Canadian Tenor Ukulele

It seems like it has been a long time since I built a standard tenor ukulele. Lately all that has been going out is super tenors, pineapples and concerts. Here’s a new build shipped last week. I’m calling it the Canadian Tenor Ukulele. Guess where it went?

Classy Bear Claw Spruce sound board.

So for this build there was a request for some nice Koa, some bear claw spruce, and some blue accents. Check, check and check again. The Koa is reclaimed and came from Allied Lutherie and is the last of that particular look. The sound board is reclaimed spruce from Alaska. The blue–paua abalone with dark blue and black fiber.

Blue, blue and paua abalone.

In addition, there is a white mother-of-pearl logo inlay on the head stock by inlay artist Craig Lavin.

Also requested: radiused fret board with medium, gold Evo frets, a Mi-Si pick-up, and a wound low “C” string from Tomastik-Infeld along with my current standard strings–Romero Tenor with wound low “G”.

Dark blue and black fiber accents.

This instrument plays with some bright and articulate notes–not quite as mid-range a lot of my instruments. I think this is because of the wound “C” string which I’m not used to hearing. Judging sound is a most difficult thing to do anyway. Of course, I try to build a certain sound or playability into each instrument. Most of these “build judgement calls” are based on previous builds and sound but, let’s face it, they’re all unique in a variety of ways.