A Visit in the Berkshires – The Magic Fluke Company
Driving through the Berkshires on Highway 7, you will encounter beautiful scenery and picturesque views. And if you know what you are looking for you may spot a small building as you enter Sheffield, Massachusetts, just north of the Connecticut border. Nestled in the shrubbery is a colorful sign for The Magic Fluke Company. This is the home of the company where all the Flukes and Fleas are assembled, where customization is done and the final inspections are completed. I had mentioned in a Facebook ukulele group that I was taking my Fluke with me to avoid any issues regarding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as my wife and I crossed the Canadian border on our ten-day road trip through Canada and New England. Another member suggested we stop by The Magic Fluke Company. Dale and Phyllis Webb started in the company in 1999, with encouragement…
Ukulele: The World’s Friendliest Instrument
Ukulele: The World’s Friendliest Instrument Daniel Dixon Gibbs Smith Publishing Hardcover 144 Pages Audience – Any Player Rating – Ukulele pictured – c. 1960’s Silvertone Baritone Lavishly illustrated it follows the same general format as most ukulele books. It starts with a history of the instrument and its emergence from Hawaii to the rest of the world. It then goes into a variety of the great players, both past and present, and some of the amazing manufacturers. The use of photographs and pictures makes the book flow nicely and provides a colorful read. The book includes a few pages at the back from “The Daily Ukulele” by Jim Beloff on playing the instrument and a chord chart with 108 of the most common chords. The resources include web sites and local clubs, but it is a limited listing (12 entries) and is unfortunately already out of date. Overall I found…
Get Plucky With the Ukulele
Get Plucky With the Ukulele Newly Released as: Ukulele for Beginners: How To Play Ukulele in Easy-to-Follow Steps Will Grove-White Paperback – Octopus Books 176 Pages and Foldout Chart Audience – Any Player Rating – Ukulele pictured – Custom Talsma Ukulele Will Grove-White was bitten by the ukulele bug early in life. As a teenager, he became enamored with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and was quickly asked to sit in with them. Today he continues to help this amazing group entertain audiences across the globe. Will has written a book that is a little bit biography with the rest split between history and musical instruction. Easy to read, this is full of stories about the early days of the instrument and its origins. Tales of the beginning of the golden age and the heroes of the ukulele bring the narrative right up to modern times. Short vignettes include…
The ‘Ukulele, A History
The ‘Ukulele, A History Jim Tranquada and John King University of Hawai’i Press Paperback – 282 Pages Audience – Serious History buffs only Rating – Ukulele pictured – Ohana SK35-GS While the book is 282 pages long, it is not nearly that much for straight reading. It contains 2 Appendices and almost 100 pages of footnotes. But that doesn’t mean it is hard to read. The narrative is factual and flows nicely, it also includes a number of illustrations throughout the text. My recommendation is to read the book through the first time and ignore the footnotes. A second reading while referencing the notes will provide a more in depth understanding of the history and the associated background. The book is arranged in nine chapters that cover the instrument from its development through modern times. The spread of the instrument is documented as well, with particular attention paid to the…
The Ukulele, A Visual History
The Ukulele, A Visual History – Revised & Expanded Jim Beloff Backbeat Books Hardcover or Paperback – 127 Pages Audience – All levels Rating – Ukulele pictured above – Lyon & Healey – 1924 – Washburn Style 702 When I started my ukulele journey many years ago, this was the only ukulele book available in the library around the corner from my office. I devoured it with great interest. Highly readable, this book is packed to the brim with pictures, biographical sketches, side bars and references. Divided into four chapters, the first covers the history of the instrument, from the early days on the Islands through the days of radio and television to the internet. Chapter Two delves into the great musicians and personalities of the instrument, while Chapter Three discusses the many Manufacturers. The last chapter continues the story into the modern day. One and two page vignettes include…