Working with beautiful wood is a major joy of Lutherie
I am thrilled to report that Andy who lives in Finland has sent me another big chunk of the Finnish Birch that resulted in "The Finn" seen on earlier posts, perhaps the prettiest uke that I have made. Paired with AAA grade Western Red Cedar it made a really outstanding tenor. I am delighted with this additional wood because I intend to build a "Finn" for a personal instrument and I will have enough of this marvelous wood to make several tenors to share with others. I have made the first cut, slicing it down the heart so that when resawn into thin slabs the book matched pieces will make lovely backs and sides. Thanks Andy for this treasure trove of wood.
But we don't have to look across the seas for beautiful wood. This is the headstock plate of Milan's new tenor, a lovely piece of our local big leaf maple the grows up and down the West Coast mountains. A small percentage of the species delivers exotic grain patterns like Quilt, Fiddleback and this odd pattern which is somewhere in between.
Another of our great woods is Sitka Spruce, most of it pretty but plain but a small percentage develops these interesting "bear claw" patterns that give a soundboard great character, and maybe better sound.
And then there is spalted maple as seen in Nik's tenor on the right, or the darker East Indian Rosewood on the Bari to the left.
And some of the East Indian Rosewood has wild grain. I have a large supply of this beautiful wood.
LOVING THE BEAUTY OF WOOD IS PART OF WHAT MAKING BUILDING UKES SO MUCH FUN
LOVING THE BEAUTY OF WOOD IS PART OF WHAT MAKING BUILDING UKES SO MUCH FUN
