The most valuable and sought after Hawaiian-built ukuleles have always been made of koa wood, once known as “Hawaiian mahogany”. Maui Ukulele Co. Koa (laminate) Soprano Ukulele; Mele Ukulele has carried reasonably priced laminated-wood ukuleles for many years. Each Mele ukulele is designed to offer excellent playability. Let us know! So, in our opinion, this is truly a very rare Martin, perhaps, one of a kind, definitely a collector’s dream. Our koa ukuleles, as well as having excellent sound qualities, are living works of nature’s art, each unique, with its beautiful ripples of color in the koa’s grain. Mele Mango Pineapple Soprano (OUT OF STOCK) $ 399.00 – $ 479.00 Select options; Mele Ukulele Koa Top and Mahogany Soprano $ 399.00 – $ 479.00 Select options; Mele Mango Soprano Double Hole $ 399.00 Add to cart; Glossy Koa Top Soprano Double Puka $ 399.00 – $ 479.00 Select options; Mele Mahogany Vintage Rope Inlay Soprano $ 449.00 Add to cart Most people who started their new music hobby usually dig deep into ukulele instrument. One of only 2 they made as a special order. (Koa and mahogany are both hardwoods and members of the acacia family.) Mele Ukulele – the web’s best source of quality hand-made solid wood ukuleles Our ukuleles feature great tone and playability, top quality Hawaiian koa and other fine SOLID tone woods, and detailed inlay work. No complaints with my mele ukulele as its beautiful sound makes each day I play it better! You will find these vintage Martin koa ukulele mostly in soprano and concert ukulele models. Cedar and spruce tops are valued for the distinctive tone qualities and beautiful and distinctive appearance they can impart to a quality hand-built instrument. The koa wood on the face adds beauty to the display while a rich mahogany backing adds to the strength. They built mahogany ukulele in all sizes or models – soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Currently, they are: Humidity – The Symptoms, | Using a Guitar Humidifier, Video: Humidity – The Solution, Part 1 | Part 2. P.S. To view them, go to www.taylorguitars.com, click on “Owner Resources”, scroll down to “Sometimes a Guitar gets Thirsty”, and you can click on the titles of the videos. Maui Ukulele Co, Hula Ukes & Other Brands. Do you have any questions or comments about ukuleles, music, Hawaii, or whatever? ***Please note*** Due to the handmade nature of our instruments, ukuleles may vary due to variations in tone woods, wood grains etc. However, Martin also built just a handful of solid koa ukuleles — the “K” series –3K, 5K, models. It will, however, be the same model. Aside from this, upkeep is very simple; wipe with a soft cloth occasionally, and slightly loosen the strings when traveling. Martin Guitars built ukuleles mostly using mahogany wood. There are a lot of vintage Martin ukuleles out there. The great Mainland ukulele makers of times past, such as Martin, Gibson, Washburn, Regal, etc., used mahogany for most of their production. Your ukulele may not be identical to the one pictured. Rarely will you find a vintage Martin koa tenor ukulele. Mahogany, when properly selected and cured, makes for excellent ukuleles with great sound. I bought 2 Mele ukuleles in 2004 – an all koa tenor cutaway and a Kalia rosewood/cedar concert. Beautiful, great playability and sweet sound. Maui Ukulele Co, Hula Ukes & Other Brands. Frankly, we do not know or have ever seen any other vintage Martin koa tenor ukulele. Mele ukuleles are built to stringent quality standards to provide you with the utmost in satisfaction and value. The case is probably original or at least from the same vintage as the ukulele. Genuine koa is found only in Hawaii and is becoming rare and expensive, so any genuine solid koa uke is an investment in the future. Original hardshell case included. Every ukulele is absolutely unique and a representation of the exact model you are buying. Mike Longworth offered to buy this and showcase it in the Martin Guitars museum. These are the most popular woods for guitar tops and they also are excellent for ukes. I am a working professional musician but I didn’t come back to ukulele until around the mid 1980’s. You will find Mele Ukuleles as the ukulele of choice by top Hawaiian entertainers and world famous musicians like Joe Walsh, John Fogerty, Jesse Colin Young, Steve Miller, Mick Fleetwood, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Sammy Hagar, James Hetfield, and members of Bonnie Raitt, Bon Jovi and Jimmy Buffet’s bands. You can also click on them right here on our page to watch them on YouTube. My uke is a very simple design and yet holds a clear distinction as an upper class ukulele. For nearly 30 years, Mele Ukulele continues to offer what can be considered among the best values in musical instruments today. Martin Guitars built ukuleles mostly using mahogany wood. You have a beautiful looking Martin Style 1k soprano ukulele. They do not have any information of the whereabouts of the second one. Enjoy! Our ukuleles feature great tone and playability, top quality Hawaiian koa and other fine SOLID tone woods, and detailed inlay work. Please keep your Mele in its case when it’s not being played, and use a humidifier (we offer some inexpensive ones for sale) if you live in a very dry climate or heat your home. We also use Sitka spruce, Western red cedar and redwood tops on some of our ukuleles. You will find these vintage Martin koa ukulele mostly in soprano and concert ukulele models. Mele Round Back Koa & Mahogany CutAway Tenor with Abalone Shell Inlay $ 4,199.00 $ 3,999.00 Round-backed fretted instruments have been popular since Medieval and Renaissance times (lutes, mandolins, charangos, etc) for some of the unique qualities they offer, but until Ovation came out with their famous round-backed line of instruments, nobody had made a round-backed ukulele. Ukulele was my first instrument at age 6 or 7. After all, Martin Guitars built ukuleles by the thousand from as early as the 1920s until 1970s. For nearly 30 years, Mele Ukulele continues to offer what can be considered among the best values in musical instruments today. Presenting, a very rare 14 fret SOLID KOA vintage Martin Tenor ukulele circa 1970. It appears from your photos to be in excellent condition. Your Mele Ukulele is a handmade solid wood instrument, just like guitars, violins and other fine stringed instruments costing many thousands! Vintage Martin KOA Tenor Ukulele – mint condition circa 1970 $ 100,000.00 Add to cart Sometimes our customers don’t realize that such instruments should be kept humidified. koaloha live; products; custom work; find a dealer; factory tours; contact We of course, think that all our ukuleles are beautiful but like children, they are all beautiful in their own ways. It has a Hawaiian koa wood body. Mint condition – no cracks. menu. Our mahogany ukuleles are great sellers, combining outstanding performance with great value. There are some videos on the Taylor Guitars website that are very informative. Mele Round Back Koa & Mahogany CutAway Tenor with Abalone Shell Inlay $ 4,199.00 $ 3,999.00 Add to cart Vintage Martin KOA Tenor Ukulele – mint condition circa 1970 It was made between 1927 and the early 1930s. Martin Guitars’ historian, Mike Longworth confirmed that this Martin koa ukulele was made in 1970. Each Mele ukulele is a beautiful example of the craftman’s work, and will provide you with a lifetime of fun and music. We use choice tropical tonewoods such as koa and mahogany, to provide the resonance and beauty that makes Mele ukuleles so special. It was purchased for $380 and produces a lovely sound. However, Martin also built just a handful of solid koa ukuleles — the “K” series –3K, 5K, models. These are made with thin layers of beautiful tonewoods for the look of a much more expensive instrument. Cedar imparts a warm, mellow, rich tone and spruce is the choice of many professional virtuoso ukulele players because of its volume, punch and brilliance. They built mahogany ukulele in all sizes or models – soprano, concert, tenor and baritone.