In making a website for Ukulele Corner, (where all of my Ukuleles live) I have come across many different brands of Ukulele and sometimes I have wanted to know more about them, especially if I thought one should come to live in Ukulele Corner.
But then there were all of the other Ukuleles that probably aren't going to make it to the Corner and even if I don't love them somebody might, and might like to know more about them. I know there are other nice databases out there and I have put links to them in the Lardy Fatboy Links page, but I thought there was scope for an expanded database, with pictures? - This is my attempt. (it started out as notes for me so I could keep track of what I had found out about the various makers and I included pictures to help me try and identify some of the unmarked instruments that are out there. In making my notes public there are some people who have complained that I have infringed upon their copyright for the images and refuse me permission to put their Ukulele pictures on public display. If you come across an image whose access is restricted, it is for this reason - It's still ultimately my notes, for me, and the pictures of the Ukuleles are out there but I can't show them to you, sorry. I also started out including slide shows of multiple examples of the ukuleles including distinguishing features and alternate models and brandings, Google has in its infinite wisdom to withdraw the functionality to show these)
Please join in if you have any information, pictures, corrections, even questions. Email Lardy.Fatboy@gmail.com and do remember this is a work in progress so there is still a lot to add! (this includes a lot of makers that I only have partial information on and haven't yet made an entry for, so if you are looking for something and its not here please email me, I might know something?). One thing though, I won't add a makers name unless I have a picture or some other very good evidence to give some idea of what they produce or have produced.
When looking through the Ukulele database be aware that a number of brand names have been used by a number of people over the years; sometimes even at the same time, particularly if it seemed like a good marketing ploy. Aloha, Hawaii and Waikiki are very popular as brand names but there are others - for example "Maxitone" was used by Bruno in the US and by George Houghton in the UK in the 1930's and to add to the confusion they both put the name on Banjoleles, but beyond the name there is no connection between them.
Whilst on the subject of brand names - on Banjoleles the metal tailpiece, (that holds the strings at the drum end), is often branded; this is usually the brand name of the tail-piece though, not the name of the Ukulele - same goes for tuning pegs; on any instrument. And whilst I am on the subject of Banjoleles, any 20th century made 8 string banjo is a Banjo Mandolin or a Banjo Cavaquinho, (if it's from Portugal or Brazil): ALWAYS!
Another thing - I am aware that in Hawaiian the correct spelling is 'Ukulele with a ' in front of the U and the correct Hawaiian pronunciation is "Ookalele" but I am British and writing in English so the ' is dropped ~ I don't listen to Finns telling me how to pronounce Sauna either!
This is the latest iteration of my attempts to make a searchable database of the information I have found out about Ukuleles, Ukulele Manufacturers and things related to the Ukulele. For various reasons beyond my control its all a bit of a mess visually and is missing many important parts like picture galleries, comprehensive indexes, external links and references. It is possible it will never have all of these things but in a perfect world I would like to include them so lets hope...
In the mean time the best way to find anything specific is to use the search function in the top right corner. (It is not a fuzzy logic search so be as accurate as possible with the spelling)
Since there is not usually a lot to say about 21st Century Luthiers I no longer list them individually and put a paragraph or so about the ones I know under a page at the end of each letter in the side menu. I am listing them under their last names and while I am updating the web site they may still be listed elsewhere.
I have done something similar with both historical and current brands that I have very little information on. At the moment I am working on rebuilding the web site and not researching makers.