The first of the Concerts sold today reserved by a long distance phone call. The Cedar top beauty has wonderful tone and playability and the new owner is going to be very pleased. I sent him a few shots of his new baby and thought I might share some of them with you
Here's the peg head complete with Peghed tuners and the Griffin signature "g". The wood is spalted fiddleback maple. I have a lot of it and love to use it as it blends nicely with all woods that I use and it is beautiful in its own right.
This picture also shows the Bison bone nut. I seek to use as many local woods and materials as practical in my ukes. A Hawaian bone carver told me that buffalo bone (american bison) was 35% harder than cow bone. I figure it will transmit vibration that much better and so I buy shin-bones from a local Buffalo rancher, hoofs and all, and process them into nuts and saddles for my ukes.
This picture also shows the Bison bone nut. I seek to use as many local woods and materials as practical in my ukes. A Hawaian bone carver told me that buffalo bone (american bison) was 35% harder than cow bone. I figure it will transmit vibration that much better and so I buy shin-bones from a local Buffalo rancher, hoofs and all, and process them into nuts and saddles for my ukes.
Each of these concerts has a back and sides of Australian Blackwood. It is very pretty wood, it is an Acacia and a close cousin of koa. This uke with it's cedar top has a big rich warm tone. I can see why Blackwood is used so frequently by those "down-under" luthiers.
This picture shows the Honduran Mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and heel cap and the Rosewood binder.
What I like best about building ukes is carving the "hook", You can only do this when you use the "Spanish Method" of joining the body to the neck. I love the look!
This picture shows the Honduran Mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and heel cap and the Rosewood binder.
What I like best about building ukes is carving the "hook", You can only do this when you use the "Spanish Method" of joining the body to the neck. I love the look!
Here's the "butt strip" Dale has asked me to put a strap button here which I will do without charge. I turn the buttons from Honduran Rosewood on my lathe. It will match nicely.
You can also see the bridge pins in this photo., The last six uke I have built I have used bridge pins. I think I like the look and they do simplify changing strings.
You can also see the bridge pins in this photo., The last six uke I have built I have used bridge pins. I think I like the look and they do simplify changing strings.
Another profile showing the "hook" and the French Polish.
The back, Australian Blackwood.
One more look at the "Hook"
Dale tells me he has small hands and needs a small neck so just after I took this picture I took a scraper to this neck and shaved it down a bit. It really feels slick and fast now to me. It will take me a week to get the French Polish re-built on the neck but when it is done you will never know it was done, The ability to re-do is one of the good features of French Polish.
This Picture shows the Peghed tuners that I favor. They look very old fashioned, but in reality are very high tech and modern. The shafts are anodized aluminum, the interior gears that provide a 4 to 1 turn ratio are steel, only the knobs are plastic. They are wonderfully light and I think just right for ukuleles.
This Picture shows the Peghed tuners that I favor. They look very old fashioned, but in reality are very high tech and modern. The shafts are anodized aluminum, the interior gears that provide a 4 to 1 turn ratio are steel, only the knobs are plastic. They are wonderfully light and I think just right for ukuleles.
Here is the rosette of spalted maple-and a peak into the sound hole. In keeping with my desire to hand make everything possible, I make my label of 300 lb, watercolor linen paper, paint it with the color and put only my signature, the year of construction and the number of the instrument.
The cedar is remarkably fine grained. I have had it in my workshop for fifty years. You can bet it is dry. And it sings!
The cedar is remarkably fine grained. I have had it in my workshop for fifty years. You can bet it is dry. And it sings!
