| I
have been a member of 'The George Formby Society' since September 1999
and I never thought that I could get so much out of a membership. Music,
new friends, tradition and good reading, knowledge and, of course, the
challenge to become a better uke player - especially after my visit to
the Convention in Blackpool, England last year. Having studied lots of information on instruments I am still a bit confused when it comes to various models of 'The Gibson'. I am also interested to know if most American ukes came in shaped cases and British made instruments in cases with one flat side. Does anyone know? Has anyone information about The Gibson instruments made before 1930 e.g. serial numbers, years ? |
Hans Friberg with his cherished 'UB5' |
| UB1 - Good, but rather simple instrument. Usually maple but finished in a darker wood sometimes. |
|
| UB2 Standard - 'Baby Gibson', maple - finish in mahogany, flat resonator. Pearl dots in fingerboard - 15 frets |
|
| UB2
De Luxe - as Standard but more elaborate with ivoroid along neck,
diamond dots in peghead and on fingerboard. Body and neck finished in
different fashions - sun burst in different places, inner decor line on
flat resonator - 15 frets Note - in some Gibson Catalogues this is the UB3 |
|
| UB3 Standard - proper flange resonator, mahogany finished maple (or mahogany?), ivoroid along neck, pearl dots on fingerboard. No marking on peghead except name.- 15 frets - Is this the Concert model as the UB 4 has 16 frets? |
No photo of this instrument available |
| UB3 De Luxe - As Standard model but with more elaborate finish. Ivoroid along neck, diamond dots in peghead and on fingerboard. Body and resonator of walnut? - 15 frets Was this model available gold plated? |
No photo of this instrument available |
| UB4 De Luxe - Elaborate decorations on rose wood fingerboard, bouquet like decorations on peghead. Body and resonator of burl walnut, slightly longer neck and 16 frets. |  |
| UB5 - As UB4 but gold plated. Gibson catalogue mentions UB5 as a 'proper' model |
|
| I am
also interested to know if most American ukes came in shaped cases and
British made instruments in cases with one flat side. Does anyone know? Has anyone information about The Gibson instruments made before 1930 e.g. serial numbers, years ? |
Any answers or comments to
these questions please contact:- |
