Baritone ukulele
Maker
Vega Company
Date1950 ca.
ModelArthur Godfrey Deluxe
Serial No.10174
SignedPaper label printed in red and dark blue ink, with festooned red double-line border, the serial number stamped in red ink and the model written in dark blue ink: VEGA / The Artists' Choice as / The Finest of all Instruments / No. 10174 Model Deluxe / Pat. Nos. 2,400,943, 2,468,374 / Boston 15, Mass. / U. S. A. Ivory decal on head: [signature] Arthur Godfrey / De Luxe
Ivory decal on head: VegaDescriptionThe baritone ukulele was first designed by Eddie Connors at Arthur Godfrey's behest. It was popularized by Godfrey on his many television and radio appearances. This particular baritone ukulele was owned by Arthur Godfrey and was taken from Godfrey's office by Connors when he was fired by Godfrey.
Stringing: four nylon strings
Soundboard: one-piece mahogany
Back: one-piece mahogany
Ribs: two-piece mahogany
Head and neck: mahogany; integral head and neck
Heel cap: none; heel recessed from back
Binding: none
Fretboard: rosewood; 17 nickel-silver T-frets; mother-of-pearl dots behind , 3rd, 7th, 12th, and 15th frets; double mother-of-pearl dots behind 55th and12th fret
Nut: white plastic
Bridge: rosewood tie bridge; bone saddle
Tuners: nickel-plated steel worm-gear tuners with ivory plastic heads
Rosette: single purfling strip set in from edge
Finish: medium-orange-to-dark-orange sunburst; heavy cracquelure. the front of head painted black
Linings: kerfed mahogany with additional mahogany blocks glued above lining
Neck block: spruce with grain parallel to top and back; chamfered corners
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners
Top braces: two spruce transverse braces with tapered ends above and below soundhole; A-bracing comprised of two low spruce grafts, with additional graft below bridge functioning as bridge plate
Back braces: three dark brown hardwood transverse braces, one each at upper, center, and lower bouts; low height and wide, essentially in the form of graftsDimensionsTotal baritone ukulele length: 796 mm (31-11/32″)
Back length: 329mm (12-15/16″)
Upper bout width: 196 mm (7-23/32″)
Waist width: 167 mm (6-9/16″)
Lower bout width: 252 mm (9-29/32″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 75 mm (2-15/16″)
Rib height, at end block: 81 mm (3-3/16″)
Head length: 152 mm (5-31/32″)
Head width, top: 60 mm (2-3/8″)
Head width, bottom: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 318 mm (12-17/32″)
Neck width, nut: 37 mm (1-15/32″)
Neck width, heel: 46 mm (1-13/16″)
Soundhole diameter: 74 mm (2-29/32″)
Vibrating string length and scale length (nut to bridge edge): 532 mm (20-15/16″)ProvenanceInvented/owned by Eddie Connors; played/owned by Arthur Godfrey. According to information preserved with the instrument, it was taken from Godfrey's office by Connors after Connors was fired by Godfrey.
Credit LineGeoffrey Robert Rezek Collection, 2014
Object number14941
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