Name: Ukelin.
Type: Bowed Fretless Zither > Chordophones.
Region: North America.
Dimentions: Width 13.5 cm x Length 63.4 cm.
Serial Number: 5889 -stamped on back of instrument.
Manufacturer: International Musical Instrument Corp, Hoboken New Jersey USA.
Acquisition Date: 2011.08.28 Sunday.
Acquisition Source: eBay.com
Description:
The Ukelin is classified as a fretless zither, and it is a member of
the bowed cordophone family of musical instruments. However pre-1930s
the Ukelin did not exist. Sometimes this instrument is refereed to as a
“Hawaiian Art Violin”. Since the 1920s the Ukelin was inspired from the
popularity of Hawaiian music during the 1920s. However no Ukelin
existed pre-1930s untill the first patent was issued. The first Ukelins
were manufactured by the Phonoharp Co. William W. Batchelder Jr. of
Boston, Massachusetts on August 4th 1891 secured his patent with the
number 456,977. Later they were manufactured by International Music
Corporation in Hoboken New Jersey USA. A total of 16 individual melody
strings and 16 plucked sympathetic strings are tuned in a series of
four note chords D, F, G, B. Zither pins are tuned with a tuning key to
keep the strings in tune. Decals placed on the two parallel rows where
the bow slides in between the metal hoops. On the the first parallel
decal the scale is arranged from C, E, D, G, B, F, A, C. On the second
parallel decal the notes are arranged as D, F, A, C, E, G, B, D. A
decal on the top of the surface indicates the plucked four note chords.
A serial number on the back of the instrument imprinted into the wood
indicates the year when the ukelin was produced and what instrument per
batch.
Description:
The Ukelin is classified as a fretless zither, and it is a member of
the bowed cordophone family of musical instruments. However pre-1930s
the Ukelin did not exist. Sometimes this instrument is refereed to as a
“Hawaiian Art Violin”. Since the 1920s the Ukelin was inspired from the
popularity of Hawaiian music during the 1920s. However no Ukelin
existed pre-1930s untill the first patent was issued. The first Ukelins
were manufactured by the Phonoharp Co. William W. Batchelder Jr. of
Boston, Massachusetts on August 4th 1891 secured his patent with the
number 456,977. Later they were manufactured by International Music
Corporation in Hoboken New Jersey USA. A total of 16 individual melody
strings and 16 plucked sympathetic strings are tuned in a series of
four note chords D, F, G, B. Zither pins are tuned with a tuning key to
keep the strings in tune. Decals placed on the two parallel rows where
the bow slides in between the metal hoops. On the the first parallel
decal the scale is arranged from C, E, D, G, B, F, A, C. On the second
parallel decal the notes are arranged as D, F, A, C, E, G, B, D. A
decal on the top of the surface indicates the plucked four note chords.
A serial number on the back of the instrument imprinted into the wood
indicates the year when the ukelin was produced and what instrument per
batch.