Shopping Question

[ukeplayer2012]

We are booked on the 14 day cruise to the Marquesas on Dec 1.

 

I would really like to pick up a nice hand carved Ukulele from the South Pacific during the cruise for my one souvenir. I read on a web site that the best carved ones come from the Marquesas.

 

Did anyone see them for sale there and on which island..

 

Thanks,

 

Roy

[Trend]

Many years ago I bought my son a ukulele from Bora Bora right near the dock from a stand. It has excellent tone nice wood inlay. He has recorded a professional song with it an his classical guitars to aid in a fund for a south pacific island called Tana. He is a medical student in Australia and has professional recording equipment so if he will record with it then the sound must be okay. The song is great "reggae" music.

[stephenandrew]

We are booked on the 14 day cruise to the Marquesas on Dec 1.

 

I would really like to pick up a nice hand carved Ukulele from the South Pacific during the cruise for my one souvenir. I read on a web site that the best carved ones come from the Marquesas.

 

Did anyone see them for sale there and on which island..

 

Thanks,

 

Roy

 

I do not recall seeing any Ukuleles on our trip to the Marquesas Islands, though I was not looking. Honestly, all of the islands had artisans who worked in wood, and there were many attractive carvings on each island. I suspect you will be able to find one.

[Trend]

I understand what the last post is you really have to be someone who is looking for these things to notice them. As I have said we go looking and have brought back some great finds that my son has incorporated into certain songs.

[charlottegirl]

We were recently on the trip to Marquesas--I too did not notice them for sale. I did note that several folks pick them up at the market in Papeete on the last day and were quite pleased with them. As I don't play, I can't attest to the quality, but perhaps you could check the market before the boat leaves (ours left late evening) to ascertain the availability and then look along your trip returning to the market the evening or morning on return to Papette at the end of the trip if you don't find something during your trip

[Trend]

This is a good idea but many years ago when we went looking at the market for one we could not find (go up stairs for the best wood carving).

As I said there was a stand when we got off at the port for Bora Bora and they had one that a carver had to sell.

[ukeplayer2012]

Thanks for all the input..

[mediapro]

As you leave the dock on Bora Bora, there's a local store on the mountain side of the street with the best selection of Tahitian-style ukes that I found anywhere. As you may know, the Tahitian ukes are solid body and made for fast-style strumming, so don't expect Hawaiian ukes. Sorry I can't remember the name of the store, but when you enter it's on the wall to the left about mid-way into the store. If you find the right one, you'll see perhaps twenty or so different ukes hanging on the wall.