1950's Style-1 Martin Ukulele // Vintage Ukulele

[@beverlymichael5830]

I love your grandmas Martin uke. I own two Martin ukes along with four Martin guitars. All the marks give it character and they all have a story how they got there. I would love to hear it after new tuners and strings. What a treasure.

[@samanthacrisp9421]

I absolutely love Martins! Simply the BEST. The older the better. What a jewel and legacy this little uke is! Thx for sharing!

[@southaustinukes]

What a beauty.

[@rev791cat]

I just found your video. I have an S1 which is a great instrument. I added Graphtech Tune-a-Lele’s which made it an excellent instrument. The Graphtech’s are lighter than the stock Grover’s and it stays in tune. My next purchase will be the Martin Concert FSC with the GT’s.

[@garygotori5022]

Aloha Kalani, enjoy your grandmothers ukulele.

[@JustinLCecil]

Get a set of Waverly friction tuners from stewmac. Old martins used to have them and they are fantastic. They have an internal spring that when you tighten it, it prevents any slip. Have them on several old ukes. Both new waverlys made by stewmac, and originals.

[@stevepenn2626]

I picked up a 50s Martin Style 0 recently as my first high end uke. I love the tone! Great video! Make sure the screws on the back of your friction tuners are decently tightened. It makes a world of difference with those old friction pegs!

[@congerscott6064]

Very very cool, all this time i had no idea you played ukulele, i play too and have been looking at martin soprano ukulele's, it sounds like your grandmother was quite a gal, great video, thank you 👍🏆.

[@Mandobird1]

I have 1:1 friction pegs on my Flea ukulele, they're alright. Took a little getting used to in the beginning, but tuning isn't a huge hassle at all. The tension of the pegs can be modified by use of a small Phillips head screwdriver, if there's any inconsistency with the give of the tuners.

[@plakataTV]

Based of your tuners (assuming they are original), it's likely from 1956-1959. I hope you didn't replace them :(

[@cattaraugustonawanda4426]

Better to use Gotoh than the composite thing so no new screw holes. Better yet to just leave it alone and get another good ukulele to play.

[@UkuleleClub]

I noticed the screw holes after I bought the tuners. I agree - No holes. I have a bunch of other Ukuleles, but my goal is to use this one more.

[@cattaraugustonawanda4426]

@@UkuleleClub The Gotoh planetary tuners have a tiny pointed pin to stop the tuner from rotating which could be steamed closed and would be hidden by your friction tuners should you want to revert to them. I haven't used friction tuners but I have read that it is somewhat of an acquired skill to use them but once mastered thy aren't so bad.

[@debraan6482]

I would not change anything on the Ukulele. I would keep it all original as it was when your grandmother was alive.

[@fulminepdemo]

Very nice

[@Josh.Vanjani]

Thanks for sharing this! I recently bought a vintage ukulele myself, a Regal. Wish I could have afforded a vintage Martin, ha ha. Have you considered trying gut strings on it? And hey, if you want to switch up the tuners, do what you feel. It's your instrument; be happy playing it how you like 😎

[@UkuleleClub]

I haven’t considered that, but I might. My goal is to make it playable and enjoyable.

[@genebrenner855]

Well, this video is 2 years old so whatever you did, you did. I hope you stayed with the 1:1 friction tuners as that stays with the style and age of the instrument. Either Waverlys or Grover 6W tuners, white, would probably be an upgrade while staying with the friction tuners. And I guess you can keep the 1st and 4th strings backwards if you wish. It may seem correct but that's not done as any modern soprano Martin can attest. All from the inside out. Wonderful sounding instrument. though, just so rich.

[@willcorg1979]

Actually the ukulele originated from Portugal and is a member of the Lute family. Ukulele’s are no more Hawaiian than beads are Native American in origin. Both were adopted from European cultures.

[@martinmcchesney8287]

I have a old Jose Alvarez uke but it doesn't have a saddle on bridge or no place to put one does this matter. Does it need a saddle

[@subrosa4792]

I imagine that your bridge and saddle are one piece. Unorthodox, but it is really common on cheap ukuleles, not so much on expensive ukuleles. Make sure you’re familiar with exactly what the saddle is and where it goes, there must be a saddle, either built in, or a slot where it should go.

[@hardyc.lugerth]

Come on! Learning to tune an instrument with friction tuners is not that hard! Millions of violin players will laugh at you. The Tune-A-Leles are nice tuners, but they don't belong on a Vintage Martin.

[@UkuleleClub]

It’s more about having tuners that stay in tune. The friction tuners just don’t hold and it makes the instrument less-enjoyable. A small update can make a world of difference.