Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-10
mutations OF
UKULELE COMMON
upon MAINLAND
Manuel Nunes Finds lnStru.
mentS Made of Red Cedar
Often First Offered

The paper ukulele is myth, al least
so far as one of HonotIla's foremost
ukulele makers, Manuel Nunes, was
able to determine after careful In
yestigation on the Pacific Coast.
Nunes returned with his son. An
tone, on the last boat from the Coast
afterHa three weeks trip spent mostly
in Lower California. He found the
music business booming but admits
likelihood OF depression in that line
of industry due to the war,
when men start off to fight by the
hundreds, of thousands" he says.
they don't think much about praetis-
ing a music lesson" Z.
For the chief purpose of searching
out ukulel frauds, Limitations OF the
Hawaiian made instruments and q
report that the little guitars we're be-
ing manufactured from papier-mache
or pressed paper, Nunes made the
special trip to the mainland. He has
some interesting reports to make.
Red Cedar 10 Used
In the first place he found no papier-
mache Instruments. He did hear more
reports that theyswere made and sold
but saw none of them. Neither could
he prove that Eastern made instru-
ments were being sold as the Hawai-.
ian brand but he Is practically sure
that this il the. case In many stores.
'TheS can buy the cheap red cedar
makes from wholesale house In Chi
cage for about $1.25 each, he ex-
plains, land naturally II they can sell
these as Hawaiian instruments for
IS and more the profit Is large.
Nunes gives an amusing account Of
how the Eastern brand IL passed of
for the Hawaiian made without actn
ally insisting that the inferior pattern
here, by some of the less
scrupulous statesmen.
inferior First Shown
when q person enters such q
music store and asks Tor q ukulele
without stating what kind y prefeEred
t'ke EASTERN make y llHariabiy pro
dnced, so understand Nunes ex'
plains IL the prospective purchaser
asked for q Hawaiian make some OF
the less consciencous dealers still pro
duee the mainland creation and IL the
purchaser understands Instruments
enough TO realize the one he Is inspect
ing was not made In Hawaii and In
sists on such make the salesman
processes mistake and brings out q
real Hawaiian instrument
War to Affect Industry
The local ukulele man says II Il had
not been for the war he could sell his
biggest customer, the Southern Cali.
fornia Music. Co. Of Los Angeles. 1863
ukuleies q month II Il were possible
TO turn out that number In his shop
Many Pacific Coast factories have re-
Gently been buying large quantities Of
koa3 weed from the islands TO turn
into ukuleies on the mainland which
Nnnes understands are sold for the
real island product although he has
rot been able TO substantiate this
War and conscription VIII hit the.
ukulele hard in another way, accord
ing to Nunes. Practically all Of his
employees hsre are able-bodied young
men who viii be called to the ranks.
This Is true OF other factories as well
Nunes sags there is as yet no let up
In the BUSINESS but that q slump is
coming soon and engagements he had
planned for his factory win have to
wait until more settled conditions.
Z It doesn't make any difference
what they make the uknlele out Of on
The mainland declares Nunes. II Is
the Hawaiian workmanship thai
counts.