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My latest book tells the story of how a totally unexpected phone call was to turn into an eleven year friendship, with George Harrison, during which time I came to realise what kind of man, behind the fame and fortune, George Harrison really was.

For More Details Please click HERE.

All About The Banjo Uke - A Photographic Companion.

This is a follow-up to my original book (All About The Banjo Uke) (2018). It contains 497 photographs of Banjo Ukes (plus a few Ukuleles, Guitars, and Banjos) from 36 vintage and contemporary makers, including many of George Formby’s own instruments.

FOR FULL INFORMATION

CLICK HERE.

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VALUATIONS

Email me photos of your instrument plus a brief but accurate guide to its condition and I will try to give you an accurate up-to-date valuation. The above service is free.

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If you would like a comprehensive written and signed valuation for insurance purposes, please contact me for details. Tel: 01691 828850.

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Are You Searching For A Particular Instrument?

Always let me know if you are looking for an instrument that I do not currently have listed for sale and I’ll do my best to find you a really good example.

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SELLING AN INSTRUMENT?

If you have a nice instrument that you are thinking of selling and you would like to sell it on my website, please telephone me on

(+44) 01691 828850

or email me at theukuleleman.com@gmail.com

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I am always looking to sell good quality Banjo Ukes and Ukuleles as well as other nice instruments.

Banjo Ukes of particular interest include those made by

LUDWIG

GIBSON

ABBOTT

BACON

BACON & DAY

MARKENDALE

DALLAS

SLINGERLAND

and

DAVIDSON

Ukuleles of particular interest

include those made by

C. F. MARTIN & Co.

NATIONAL

GIBSON

DE VEKEY

KAMAKA

S. S. STEWART

LA FOLEY

DAVIDSON

HOWLETT

and

ARIA.

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I have been interested in Ukuleles and Banjo Ukes for more years than I care to remember. For many years it was always very difficult to find good quality instruments, so when I started my website in early January 2001 my aim was to try to provide excellent quality instruments of all ages and across all price ranges, which is something that I continue to try very hard to do.

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*** Copyright ***

This website and all of its contents (past and present) are owned by John Croft (full contact details shown below ‘The Ukulele Man’ banner at the top of every page).

None of the contents of this website (past or present) may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without first obtaining written permission from the owner and producer of this website and its contents, John Croft.

Site Design & Build by John Croft.

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QUICK DIARY

‘BANJOLELE DAY’

‘BANJOLELE DAY’ VIDEO CLIPS

For a GENERAL VIDEO, click HERE.

See FOUR of GEORGE FORMBY’S UKES, by clicking HERE.

Meeting Dates for 2026

Saturday 21st February 2026

NEW * Saturday 6th June 2026 *

Saturday 3rd October 2026

(Doors open 10.00am & close at 10.00pm)

(All welcome, but numbers have to be limited due to the size of the room.

To ensure your place, please contact me to get your name on my meeting list.

Venue:

The Sweeney Country House Hotel

Oswestry,

Shropshire,

SY10 9EU.

Full details about the next event are available by clicking HERE.

Yours truly, at my Banjolele Day

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Ukulele Society of Great Britain

A bi-annual get together for anyone interested in the Ukulele or the Banjo Uke.

Next Meeting Dates

Sunday 12th April, 2026

Digswell Village Hall,

30, Harmer Green Lane,

Digswell,

Welwyn,

Hertfordshire,

AL6 0AT.

* Only 5 minutes from Junction 6 of the A1(M).

* Just 50 metres from Welwyn North Railway Station.

