Dixie aluminum banjo uke

[oldjazznut]

I don't think I've seen these mentioned on the forum. All cast aluminum, the neck has a deep ribbed back that follows a normal profile. Even the fingerboard and frets are cast as part of the neck. Made in late Forties to early Sixties. I've only ever seen one, a long time ago in rough shape. The one in these photos was sold on Reverb 3 years ago for $300.

...........

 

[ksiegel]

I've played a couple of Dixies.


Eh.

One of my friends has owned several, and he said he found one of 8 thta was actually worth keeping... and he sold it for about $100 a couple of years ago. He said the aluminum is more temperatur finicky that any of his wooden ukes, and the tuners made him want to scream.

 

[Knows Picker]

Almost bought one once, but then I had a chance to play one in person. Absolutely indestructible, probably need a permit to carry one in California.
But overtones all over, totally out of control.
Then again, that was 20 years ago and I have definitely changed as a player during that time. I think the asking price back in 2002 was. $75 and I passed

 

[MikeZito]

Long story short, as ksiegel alluded to earlier - those would most likely be a nightmare at a gig. As the temperature fluctuates under the lights or in the sun, the aluminum will expand and contract, causing you to fall out of tune far more often than you normally would with a standard wood instrument. I would grab one for $100 as a nice curiosity piece for any collector, but probably not something that I would take too seriously as a player.