John Croft, Glan Tanat, Llanyblodwel, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 8NQ, England
Tel: (+44) 01691 - 828850.
E-Mail: theukuleleman@hotmail.com

For Sale

ABBOTT ‘Monarch’ Banjo Uke (c.1927). A couple of years ago I sold my first Abbott ‘Monarch’ in about thirty years, and now I get two for sale within weeks!!!! Another superb example of an all-original pre-war Abbott ‘Monarch’ banjo-uke (as frequently played by the late, great, George Formby). Thick spliced (and straight) sycamore neck and no wear to frets or to fingerboard. Complete with original hard shaped case. Once again, this is NOT the shallow spinning model but the slightly deeper spinning model as played by Formby himself. Serial number 4615. A very rare instrument and one that collectors, professionals and semi-professionals find highly desirable. Fantastic condition and superb sound. OHSC (EXC+) £4,500. SOLD

LEVIN ‘Regal’ Banjo Uke (c.1930). Levin were a Swedish manufature of high quality musical instruments who traded between 1900 and 1978, and this is a lovely old banjo uke with a great playing action and a very good sound. Easy top-tension adjustment to the vellum. Resonator made from bird’s eye maple & mahogany with beautiful parquetry inlay around the sides and a parquetry ring inlaid on the back. Bound mahogany neck with inlaid mother-of-pearl dots set into the rosewood fingerboard. Position dots on binding. Decorated peghead. Excellent tuning pegs. This is a much lighter instrument than it looks, it sits comfortably in one’s arms and it plays extremely well, giving a very good sound. Constructed in a style somewhat similar to the famous Vegavox Banjos. Straight neck with no wear to frets or to fingerboard. Another nice vintage banjo uke at a good price. OHSC £325. ON HOLD

ABBOTT ‘Monarch’ Banjo Uke (c.1981). This is a lovely example of one of the highly respected and sought after banjo ukes made by Jack Abbott, son of the great J. G. Abbott (John) who founded the Abbott company in London over one hundred years ago. Straight neck and no wear to frets or to fingerboard. ‘Abbott’ transfer across the peghead. Original tuning pegs in great condition. Top-tension pot with fouteen tensioners. Crown-shaped cutouts in the flange. Adjustable tailpiece. Spliced mahogany neck and heel. Pretty back of resonator with central brown rosewood strip across a honey brown maple back, with white inlay around the inside. Rosewood fingerboard with sixteen frets and multiple dot inlays in mother-of-pearl. Complete with original hard shaped case. OHSC (EXC +) £1,100. SOLD

(Available Soon) RON SPIERS ‘R. S. Supreme’ Banjo Uke (1986). Ron Spiers was a retired engineer who began to produce banjo ukes in Ruislip, Middlesex, in about 1983, based loosely on the ‘Ludwig’ banjo ukes of the 1920’s. His instruments were very well made and they soon became very popular. The late Alan Randall liked them so much that he asked Ron Spiers make a model called the ‘Alan Randall De-Luxe’. This instrument is in superb overall condition. It has a straight neck and no wear to the frets or the fingerboard. Bound sixteen fret ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl inlaid position dots. Spliced neck with ebony peghead and ebony heelcap. Easily removable resonator. Nickel-plated pot with scalloped bezel and circular cutouts in the flange. Sixteen top-tensioner rods for tightening the vellum. Neck & resonator in mahogany. Resonator bound around the bottom edge and inlaid with a pretty parquetry strip around the side, and a attractive parquetry pattern on the back. Complete with hard shaped case. HSC (EXC+) £675. Photos to follow.

LUDWIG ‘Wendell Hall’ Professional Banjo Uke (c.1927). This is a really great example of a Ludwig ‘Wendell Hall’. It has a straight neck, no wear to the frets, and just one small indent between two of the strings at the first fret position (caused by a long nail!) which has no impact whatsoever upon the playability of the instrument. The rest of the fingerboard is perfect. This instrument has had replacement tuning pegs, but apart from that it is all original and in remarkable condition. There is no crazing on the finish and no splitting of the wood around the top of the sides of the resonator as can both often be found on these instruments. The original transfer on the peghead remains intact and unblemished, as does the transfer around the side of the resonator. The plating is superb. The instrument comes complete with its original armrest, its original ‘Ludwig’ ebony-tipped maple bridge, the ‘Ludwig’ label inside the resonator, and its original ‘Ludwig’ hard shaped case with purple cloth lining and the ‘Ludwig’ badge on the inside of the lid. Great instrument, great condition, and great sound! OHSC (EXC) £1,325. ON HOLD

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