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Lardy's Ukulele database
  • Makers Names
    • . A .
      • Abbott
      • Albert & Son (Aus)
      • Albert & Son (USA)
      • Albo
      • Aloha Mfg Co.
      • AMI Musical Instruments
      • Angel (PDRC)
      • aNueNue
      • APC
      • Aquila
      • Aria
      • Armadillo Enterprises
      • Ashton
      • AXL
      • Ayers Uluru
      • A Chinese factories
      • A Luthiers
    • . B .
      • Bacon & Day
      • Barnes & Mullins
      • Barth, Lutchen and Feinberg
      • Beare & Son
      • Beltona
      • Bergstrom
      • Blackbird Guitars
      • Bluebird Mfg. Co.
      • Bohemian Guitars
      • Boosey & Hawkes
      • Boulder Creek
      • Breedlove
      • Brueko
      • Bruno
      • Bugsgear
      • Buegeleisen and Jacobson
      • Bushman
      • Byron Mauzy
      • B Luthiers
    • . C .
      • Cammeyer, Alfred
      • Candelas Guitars
      • Carnival
      • Chang, Sam
      • Cikuan
      • Cole Clark
      • Collings Guitars
      • Compass Rose
      • Cordoba
      • Crews Guitars
      • C Luthiers
    • . D .
      • D'Angelico Guitars
      • D'Angelico, John
      • Daewon
      • Dallas
      • David Wexler & Co.
      • de Vékey, Aladar
      • Deviser Co.
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      • D Luthiers
    • . E .
      • do Espirito Santo, Jose
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      • Eko
      • Emenee
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      • Epiphone pre takeover
      • Epiphone post takeover
      • Ernest Ka'ai Mfg. co.
      • Essex, Clifford
      • E Luthiers
    • . F .
      • Fanner Guitar Works
      • Favilla
      • Fender
      • Ferry & Co.
      • Fin-Der
      • Fletcher, Coppock and Newman
      • Framus
      • Francis, Day & Hunter
      • Fujigen
      • F Luthiers
    • . G .
      • G-String
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      • Globe Music Co
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      • G Puglisi Reale
      • Gremlin
      • Gretsch
      • Grossman
      • Guyatone
      • G Luthiers
    • . H .
      • Hamano
      • Hana Lima 'Ia
      • Harp Guitar Co.
      • Harmony
      • Hawaiian Mahogany Company
      • Hilo
      • Hinano
      • Hoffmann Lutherie
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      • H Chinese factories
      • H Luthiers
    • . I .
      • Ibáñez, Salvador
      • iUke
      • Izzo Musical Instruments
      • I Luthiers
    • . J .
      • J.&A.Margolin
      • Jade Australia
      • Jetel
      • Jisheng
      • JMG (Jack Maskiell Guitars)
      • John Hornby Skewes
      • Jolli Joe
      • Jose Fernandez of Saxony
      • J R Stewart
      • Julve, Telesforo
      • J Chinese factories
      • J Luthiers
    • . K .
      • Ka'ai, Ernest
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      • Kanile'a
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      • Kawai Teisco
      • Kay
      • Keech
      • Keli'i
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      • Knutsen, Chris
      • Ko'Aloha
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      • Kremona
      • Kurosawa & Co.
      • Kumalae
      • K Luthiers
    • . L .
      • La Foley, George
      • Lag
      • Lange
      • Lark (PDRC)
      • Larrivee
      • Larson Bros.
      • Leilani
      • Levin
      • LoPrinzi
      • Ludwig
      • Luna Gakki
      • Lyon & Healy
      • L Luthier
    • . M .
      • Maccaferri
      • Magic Fluke Co.
      • Mainland
      • Majestic
      • Martin
      • Maton
      • Mattel
      • Mele
      • Malokia
      • Marquês
      • Mid East
      • Mitsuba (Gakki)
      • Montgomery Ward
      • Mossman, George
      • Musikalia
      • Musima
      • Mya Moe
      • M Luthiers
    • . N .
      • Nalu
      • National Resonators
      • Northern
      • Nunes, Leonardo
      • Nunes, Manuel
      • N Luthiers
    • . O .
      • Ohana
      • Omi International
      • Ortega
      • Oscar Schmidt
      • Outdoor Ukuleles
      • Ovation
      • Ozark
      • O Luthiers
    • . P .
      • Pahulele
      • Parrot (PDRC)
      • Peavey
      • Pennino Music Co.
      • Perlberg & Halpin
      • Pinol Guitars
      • PMICo
      • Pukanala
      • P Luthiers
    • . Q .
      • QTE Music
    • . R .
      • Regal
      • Reinhardt
      • Richter Mfg. Co.
      • Risa
      • Rodriguez, Manuel
      • Rokkomann
      • Romero Creations
      • Rose Morris
      • RUMC
      • R Luthier
    • . S .
      • Sahlein
      • Sam Osborn Mfg. Co.
      • Samick
      • Santa Cruz Guitars
      • Schireson Bros.
      • Schoenhut
      • Seilen
      • Selcol
      • Sherman Clay & Co
      • SHS International
      • Sinomusic
      • Slingerland
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      • St. Louis Music Inc.
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      • Summers Bros.
      • Suzuki Violin Co.
      • Swagerty
      • S Luthiers
    • . T .
      • Takamine
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      • Tatay, Vicente
      • Taylor Guitars
      • Team International
      • Tenon Industrial Co.
      • Tom
      • Tombo
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      • Turturro, Nicola
      • T Chinese factories
      • T Luthiers
    • . U .
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      • U.S. Music Co.
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      • U Luthiers
    • . V .
      • Van Allen
      • Vega
      • Vox
      • V Chinese factories
      • V Luthiers
    • . W .
      • W. G. Coker
      • Wagas Crafts
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      • Werco Drum Co.
      • Westheimer Sales Co
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      • Windsor
      • Winkler Woods
      • Woodi
      • Wurlitzer
      • W Luthiers
    • . X .
      • Xiaomi Corp.
    • . Y .
      • Yamaha
      • Yasuma & Co.
      • Y Luthiers
    • . Z .
      • Zepeda Guitars
      • Zimmermann
      • Zither Heaven
    • Multiple Brands
      • Post War Far East
      • XX Hawaiian Makers from the 2nd half of the 20th C.
      • xx Small 21stC. importers/producers/distributors from South America
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  • Glossary of Terms
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    • the Big K's
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    • Ukulele Scales
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      • Baritone Scale
      • Super Scales
      • Standard Approved
    • Parts of a Ukulele
    • General Terms
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  • Musings on the Ukulele
    • Endorsed Ukuleles
    • Hawaiian Mandolin
    • Hawaiian Tourist "Tat"
    • Questionable Reputation
    • Plastic Uke History
  • Other Chordophones
    • Banjos
      • Tenor Banjo
      • Zither Banjo
    • Far Eastern Instruments
      • Cak and Cuk
    • Guitars
      • Manouche Guitar
      • Octave Guitar
      • Requinto Guitar
      • Slide Guitar
      • Tenor Guitar
    • Iberian Instruments
      • Braguinha
      • Cavaquinho
      • Guitarrico
      • Rajao
      • Tiple /Timple
    • Latin American Instruments
      • Brazil Cavaco
      • Charango
      • Colombian Tiple
      • Jarana Jarocha
      • Latin chordophone makers
    • Mandolins
      • Banjo Mandolin
      • Mandolinetto
    • Strumstick
Lardy's Ukulele database

