Psyhchodelic Mango Hawaiian Ukulele

I think Psychodelic Mango appropriately describes the look of this Hawaiian Ukulele.  I’m still working off the Mango that I brought back from Maui last year, but this is about it.  Now I have a reason to go back–as if I needed one. Mango, to me, is as Hawaiian as Koa, especially when used for the ukulele.  My source is in Maui, but it may be that this wood actually came from the Big Island or Kauai.

The colors in the pictures are pretty close, so you get an idea what heavily spalted mango can look like. I really liked the “blacks” in this piece. It is still workable at this stage of degradation but getting close to not being usable.   I have tried to keep at least one instrument in stock but it seems that the novelty of the colors and the warm sound and easy playing that these instruments present make them not last too long.

I used African Black Limba for the neck since it matches almost perfectly.  Green and yellow Poplar for the purfling and back strip was a perfect choice to accent–subtle but provocative.  The binding is India Rosewood.  And all this without drugs!