1951 Martin T15 Tiple
(Serial #118112) This instrument will not win any beauty prizes. It has suffered some indignities in its existance. Looks like there was a pickup in the soundhole at one time and some random items mounted on the top. But if you have been curious about playing a tiple, here is one that is priced right, it is cosmetically challenged, and it plays and sounds fantastic. The neck was just reset and the instrument set up by luthier Steve Kovacik. The neck is straight, the frets were dressed, and as noted before it plays and sounds great. Finish and hardware are original. There are no repairs noted. Think of a tiple as an ukelele with 10 steel strings and is tuned A-D-F#-B. The first and fourth strings are double, like a mandolin, while the second and third are triple with the center string tuned an octave below the outer strings in each group. The firsts are tuned in unison. In this standard tuning you can play harmonies to everybody else’s guitar and make a major contribution to the ensemble. If you have never heard swing jazz on a tiple you are missing a treat! Natural lacquer finish, all mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and original ebony nut. It has the Martin decal on the peghead as well as stamped inside. While not well remembered now, numerous small African-American string-swing ensembles of the 1930's and '40's made extensive use of these small but loud instruments for fast melody work and rhythmic strumming. Two of the best known were the Spirits Of Rhythm (featuring guitarist Teddy Bunn) and Cats and the Fiddle, where Tiny Grimes got his professional start. Overall length is 27 1/2 inches, and the nut is 1 1/2 inches. Has the cool jangly sound you are looking for. Comes with a recent hard shell tenor uke case that fits well.
Click for price or to return the main page
Click directly on any picture for a large high resolution image. Use your back button to return.
