Fit to Print: A Look at the Ukulele in Ads, Comics, and Magazine and Book Covers
Take a look at the ukulele in vintage newspaper and magazine advertisements, comics, cover illustrations, and related printed media from the 1910s to the 1960s.
Sandor Nagyszalanczy
Ukulele Maker Steve Grimes Borrows From the Past While Looking to the Future
In the guitar world, Steve Grimes is a well-known builder of extraordinary acoustic guitars. But he also builds some of the finest ukuleles on the planet.
Great Ukes: Harmony’s Art Moderne Ukuleles were Inspired by a Popular 1930s Aesthetic
In the 1930s, Harmony created a new instrument model named for the Art Moderne design style it embodied, decorated with an array of geometrical forms.
Great Ukes: Regal’s Jungle Uke Had Looks That Killed The Sound
Regal's Jungle Uke had a body that was completely covered in fake leopard fur fabric, making it one of the worst sounding—but coolest looking—ukuleles ever made.
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Ring-Mounted Finger Uke, the Jazuke & More: A History of Unusual Ukulele Patents
Exploring the history of ukulele patents provides an entertaining look at some of the more unusual, clever, and sometimes questionable ideas in the ukuele's history.
Cool and Bizarre Uke Ephemera from the 1920s to the 2000s
BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY | FROM THE WINTER 2020 ISSUE OF UKULELE Some of the best advice my mother gave me in regard to collecting was that the best time to buy something was when no one else wanted it. Being…
Get Inspired By Vintage Ukulele Sheet Music!
Take a tour of some vintage ukulele sheet music from the early 20th century.
Great Ukes: The Ingenious 1920’s Tru-Fret Fingerboard
BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY| FROM THE SUMMER 2020 ISSUE OF UKULELE If you asked a room full of luthiers what the most tedious part of building a ukulele is, I bet that most would say it’s installing the frets, the thin…
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Ukes on Screen: From Buster Keaton to Marilyn Monroe to Adam Sandler, the Little Uke Played a Big Role in Movie and TV History
BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY | FROM THE SPRING 2020 ISSUE OF UKULELE Believe it or not, ukuleles and the musicians who play them have appeared on screens big and small for around 100 years now. While lots of popular contemporary movies…
Cocktail Hour: Favorites from the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz and Mya-Moe (Bonus: Learn to Play ‘Rye Whiskey’)
Monterey Bay Breeze Cocktail Santa Cruz, California, is best known for its majestic redwood forests and world-class surfing spots. But since the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz launched a four-string revolution 14 years ago, it’s also become a destination for ukulele…