ball2424

Played on a 40's Martin 1M, Fremont Blackline strings

One of my favorite Dead songs played on a 50's Gibson uke 1, Worth clear strings.

I shot this video with a Flip camera so the sound quality isn't great and you may have to adjust your screen brightness to see all the details on the uke closeups. Hopefully this video will answer some of your questions about early Martin ukuleles. Cheers, Gary

This is a new custom uke that famous luthier Scott Baxendale made for me roughly based on a Martin model 3 design and a semi-dreadnaught shape. What makes this uke an heirloom is that the cherry back, sides, neck and headstock come from an old cherry that was dying in my back yard. Well the entire story is in the video.

Traditional ballad

This film shows Alaskan scenery and traditional American ballads (and one original song about rat snakes) played on a vintage Martin ukulele. I got the idea for this concert because I was stopped so many times along the Parks Highway for road work crews to work on the highway. I thank Alaska Department of transportation and Public Works for the inspiration. The film was shot on 17June 2015 between Anchorage and Fairbanks and on 25 June 2015 between Fairbanks and Anchorage. It includes miscellaneous views of the scenery, fire damage and comments on the virtues of the ukulele over other stringed instruments.

An old English folk song of the murder ballad ilk. This is unedited, sorry bout that. I bought a new video editing program and it's not working very well.

House of the Rising Sun played on a Martin 1M, 40's-50's, Fremont Blackline strings.

American version of the old English murder ballad played on a late 20's Martin M2 ukulele.

An homage to Woody Guthrie on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Played on an Anuenue 1879 uke with Orcas strings.

A traditional English love ballad played on a 40's Favilla soprano uke with Fremont Blacklines

Haven't uploaded a video in some time so although this has a flaw or two it seemed like time to get back on the ball. Traditional ballad, not a murder ballad in that sense but there must have been a murder to put the writer in jail. Lots of floating verses to this song like many American ballads.

This is one of my first original songs, not the greatest recording I'm afraid but just thought that I'd put it up to see what folks thought. Played on a pre-1922 Martin 1M ukulele.

Just a little video for the Martineros. mid -20's Ditson 1M, ~1935 Martin 1M, Favilla ~30's mahogany teardrop and pre 21 Martin 1K. First two ukes have Fremont Blacklines Mediums, Last two have new Worth Brown mediums. The mic just isn't very good on these little Flip HD cameras, someday I'll figure out an easy way to synch my Zoom H4N. cheers,g2