El Diablo Tenor Ukulele

This ukulele was delivered a couple of weeks ago and we’re calling it the El Diablo Tenor Ukulele.  It is a Hula Hips jumbo tenor size.  The Hula Hips model adds a few cubic inches of volume with a wider outline overall and, on this instrument, I also increased the depth of the  lower bout to 3 1/4 inches.  It sounds like it would be too big and bulky but the instrument is very well balanced in size and shape.  The client opted for an asymmetric sound placement in addition to the side sound port.

 el diablo tenor ukulele

el diablo fret board inlay

New, is the very subtle arm rest bevel matching the ebony binding.

el diablo tenor ukulele

subtle arm rest bevel

White mother-of-pearl on the fret board

The client named the instrument the El Diablo Tenor Ukulele so we inlayed El Diablo in white mother-of-pearl on the fret board.  The head stock sports an inlayed Manta Ray (El Diablo) in black mother-of-pearl with all black background.

el diablo tenor ukulele

manta ray head stock inlay

The ebony fret board is radiused and is wider, by request, than the standard ukulele width of 1 3/8 inches.

el diablo tenor ukulele

solid koa and guitar inspired back strip

The solid koa body is light of color and lightly figured and is in stark contrast with the black accents.  The back has a guitar inspired back strip.  The simple ebony binding accents the split herringbone purfling and sound hole rosette of ebony and maple.  The neck is Honduran Mahogany with carbon truss rod, the frets are medium silver and the tuners are Gotoh UPT and all black.  Black is back on the El Diablo Tenor Ukulele.