YESTERDAY I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE client who chose Quilt maple and cedar for his uke. Today he came by for a conference and he chose a different direction. I was concerned that the quilt, while spectacular and unique might not have the necessary stiffness and strength to make good sides and back. We tap toned the quilt pieces and they sounded completely DEAD, with no ring or tone at all. Since the primary goal of any instrument is good sound, my client I think wisely changed his course. Wanting a unique instrument with all Pacific Northwest tonewoods here are his choices.
soundboard: Western Red Cedar that tap tones a rich mellow ring
sides: Highly figured tiger stripe maple.
back: Rocky Mountain Juniper.
neck: Honduran Mahogany
fret board: Honduran Rosewood
rosette and peg head plate: Spalted maple
Binding will be decided later.
This should be an interesting uke.
soundboard: Western Red Cedar that tap tones a rich mellow ring
sides: Highly figured tiger stripe maple.
back: Rocky Mountain Juniper.
neck: Honduran Mahogany
fret board: Honduran Rosewood
rosette and peg head plate: Spalted maple
Binding will be decided later.
This should be an interesting uke.
This is Juniperus Scopularus (Rocky Mountain Juniper) It it is native to the Rocky Mountains and the high dry country of the West however it also grows in a tiny area in the wet Pacific Northwest, In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains in the San Juan Islands. It is small and gnarly and is always found growing on rocky shorelines in a barren wretched place. Years ago while anchored off Skull Island in Orcas Island's West Sound, I noticed a large dead juniper that had fallen in a rock slide to the very edge of the water. I could not resist and salvaged the largest limb (I had a saw aboard), lashed it to the foredeck of my sailboat and brought it home. I made this back a year ago curious to see if it would be good. It is very tight grained tough wood that will finish nicely. It has a pleasing ring when struck, It has the added benefit of smelling like pencil cedar, a nostalgic odor for my client.
So here is the line up so far. On the left, another blonde in the works, It will have an Alaska, or Yellow Cedar neck, plain koa back and sides and an Englemann Spruce top, lovely Aussie blackwood binding, a Honduran Rosewood fretboard and spalted maple rosette and peg head plate. This makes a lovely instrument and will be my third tenor like it. I love the look.
On the right is the Juniper/cedar/tigerstripe maple that I described above.
Finally, I have ordered some fancy figured koa that I expect to have in the mail in a day or two. It will be a koa/cedar/honduran mahog,
always pretty, always sounding wonderful. It is for a client down South.
On the right is the Juniper/cedar/tigerstripe maple that I described above.
Finally, I have ordered some fancy figured koa that I expect to have in the mail in a day or two. It will be a koa/cedar/honduran mahog,
always pretty, always sounding wonderful. It is for a client down South.
And just so I don't get bored, I am starting a tenor banjo uke that I promised to a friend the other day. Here I am sawing neck blanks. I will sandwich two of them together with a narrow strip of dark wood of some kind to give these necks a bit of class. While I am at it I will make three necks, you never know when the itch to make another 0ne of these fun and noisy things will strike again.
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