Details
This Harmony Roy Smeck Vita-Uke was built in Chicago in 1927, give or take a year. It’s in fine structural condition and very good cosmetic condition. The lacquer finish is lightly crazed and there are a handful of minor nicks, scuffs and dings. At one point, someone set this up with a tailpiece and you can see the small screw holes down by the tailblock. But overall, this is a great looking instrument that is very near a century old. The back and sides are curly mahogany, the top is spruce top, with seal-shaped soundholes, and the neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard.
Harmony offered an entire line of Roy Smeck endorsed "Vita" line which included a six-string guitar, a tenor guitar, a plectrum guitar, a mandolin, and, of course, a ukulele. The Vita instruments were named for Vitaphone, the studio that released Smeck’s short film, His Pastimes, in 1926. The 7-minute film was one of the first sound movies and featured Smeck playing Hawaiian guitar, ukulele and tenor banjo.
Specs
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Back sides
Figured Mahogany
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Bridge
Koa
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Fingerboard
Koa
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Frets to body
12
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Neck material
Mahogany
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Nut width
1 3/8"
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Scale length
14"
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Top material
Spruce
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Total frets
12
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Year
1927
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Case type
Gig Bag
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SKU
ROYVITAUKE-141789
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UPC
141789
