Kamaka Ukulele-Tiple 10 String-1971-Custom Deluxe Model-Original Hard Case-ALL HAWAIIAN KOA-RARE

Beautiful 1971 CUSTOM Kamaka Deluxe Tiple (10 string) ukulele handcrafted at the Kamaka factory 53 years ago. ALL ORIGINAL, NOT REFURBISHED. NO CRACKS OR PREVIOUS REPAIRS. Original ALL KOA front, back, neck, bridge, and headstock. The way they used to be made by Kamaka in the 1970's. Original everything, tuners, bridge, saddle and nut. This came in as a trade at a Taylor certified guitar store in Hawaii. It was so well maintained that it needed no repairs, just a re-string and a professional set up. The action feels perfect and it is a joy to play. Intonation is absolutely spot on. It's a real player. It's a performance/recording instrument.  

Cosmetically on the front you'll see some strum marks and wear from countless jam sessions. It even has some mojo-filled rub marks on the neck, proof of it's thousands of hours of play. There was a pick guard on it years ago and you can see the residue from where it used to be attached. This can be easily removed and polished up by the next owner. Very tiny ding on maple binding that I made today while taking pictures outside. 

It's an excellent looking and perfect playing Tiple ukulele. This ukulele is the definition of a "player". It's totally ready for the stage or the recording studio.. I re-strung it last week and it's ready for you to play right out of the case. It stays in tune as well as any of my tenor ukuleles. I own 15 Kamaka white labels, all crack free, and this Tiple Ukulele is as solid and stage ready as any of my ukuleles.

THIS is the ORIGINAL 1971 KAMAKA KOA WOOD on the entire instrument. Samuel Kamaka hand picked the koa. He would let the Koa wood sit for 3 to 4 years in the Kamaka factory storage facility to increase its stability before even using it on an instrument. So this wood is actually from the late 1960's. This is a true vintage Kamaka Tiple in it's original form and it sounds beautiful. They are rare to find and especially rare to find with no cracks or repairs.

Original 1970's master grade Hawaiian curly koa wood on the back. Hand picked straight grain koa on the front and sides. Koa bridge and headstock. Matching ALL KOA NECK. Perfect straight and solid koa neck in original Samuel Kamaka style. The top and back binding is Hawaiian mango wood with a matching rosette. Interior sticker is perfect and intact. I have it tuned like my regular ukuleles G C E A. I use LaBella Tiple strings on it and they fit and sound beautiful. I will include two free sets of Tiple strings with the purchase. I will also include THE ORIGINAL HARD CASE which is SUPER STRONG, one of my strongest cases almost on par with Ameritage $375 cases. It's not a wimpy case like many 1970 ukuleles were using. It's a case more like a very hard old school guitar case. It's heavy and fits the Tiple size to perfection. Very solid hard case.

This particular Kamaka Tiple is a deluxe model and was especially made for a friend of Samuel Kamaka, who Mr. Kamaka served in the military with. This is hand written on the inside sticker. "SAMUEL KAMAKA LUTHIER 550 South Street Honolulu Hawaii 5-29-71. E. Samuel Constructor, Esp. for Nester M. Main". 

According to well respected Hawaiian ukulele expert Shawn at the website Ukulele Friend, "The Kamaka Tiple is not a production made instrument. It is a full custom piece and were upon rare occasion custom ordered by musicians in Hawaii. These difficult to find instruments are also closely connected with the hula communities and Hawaiian music. They are truly wonderful historic instruments that are tremendously difficult to locate. Strong sounding instruments. Steel strings and the 10-string set up provides wonderful clarity and depth to each note. Now you can own a piece of history from Hawaii's most famous luthier, Samuel Kamaka". - That is quoted from the Ukulele Friend website, next to a 1974 Kamaka Tiple listing that sold  in 2015 for roughly $5,000 refurbished.

I emailed Shawn at Ukulele Friend (I am a long time fan of his and his store) and confirmed that he listed a Kamaka Tiple back in 2015 for about $5,000. It of course sold. It was COMPLETELY REFURBISHED. Meaning, the koa front, koa back, koa sides, and koa neck, and koa bridge, were totally replaced at Kamaka with modern Koa AND a new Mahogany neck AND it still sold for $5,000. None of the original 1970's koa wood was actually on that instrument that sold for $5,000. 

So, to some ukulele players and collectors, that means an ORIGINAL ALL HAWAIIN KOA KAMAKA TIPLE, not refurbished with modern day wood, might be worth more than $5,000.( to someone who values VINTAGE KAMAKA TONE and vintage koa wood that has opened up from years of play).

I searched online and I don't see any other Kamaka Tiples like this one available for sale at this time.

Total length 31 inches 

Body length 12 inches 

Scale length 19 inches 

Nut width 1 5/8 in 

Upper bout 7 inches 

Lower bout width 9 1/2 inches 

Upper bout depth 3 in 

Lower back depth 3 3/8 inches