Giant ukulele makes seven wonders list

Famed player J. Chalmers Doane donated the giant ukulele in 2005 to The Ukulele Ceilidh in Nova Scotia Society.

It is now located in the Hank Snow Museum along with the Ukulele hall of fame.

Before arriving in Liverpool, it was stored in Maitland, Hants County for 30 years.

An attempt to get the giant “uke” into the Guinness Book of World Records failed in 1976.

Ukulele Ceilidh volunteer, Susan Borgersen said it didn’t make it into the book because the strings were made of clothesline, making it unplayable.

“It’s authentic; it’s not just a cardboard cutout,” she said.

Borgersen said modifications have not been made to the “uke” but believes today’s technology would make it possible to apply the proper strings so they could resubmit it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The giant ukulele is the only “musical artifact” and only item in Queens County to make the list of the seven wonders of the South Shore.

The other seven wonders are the Bluenose, Crescent Beach, the Lunenburg Waterfront, Oak Island, the three churches of Mahone Bay, and The Ovens.

The giant ukulele will be present during the 2007 International Ukulele Ceilidh taking place Oct. 25-28.

For more information visit www.ukulele.ca.