from the knot experts.
Mix Me A Molotov has a live mp3 of UOoGB performing Anarchy in the UK. Ukulele mp3s galore at Ochblog.
The Independent can’t resist a terrible ukulele pun either and reveals that Pete Doherty has, apparently, bought a uke.
Tedtoons of the Nashville Ukulele Society has two hilarious uke ecards: kitty ukulele and frog ukulele.
New ukulele LiveJournal group.
A ukulele playing Des O’Connor. Not that Des O’Connor.
Fluke played atop a camel.
Desperate rappers turn to Tiny Tim.
Art Ukeuleles
July 25, 2007
The art ukulele by Amy Crehore that I mentioned on Friday caused a bit of a stir on the intertubes after it was picked up by Boing Boing, so I thought I’d take a look at some of the other b-uke-iful creations out there.
My personal favourite is this uke by Christoph Mueller. Hank Williams III calls Mueller’s art, “bad ass work,” and I can’t help but agree. Be sure to check out his Flickr and Saatchi Online.
Flea Market Music’s art gallery features a selection of ukes including one of Peter and Donna Thomas’ ukulele books.
Duane Hielman’s Picasso style uke is a thing of wonder. He also makes many high quality conventional ukuleles as Black Bear.
Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center display a gallery of painted instruments including this uke.
Fluke ukuleles seem to have inspired many artists and the Fluke Museum has a number of examples including this carved koa fluke.
Ron Phillips makes Deco inspired resonator instruments such as these drool-worthy ukuleles.
Ukuleles and smiles are so often seen together such as on this uke.
Update: Robert Armstrong has created a number of painted ukes and has some creative uses for soundholes – such as the yowl-a-lele.
I’m sure there are plenty I’ve missed. Let me know your favourite.
A huge thanks to the awesome Jenny Flame of Ukulele Nation for her help putting this post together.