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Supplier to the Stars

CUSTOMER COMMENTS

*** LATEST NEWS: *** CHANGED DATE FOR JUNE BANJOLELE DAY - PLEASE READ ON, OR CHECK ALL THE DATES BELOW RIGHT IN 'QUICK DIARY'. // IT WAS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I HEARD OF THE DEATH OF EDDIE UTTLEY, A WONDERFUL CRAFTSMAN AND A THOROUGHLY NICE MAN; I'LL MISS HIM GREATLY. I SEND MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO DALE AND THE FAMILY. // I CAN'T BELIEVE IT; I'VE JUST HAD SOME WONDERFUL COMMENTS ABOUT MY GEORGE HARRISON BOOK (SEE BELOW) FROM A BEATLES HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR IN GERMANY, AND I'VE BEEN GENUINELY AMAZED (AND VERY PROUD) ABOUT WHAT HE'S SAID. HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE LOVELY FEEDBACK ABOUT MY NEW BOOK - IT MEANS A LOT TO ME, AND MAKES ME FEEL SO GLAD THAT, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I FINALLY DECIDED TO WRITE IT. // NEW 'BANJOLELE DAY' MEETING NOW ORGANISED FOR SATURDAY JUNE 6th, 2026 (UKULELE PLAYERS ALSO WELCOME); CHECK ALL THE 2026 DATES IN 'QUICK DIARY' (BELOW RIGHT). // THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO MY RECENT 'BANJOLELE DAY'; ALL OF YOU MADE IT GREAT FUN, A LOVELY SOCIAL OCCASION, AND A MEMORABLE MEETING. // HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO SEAN MOYSES WHO HAS BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE AMERICAN BANJO PLAYERS HALL OF FAME - JUST THE SECOND BRITISH PLAYER EVER TO BE AWARDED THIS HONOUR..... THE FIRST WAS GEORGE FORMBY. // IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT BANJO UKES OR UKULELES, I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP, SO PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN. ***

*** LATEST NEWS ***

‘THE UKE, THE BEATLE, AND ME’

“Well John, I'm a dreadfully slow reader. However I couldn't put the book down. It was beautifully and sensitively written. I loved it. I think George was very lucky indeed to have you and Mary as friends.

Hope to meet you soon. Best wishes and thanks for writing the book.” (IP)

“I read your book in one go last Sunday and it was just beautiful! I like the modest understated way you write about your time with George. Your writing is wonderful and I have learned quite a lot about George in the 90's - despite Anthology being a rather unknown decade about George. Thanks again!” (AK) (Beatles Historian and Author).

“I loved the book. Heartwarming and full of insight.” (MJ)

“Thanks for the book. Absolutely great and a wonderful tribute to George.” (SM)

“I’ve finally got round to reading your book and I really really enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to put it together and offer it out to the world! A reet rivetin read! Cheers.” (TS)

“I have really enjoyed your book it was so very much more readable than I expected it to be and I couldn’t put it down!" (PM)

For Details About My Book And For More Readers Comments, Please Click HERE.

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LATEST SALES

SOLD: DALLAS ‘D’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1945).

SOLD: ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’

DE- LUXE Banjo Uke (c.1971).

SOLD: LUDWIG ‘DISPLAY MODEL’ Banjo Uke (1927).

SOLD: BARNES ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Replica Banjo Uke (2023).

SOLD: LUDWIG ‘WENDELL HALL’ Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: CARTWRIGHT DE-LUXE LUDWIG STYLE Banjo Uke (2020).

SOLD: BACON Style 1A Banjo Uke (1926).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘E’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1945).

SOLD: BOOKS (Many!): The Uke, The Beatle, And Me (2025).

SOLD: BOOK: All About The Banjo Uke - A Photographic Companion.

SOLD: STITCHED LEATHER CASE HANDLE.

SOLD: TGI BANJO UKE CASE (c.2022).

SOLD: LUDWIG ‘BLACK HAWK’ TENOR BANJO (c.1928).

SOLD: ‘Big Resonator’ GIBSON UB-3 Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: GIBSON STYLE 3 Banjo Uke (Gold-plated) (c.1927).

SOLD: JOHN GREY ‘ROY SMECK’ SUPER MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1930).

SOLD: TGI BANJO UKE CASE (c.2022).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘E’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1938).

SOLD: ORIGINAL TENOR UKULELE CASE (c.1926).

SOLD: ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (1975).

SOLD: BOOK: All About The Banjo Uke - A Photographic Companion.

SOLD: 4 x STITCHED LEATHER CASE HANDLES.

SOLD: CARTWRIGHT ‘LUDWIG STYLE’ Banjo Uke (2020).

SOLD: GIBSON UB-2 Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: STROMBERG-VOISINET Banjo Uke (c.1930).

SOLD: ‘Big Resonator’ GIBSON UB-3 Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: BANJO UKE CASE (c.1922).

SOLD: BOOK 1 & BOOK 2 (See Left).

