Koa and Bearclaw Standard Tenor Ukulele

This is a Koa and Bearclaw Standard Tenor Ukulele.  The first Koa and Bearclaw Tenor I built this year was a Super Tenor shape.   I posted pictures of that instrument here.

koa and bearclaw standard tenor ukulele

Super bearclaw figure in this Alaskan Spruce

This set of koa is from my personal stash but I decided I had more than enough interesting and exotic sets to last for my lifetime, so I semi-reluctantly let it go to a previous customer.  I am totally impressed with the darks and lights in this wood; and, it has great curl.  Honestly, I begged my supplier for more,  but this was the only set available.  I do have a similar 6 piece set for a concert ukulele though.

hawaiian curly koa wood

Koa, koa, koa. Need I say more?

The top is Alaskan Bearclaw spruce.  This is salvaged wood from Alasaka Specialty Woods–the same supplier of the Ancient Spruce, and Earthtone Cedar tops in my collection.   If you like the bearclaw look, this is some of the best that I have seen yet.  One of the advantages of this wood is that it’s density is much like Engelmann or Lutz spruce with stiffness much like the harder species.  This, in my opinion, makes for the warmer sound that I am looking for.

makau and ukulele

The new owner’s personal “makau”.

I’m going to leave it at that.  Can’t wait for the next koa and bearclaw standard tenor ukulele.   Out!