Custom Kamaka “Kelly-Boy” 5-String Tenor Ukulele
Custom Kamaka “Kelly-Boy Delima” 5-String Tenor Ukulele in beautifully restored condition. This piece is tremendously rare and was especially handcrafted for famed Hawaii musician, Kelly-Boy Delima of the band ‘Kapena’ in 1989. It was used for his early recordings with Kapena and during his sponsorship with Kamaka Ukuleles. Custom Kamaka Ukuleles are amongst the best sounding, most desired and rare Hawaii-made player ukuleles around and tremendously difficult to come by with the company not accepting orders for custom pieces.
Gorgeous Hawaiian Koa back & sides with a Bear Claw Sitka spruce top soundboard. 16-fret joint to the neck (most Kamaka tenor ukuleles have a 14-fret joint to the body) with 20 overall frets to the soundhole. Elegant top and side black purfling lines, musicians grade Ebony wood fingerboard and bridge, and Maple wood top and back binding. Gorgeous Hawaiian Koa wood rosette with B-W-B purfling lines, solid Hawaiian Koa wood neck with center maple strip for added stability and aesthetic appeal, poreless gloss finish, chrome professional period specific slotted headstock geared tuners. The uke also has a rare slotted headstock, which is only found on instruments handcrafted by Kamaka for its sponsored musicians.
This beauty rings classic ‘Hawaii’. What can I say, custom Kamaka ukes are amazing! I’ve owned a number of custom Kamaka ukes thus far and each one (all koa body,redwood top with maple wood back and sides, or spruce top with koa back and sides) each has its own aesthetic appeal in my opinion but they all play and sound incredible!
The spruce top really brightens the tones and makes for a remarkable combination of tones with the all koa wood back and sides. The body of this uke is also slightly deeper than the standard tenor mold per “Kelly-Boy’s” request and to accentuate the low notes, adding additional depth to the complex range of tones offered by the ukulele. The uke has been refinished with one small aesthetic repair on the back. It has since been professionally repaired by Kamaka and refinished to restore the piece to its former glory. I’ve come across a few of these custom Kamaka ukes built with a spruce top and this one is certainly one that stands out tonally in a great way! Crisp, clean and precise. Nice deep and complex low tones with excellent mid-range and crisp high too. The uke also has exceptional volume and balance all the way up the neck. Pick-up and volume control installed by Kamaka for quick plug-n-play. Great projection as well. There is certainly a player’s presence and historical appeal – about it.
Price: SOLD