Stringing up new instruments is always an exciting time. I finished stringing them up in the workshop but saved the fun of tuning them up and playing until I had all three upstairs in the living room. I poured myself a drink and cranked them each into tune as I anxiously listened for their song. I am delighted to report that I am delighted with each of them.
Here is my playing place, sitting on the hearth surrounded by Ukuleles. One after the other, I strum a few bars as I wait for the strings to settle in. Tune and tune again as the strings stretch, but all the while I can hear the character of each instrument begin to assert itself.
Here are pictured four tenor ukuleles, all with identical Redwood tops, all the same construction by the same builder, all with identical Southcoast strings. The difference between them is simply the wood used for back and sides. Very interesting to compare the four. They are each clearly different, They are each great sounding ukuleles. The East Indian Rosewood hanging on the music stand has the advantage of having been played for months and months, It's voice is rich, warm and has a big belly just as each of the four East Indian/Redwood ukes that I had previously made did. I think it is a wonderful wood combination for a tenor uke.
First reactions after an evening and part of a morning of playing them. From bottom to top,
*The Claro Walnut, It is warm, and rich. A wonderful tenor in every respect but the most pedestrian of the four. Not quite as much volume, the highs not quite as brilliant, but a very successful tenor by any measure. Walnut is not as dense as the rosewoods and perhaps that makes the difference. Walnut is a good honest North American hardwood, This is a good honest North American voice. I like it a lot.
The Brazilian Rosewood; A bit garish with its "skunk stripe", this uke demonstrates why Brazilian Rosewood has long been the holy grail wood for guitar makers. It has booming volume, remarkable clarity, a rich bass sound and brilliant high notes. It would be fun to hear this uke in a year when it has matured it's sound, and I will probably get to do so as it is committed to a Bellingham player.
The Cocobolo; This is a Mexican wood, and the sound is a bit Mexican too. Lots of sunlight, quick response, brilliant highs, rich and balanced voice. The voice is as lovely as the wood is beautiful. It doesn't have quite the character of the Brazilian, nor maybe the volume but it is a wonderful sounding instrument none the less. It has an intriguing voice and I would kind of like to keep it, but alas it is spoken for. I have some more Cocobolo and so I will make another in my next tenor build this winter.
* A note on fingerboard width. As with most males, my fingers are fairly thick. The classic 1 3/8ths wide fretboard at the nut has always been a little tough for me. Often a finger on one fret wants to lean over onto its neighboring string, and you know what happens to the chord then. I could see no reason why a fretboard could not be made wider and so I have been gradually building wider and wider fretboards. These three ukes are my widest, 1 9/16ths at the nut. I am pleased to report that I like them, as does a male friend who I asked to come over and sample these new ukes this morning. I think that I will build with 1 1/2 inch fretboards from now on unless I get a special request from a customer for the narrower at the nut fretboard.
*The Claro Walnut, It is warm, and rich. A wonderful tenor in every respect but the most pedestrian of the four. Not quite as much volume, the highs not quite as brilliant, but a very successful tenor by any measure. Walnut is not as dense as the rosewoods and perhaps that makes the difference. Walnut is a good honest North American hardwood, This is a good honest North American voice. I like it a lot.
The Brazilian Rosewood; A bit garish with its "skunk stripe", this uke demonstrates why Brazilian Rosewood has long been the holy grail wood for guitar makers. It has booming volume, remarkable clarity, a rich bass sound and brilliant high notes. It would be fun to hear this uke in a year when it has matured it's sound, and I will probably get to do so as it is committed to a Bellingham player.
The Cocobolo; This is a Mexican wood, and the sound is a bit Mexican too. Lots of sunlight, quick response, brilliant highs, rich and balanced voice. The voice is as lovely as the wood is beautiful. It doesn't have quite the character of the Brazilian, nor maybe the volume but it is a wonderful sounding instrument none the less. It has an intriguing voice and I would kind of like to keep it, but alas it is spoken for. I have some more Cocobolo and so I will make another in my next tenor build this winter.
* A note on fingerboard width. As with most males, my fingers are fairly thick. The classic 1 3/8ths wide fretboard at the nut has always been a little tough for me. Often a finger on one fret wants to lean over onto its neighboring string, and you know what happens to the chord then. I could see no reason why a fretboard could not be made wider and so I have been gradually building wider and wider fretboards. These three ukes are my widest, 1 9/16ths at the nut. I am pleased to report that I like them, as does a male friend who I asked to come over and sample these new ukes this morning. I think that I will build with 1 1/2 inch fretboards from now on unless I get a special request from a customer for the narrower at the nut fretboard.
Each uke will need a bit of adjustment and T.L.C. before I will deliver them to their new owners. Each one will need the action lowered a bit at the nut so they play slick and easy, A slight buzz at the C string bridge on one was fixed with a little sanding on the bone. All the fret ends need to be carefully filed and smoothed, This morning I did a check list of tune up projects for each uke, and I found one that had a high 13th fret. This picture shows the masking process prior to filing down that high fret and re-crowning it. I don't know anyone who plays at the 13th fret, but we sure want it to be right if anyone ever gets there.
Here is how you check for that high fret. If this straight piece of steel does not rock as it straddles three frets, you know you are OK. I kept filing the fret until the rocking stopped.
