Marc Schoenburger Ukiyo Vita

The Harmony Roy Smeck "Vita", (after the biscuits Roy was also endorsing), Production started in the late 1920's and finished in the mid 1930's. Reputedly the best sounding Harmony of the period, the A style mandolin shape helps increase the volume and no-one knows what inspired the seal sound holes. So another old clunker then and once again breaking my promise to stop buying old clunkers...

Not quite - what I have invited to the Corner is a fairly faithful modern reproduction of one by Marc Schoenberger under his Ukiyo brand. I say fairly faithful because obviously its new(ish - it was made in 2006), and it has the neatest compensated saddle I think I've ever seen, (and the originals didn't have that). It was also made in California not Chicago too.

Now it's here I see it has amazing strings as well as an amazing saddle! I don't know what they are but they look like they would have confused the heck out of Roy Smeck as well as the compensated saddle. They are sort of wound nylon over a wire core? Anyway they whole Ukulele is here and it is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.