SOLD: LUDWIG ‘WENDELL HALL’ Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: ORIGINAL LUDWIG BANJO UKE CASE (c.1927).

SOLD: MARKENDALE ‘SILHOUETTE’ Banjo Uke (1995).

SOLD: CARTWRIGHT ‘LUDWIG STYLE’ Banjo Uke (2016)

SOLD: DAVE BARNES ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (2018).

SOLD: ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (c.1971).

SOLD: BACON & DAY ‘SILVER BELL’ No.3A Banjo Uke (1926).

SOLD: GIBSON UB-1 Banjo Uke (c.1926).

SOLD: GIBSON STYLE 3 Soprano Ukulele (c.1927).

SOLD: KEECH MODEL ‘A’ Tenor Ukulele (c.1926).

SOLD: Pre-War ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: LUDWIG Banjo Uke (1927).

SOLD: BEDDOES ‘NEW CONCERT GIBSON UB-2 STYLE Banjo Uke (c.1978).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘D’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1938).

SOLD: WILL VAN ALLEN STYLE Banjo Uke.

SOLD: BOOK 1 & BOOK 2 (See Left).

SOLD: ‘Big Resonator’ GIBSON UB-3 Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: CARTWRIGHT Banjo Uke (2012)

SOLD: ‘BABY’ CARTWRIGHT Banjo Uke (c.2021)

SOLD: VINTAGE GROVER ‘SIMPLEX’ TAILPIECE (c. 1926 - 1930).

SOLD: 4 LUDWIG ‘PLANET’ GEARED TUNING PEGS (4-to-1 Ratio). (For BANJO UKE). (C.1927).

SOLD: ASSORTED ITEMS including VINTAGE STRINGS, VINTAGE ‘GROVER’ BRIDGES, VINTAGE ‘GROVER’ ‘SIMPLEX No. 88’ TUNING PEGS, VINTAGE ‘NASHVILLE’ TAILPIECE & SECURING ‘T’ BAR & NUT.

SOLD: MARKENDALE ‘BIG’ GIBSON UB-3 COPY Banjo Uke (1993).

SOLD: STITCHED LEATHER CASE HANDLE (FOR A VINTAGE CASE).

SOLD: VINTAGE 8 inch DIAMETER PLATED BEZEL WITH FLESH HOOP.

SOLD: SET OF 14 VINTAGE ‘GIBSON’ FLATTED HOOKS AND NUTS.

SOLD: BOOK 2 (See Left).

SOLD: BOOK 1 & BOOK 2 (See Left).

SOLD: JOHN GREY ‘ROY SMECK SUPER’ Banjo Uke (c.1928).

SOLD: GIBSON UB-2 Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: LA FOLEY Soprano Ukulele (c.1926).

SOLD: (Prototype) MARKENDALE GIBSON UB-3 COPY Banjo Uke (c.1994).

SOLD: LUDWIG ‘STANDARD’ Banjo Uke (1929).

SOLD: MARKENDALE GIBSON UB-3 COPY Banjo Uke (c.1994).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘D’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1946).

SOLD: WINDSOR ‘WHIRLE’ Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: DAVE BARNES ‘ABBOTT MONARCH’ COPY Banjo Uke (2022).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘A’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1939).

SOLD: ‘BABY’ ABBOTT Banjo Uke (c.1979).

SOLD: ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (1974).

SOLD: DALLAS ‘C’ MODEL Banjo Uke (c.1945).

SOLD: C. F. MARTIN & Co. STYLE 1K Soprano Ukulele (c.1920).

SOLD: MARKENDALE GIBSON UB-2 COPY Banjo Uke. (1992).

SOLD: JOSE FERNANDEZ Tenor Ukulele (c.1930).

SOLD: Pre-War ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: STROMBERG-VOISINET Banjo Uke (c.1930).

SOLD: Pre-War ABBOTT ‘WILL VAN ALLEN’ Banjo Uke (c.1926).

SOLD: CARTWRIGHT Banjo Uke (c.2016).

SOLD: LUDWIG WENDELL HALL Professional Banjo Uke (c.1927).

SOLD: ABBOTT ‘MONARCH’ Banjo Uke (March 1973).

SOLD: LUDWIG WENDELL HALL Professional Banjo Uke (c.1927).

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