Fleamarket Banjo Ukulele
3August 15, 2010 by Tim
My wife and I try to go to the Third Sunday Market a few times during the summer here in Bloomington IL. When I am there I am always on the look-out for ukuleles. Last year I found a 1920’s Richter with the big 10 flags on it. Plays great and I got it for $40, put very little into it to get it to play. This year I found one that was not in as good a shape but it was $30. What I know about it is that it is a banjo ukulele, looks like maple body, but I have no clue who made it. I am hoping in time that I will and that it will be resurrected and playable. I will update this as I know anything and as I “restore” it.
Take a look at the gallery and please comment on what you know about it.
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- Head is off, but some remains
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Ukeeku.com 
congrats on your flea finds. my cna gave me what she thought was an old ukulele which i immediately knew was a mandolin. it’s old but i don’t know anyone who could tell me how old. there’s no label or markings of any kind. there’s metal keys/machines so it couldn’t be that old. it seems like good wood all around though. she dominican…her family is from there, and still travel back and forth…i thought it might be an old dominican mandolin….she found it in her moms basement behind a bunch of old boxes etc. good luck on your project. i’ll trudge along on mine!
Beautiful!
I have the exact same instrument sitting right here on my couch in NJ. The name on the head stock is Sterling in red on a banner of gold. You ruined the patina of your uke by stripping it. All the warmth and charm and history has been washed away. Oh well. You live and you learn. The tuners on mine are just wood friction type with no metal. I have to replace my head and I’m happy that I found your article which was well written and very informative.