Collector becomes a luthier

Newport Beach retiree Mike Lombardi, 76, still remembers part of the lyrics to the first song he learned on the ukulele, “Makin’ Love Ukulele Style.”

“Making love ukulele style you needn’t be in Waikiki / Making love ukulele style to a lovely ukulele serenade,” the old Dean Martin tune goes.

Lombardi learned to play the instrument from watching entertainer Arthur Godfrey when he was 14. On TV, Godfrey used to peddle plastic ukuleles aspiring players could buy for a few dollars.

A longtime collector of ukuleles, Lombardi now makes the instruments himself. He just took home first place in the O.C. Fair’s musical instrument division in a woodworking competition for the third year in a row. His Kona-wood ukulele will be on display in Building 15 at the fairgrounds through Aug. 9.

“I didn’t believe they would go for me again after two years in a row. I couldn’t believe it at first,” he said.

Lombardi learned how to make the instruments a few years ago after taking a guitar building class at Orange Coast College.

He’s since made 12 ukuleles in his garage, adding them to his collection of about 150 instruments.

He estimates it takes him about 50 hours from start to finish to make one ukulele.

The instruments feature mother-of-pearl inlaid fret boards and exotic woods like black acacia, myrtle, maple, walnut and Indian rosewood.

A retired Garden Grove Unified School District principal, Lombardi use to serenade his students with the ukulele on their birthdays.

Now he enjoys playing with a ukulele group at the Oasis Senior Center and for family and friends, including his Italian greyhound, Amy.

“Whenever he plays, she’s either has her head in his lap or she’s laying next to him, that’s her spot,” said Lombardi’s wife, Ginny Lombardi.

Ukulele Facts

 A four-stringed, small guitar-like instrument, the ukulele was developed in Hawaii in the 19th century after Portuguese immigrants introduced an instrument called the cavaquinho to the islands.

 The word ukulele comes from Hawaiian for “jumping flea,” for the movement a players’ fingers make across the strings.

 Ukuleles come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor and baritone.