Windsor

Website about Winsor

the Whirle no. 6

First a quick note and its a general one; not just for Windsors - If you see a small British made banjo instrument with 8 strings it is a Banjo Mandolin not a Banjolele ALWAYS

Arthur Octavius Windsor started out in Birmingham, (UK), making coffin "furniture", but in the 1890's he started making Banjos as well and this business took over from the coffins. He is one of the people who is given credit for inventing the Zither Banjo, (he was certainly responsible for inventing the hidden channel in the neck of a 5 string banjo to enable it to go up to the headstock). The factory closed in 1940 when it was destroyed by German bombing but during its existence it produced a great many banjos of all types including Banjoleles. 

Their most famous and commonly seen brand is the The Whirle and they used this name on all of the Banjos not just the Banjoleles, though they did brand a number of different models of Banjolele with this. Other Brand names they used include Castle, (as in "Windsor Castle" and a picture of a castle is often included on the non whire brands), Honolulu, Popular, Melody Banjo, (though this was an early name used on crossover Banjolins), and there may have been more. On top of their own brands they did OEM too, most famously for JeTeL but for others too. 

Though most famous as a Banjo Maker they were also a musical instrument distributor, supplying Juan Gomez ukuleles amongst other things and I have seen a 1928 catalogue for Windsor that includes a Tiple Ukulele, 5 standard and 2 long scale Ukuleles, (at this time long scale usually meant a larger scales like a Concert or a Tenor), I'm also not sure if they made any of them or were just rebranding them, the one pictured is German, (Jose Ferdinand of Saxony), the description for the "De Luxe" says it is "Genuine Hawaiian", but as they are also offering a repair service I think they probably did make some. Also where they are selling the Hohner Ukulele pitch pipes they say they are Hohners. I have also seen a Honolulu Ukulele as well as Banjoleles but only pictures and I'm not sure if that was English made either?

Long Scale (Concert)

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