Hi, just bought a very old Banjo Uke and need some advice.
Elder
The Velum has a slightly faded George Formby "Signature" printed on it.
It isn't a Dallas Model E, it is a lot simpler design. Looks to have all
4 strings still made of gut.
There is a plate on the headstock which looks the the one fitted to the
Dallas models but any writing has faded. I can't find a number on the
back of the headstock either.
It is a closed back, spaced away from the body, with 2 f holes.
Only faults I could find are sadly the velum has worn through on one of
the contacts points on the resonator, and one of the tuning pegs was
loose, it just needed the screw under the button tightening. I want to
avoid changing the velum though because it still plays and it is
original.
Anyway, how would I go about finding something about the history of it,
maker/date etc, and how do you tune and play a uke? I've never been
musical, but I've always wanted a uke, and have been messing about with
3 string cigar box and tin can guitars for a couple of months.
--
Carl Robson
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Elder
carl....@bouncing-czechs.com says...
>
> The Velum has a slightly faded George Formby "Signature" printed on it.
> It isn't a Dallas Model E, it is a lot simpler design. Looks to have all
> 4 strings still made of gut.
>
> There is a plate on the headstock which looks the the one fitted to the
> Dallas models but any writing has faded. I can't find a number on the
> back of the headstock either.
>
> It is a closed back, spaced away from the body, with 2 f holes.
>
> Only faults I could find are sadly the velum has worn through on one of
> the contacts points on the resonator, and one of the tuning pegs was
> loose, it just needed the screw under the button tightening. I want to
> avoid changing the velum though because it still plays and it is
> original.
>
> Anyway, how would I go about finding something about the history of it,
> maker/date etc, and how do you tune and play a uke? I've never been
> musical, but I've always wanted a uke, and have been messing about with
> 3 string cigar box and tin can guitars for a couple of months.
Having had a look around, it appears to be a John E Dallas & Sons Model
'A' Judging by the Formby 'Signature', the signature plate that has lost
the enamel and the F holes on the back.
Now tuned, I just need to learn to read tabs and get my big fat fingers
on to chords. Would love to play a little punk Uke.