Post #209228 by Tiki King on Sat, Jan 21, 2006 8:22 AM

"The one with the decal/drawing, reminds me of the old Bullwinkle cartoon art, or
something else I can't place"

The little surfer graphic was done by popular 60's surf artist Rick Griffin.

Swaggerty was a San Clemente California based manufacturing company in the 1950's-70's, and owned by Ancil Swaggerty. Ancil made the prototype as an art piece to hang on the wall, a friend suggested that with some minor modifications, it could be made playable, and thus the "kooky Uke" was born. Swaggerty manufactured many oddball instruments such as the Surf-a-lay-lee the Kook-A-Lele, as well as the "singing" Treholipee. A patant was granted for Treholipee in 1966. Swaggerty had its hayday in the sixties whith endorments from celebritys of the time. Advertisements claimed the Treholipee could be tuned "...as Uke, tenor banjo, plectrum banjo, tenor guitar or baritone uke."!! The Treholipee and the Kook-A-Lele had pointed extended headstocks that, according to advertising materials, allowed the instrument to be stuck into the sand whe the surf was up. The Surf-a-lay-lee was shorter, presumably to allow it to be played while on a surfboard, although no mention was made of it being waterproof. There was also a similer line of instruments called the Polka-lay-lee, and the Wanderlele made by the Peterson Co, of Ohio.