Just about every major guitar maker has produced a ukulele (often misspelled ukelele) at one time or another. Martin offered three ukulele models to its customers in 1918. The diminutive 12- and 17-fret instruments were followed in the 1920s by concert and tenor models, while the Martin 5-K from 1922, with its koa wood body and abalone inlay, is much in demand among collectors.
Gibson introduced its first ukulele in 1926. The highly collectible Uke-2 and Uke-3 styles from that year had mahogany bodies and rosewood fingerboards. Gibson also made tenor ukuleles (1927) and a baritone model (1961).
Today, ukuleles are experiencing a revival, thanks in no small part to the sustained popularity of the late Israel Kamakawiwo'ole’s ukulele medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”...
Not surprisingly, a host of guitar makers have jumped on the uke bandwagon. National makes an entire line of resonator ukuleles, from steel-body models to maple and mahogany ones. Martin continues to make ukuleles, as does a well-regarded boutique ukulele maker named Barking Dog.
Interviews & Articles
Ukulele Collector Andy Roth: An Interview with Collectors Weekly

When I was living in Hawaii in the late ’80s, I’d get together with friends and have music jams. One night I was playing the piano… [more]
Great Guitars: A Uke to Pay for Dentistry

No, that's not what I said! I said, “Ah Tau Kam.” Who is that, you ask? Well, very little is known about him and I could find only… [more]
Great Guitars: The Martin Concert Ukulele

The C. F. Martin "Concert" sized ukuleles were first cataloged and priced in 1925 and remained in production until 1965. With few … [more]
Great Guitars: The Origins of the Concert Uke

There are lots of different sizes of ukuleles, from the tiny soprano to the almost-guitar-sized baritone, but the concert uke is o… [more]
Martins vs. Gibsons: The Evolution of American Acoustic Guitars

I started playing guitar when I was pretty young and bought my first guitar when I was 10 or 11. Like a lot of people of my genera… [more]
Archtops, Hollowbodies, and Jimi's Legacy

I grew up in upstate New York in Rochester, and started playing guitar when I was about 10 years old. We had this place in Rochest… [more]
Les Pauls, Strats, and Other Cult Guitars

I started out primarily as a collector and the business aspect of it evolved over time, almost by accident. I didn’t start out wit… [more]
Legendary Luthier Rick Turner on Howe-Orme Guitars

I first started coming across Howe-Orme instruments when I was an apprentice guitar repairman in Boston in 1963. Their guitars hav… [more]
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Vintage Guitars Info

This great reference site features detailed sections for vintage guitar makers including Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gr… [read review or visit site]
Vintage Guitar and Bass

Want to see all the old brochures and ads for your favorite vintage axe? Check out this great site, which showcases… [read review or visit site]
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Recent News: Ukuleles
Source: Google News
Parma Ukulele club strums merrily along
Sun Star Courier, May 19thPARMA -- You would be hard-pressed to find a more jovial group of people than the members of the Cleveland Jumping Flea, a ukulele (pronounced OOK-AH-LAY-LAY) club that meets regularly at the Parma-Ridge branch of the Cuyahoga County Public...Read more
Ukulele host first pop-up shop at Fourth & Main boutique
The Upcoming, May 18thUkulele's is only a year old and already it has made a splash in creating wearable clothes that juxtapose east and west cultures and fashion forward at the same time. Pioneered by Purple-Qie Qin, the brand has made a point of steering away from...Read more
Answer Sheet Offers More Than Sweet Pop Ukulele Tunes
Jakarta Globe, May 17thOn their debut release “Chapter 1: Ista Promenade,” vocalist and ukulele handlers Wafiq “Ogi” Giotama and Mas Gilang Karebet (“Rebet”), along with bass player Abdullah Haq (“Abi”), creates a sound effortlessly balancing Tropicalia and alternative pop...Read more
Afternoon Melodies: Young Musician Plays the Ukulele in Prospect Park
Patch.com, May 17thHer newest album comes out in July. But on Thursday, Salimando wasn't playing the piano. She was in the park strumming a ukulele and singing. "I play piano mainly, but I came out today because I'm poor," she said, only half kidding. "I didn't want to...Read more
Ukulele Fever Descending on Port Washington
Patch.com, May 16thUnderhill is in the process of putting together U.K.E., a new ukulele group that will begin meeting on Thursday, May 30, from 3:30-4:15 p.m. at Wright Music. The group is open to everyone – from those interested in playing the ukulele to those who've...Read more
A chance for ukulele fans to band together
Timaru Herald, May 15thALEXIA JOHNSTON. Last updated 07:23 16/05/2013. hugh and fi mccafferty. SUPPLIED. CALLING ALL UKULELE MUSOS: Hugh and Fi McCafferty will host a range of ukulele events over a weekend in July in a bid to get more people playing the instrument...Read more
His Ukulele Is On Fire
Wall Street Journal (blog), May 8thJust about anyone can pick up the ukulele and make music in no time, but who ever goes beyond the basics? Historically, the lowly Portuguese-descended cousin of the guitar has served to accompany the vocals of aloha-spirited islanders or winking comics...Read more
Eat your heart out, Tiny Tim: Ukulele craze takes southern Maine
The Forecaster, May 7thThe word "ukulele" (sometimes spelled "ukelele") is Hawaiian, and means "leaping flea." The word is taken from "uku" (flea, louse) and "lele" (to leap or jump). Coined in the 1890s, about a decade after the instrument was introduced to the Hawaiian...Read more
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