This 1920's S.S. Stewart Tiple is a very rare model made out of Hawaiian Koa wood. It comes complete with its original, end loading, case. The tone and volume from this little 10 string instrument really is super impressive and, considering it is 100 years old, it is in really great condition. There are a couple of small marks on the sides (see last 3 pictures) but has been well cared for over the years.
The North American tiple was designed in 1919 by the Pennsylvania guitar company C.F. Martin & Co. for the William J. Smith Co. in New York and was most popular through the 1920s-1940s ukulele craze. This tiple is close in length to a tenor ukulele, but with a deeper body. Unlike a ukulele, it has ten steel strings in four mixed-octave courses of 2, 3, 3, and 2 strings. Manufactured for a half century, the Martin tiple was used in jazz, blues and old-time country bands, and as a louder-volume ukulele. It was tuned similarly to a D-tuned ukulele: A4 A3 • D4 D3 D4 • F#4 F#3 F#4 • B3 B3
Similar instruments were made by Regal, Harmony, Lyon & Healy, Oscar Schmidt, D'Angelico and other companies during the early decades of Martin production. S.S. Stewart was a trade name used by Buegeleisen & Jacobson a New York based musical instrument distributor famous for selling Martin and non Martin ukuleles under the S.S. Stewart label.
Shipping within mainland UK using fully insured 24-hour courier service @ £30.00.
Customers outside of UK should contact Vintage Rare & Retro Guitars for a shipping quotation. Free pick-up is always available at our Gullane shop.
