C. F. Martin Style 1 Soprano Ukulele , c. 1928
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C. F. Martin Style 1 Model Soprano Ukulele, c. 1928, made in Nazareth, PA, dark mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a nice example of a later 1920s Martin Style 1 ukulele, relatively clean overall with one solid old repair but a fine player. Although by Martin standards these were a fairly inexpensive instrument (originally retailing in the $12-14.00 range), they are built to the highest Martin 1920s standard and are considered easily amongst the best-sounding ukuleles ever manufactured.
The Style 1 is a simple design with a natural mahogany finish and no ornament beyond 3-ply wooden top binding, single ply back binding, an inlaid sound hole ring and four very small dots on the fingerboard. The nut and saddle are ebony, a change from the maple used on earlier Martin ukes.
The tuners are Grover simplex friction pegs with white plastic buttons, not used by Martin until the later 1920s thus conveniently helping to date this uke. This Style 1 plays very well and has a powerful and beautiful tone.
Overall length is 20 5/8 in. (52.4 cm.), 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 13 5/8 in. (346 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.).
This nearly 100 year old ukulele shows some wear and old repair but has survived in fine playing all-original condition. The top is very solid with no cracks or really heavy wear; there are some small scuffs and dings with small areas of strum wear down to the bare wood on both sides of fingerboard extension. The one notable repair is a long impact crack along length of treble side, which has been neatly repaired and lightly touched up. The original bridge, braces and bridgeplate all intact and the instrument is a superb player. We have never heard better-sounding ukuleles than these early Martins, regardless of style and this one is no exception, ready to go in a very high-grade HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a nice example of a later 1920s Martin Style 1 ukulele, relatively clean overall with one solid old repair but a fine player. Although by Martin standards these were a fairly inexpensive instrument (originally retailing in the $12-14.00 range), they are built to the highest Martin 1920s standard and are considered easily amongst the best-sounding ukuleles ever manufactured.
The Style 1 is a simple design with a natural mahogany finish and no ornament beyond 3-ply wooden top binding, single ply back binding, an inlaid sound hole ring and four very small dots on the fingerboard. The nut and saddle are ebony, a change from the maple used on earlier Martin ukes.
The tuners are Grover simplex friction pegs with white plastic buttons, not used by Martin until the later 1920s thus conveniently helping to date this uke. This Style 1 plays very well and has a powerful and beautiful tone.
Overall length is 20 5/8 in. (52.4 cm.), 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 13 5/8 in. (346 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.).
This nearly 100 year old ukulele shows some wear and old repair but has survived in fine playing all-original condition. The top is very solid with no cracks or really heavy wear; there are some small scuffs and dings with small areas of strum wear down to the bare wood on both sides of fingerboard extension. The one notable repair is a long impact crack along length of treble side, which has been neatly repaired and lightly touched up. The original bridge, braces and bridgeplate all intact and the instrument is a superb player. We have never heard better-sounding ukuleles than these early Martins, regardless of style and this one is no exception, ready to go in a very high-grade HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.