New Super Baritone Ukulele - Custom Build-Sold
I’ve been busy! Here’s the first of a large batch of new instruments. I’m calling this a New Super Baritone Ukulele.
Reddish Honduran Rosewood back and sides.
So What’s so New?
Shape: I guess I should discuss this first. I and my client have been enamored with the Santa Cruz Guitar Company Firefly parlor guitar for some time. I’ve just been too busy to explore the shape for a new instrument until recently. Based roughly on the Firefly and the “J” series jumbo guitars, I think that I have created an instrument with good volume and bridge placement on the sound board. This particular instrument has a 20″ scale by request although my original plans are for 21″ and perhaps 15 frets to the sound board as with my standard baritone.
Big brother to my super tenor sized ukulele.
Volume: With more volume comes more depth and flavor of tonality. It may not look it since I don’t have a standard baritone to compare with but this instrument comes close to the size and volume of the early small Martin Parlor Guitars. I believe that I can truly call it a baritone and maybe not an ukulele.
It’s All About the Woods
Back and Sides: I’m using a new wood for me–Honduran Rosewood. The tap tone of this wood is the equal to a set of Brazilian that I have in stock. In fact, I thought the tone was better. This piece worked relatively easy. Rosewood really comes into play with a larger instrument.
Honduran Rosewood sounds like Brazilian.
Sound Board: Old growth and very tight grained California Redwood. Redwood is rapidly becoming my favorite sound board. Bright, not as soft as cedar, and very responsive to low string tension.
Binding: India Rosewood with wite/black purfling turned out to be a perfect compliment. I didn’t want binding to detract from the beauty of the Honduran rosewood.
Redwod and rosewood.
Finger Board Bridge: Last year I came across some Malagasy Rosewood from Madagascar. This was obtained by Gilmer Wood way back. It is, I believe, impossible to obtain at the present. So, what I have, is probably all that I will be able to get. It has beautiful grain, color and a wonderfully brilliant tap tone. What a perfect compliment to the reddish tones of the redwood and Honduran. Both are radiused and the nut is 1.5″ by request. India rosewood binding added to compliment.
Malagasy rosewood finger board and bridge.
Neck: Honduran Mahogany with internal carbon truss rod.
Accent Woods: Honduran Rosewood. Keeping it simple and clean.
Pretty good grain match.
The Rest of the Build
Strings: A comination of Oasis on the 1/2 and Thomastik-Infeld on the 3/4. I thought I had a complete set of the Oasis but no. Actually the T-I have a little more tension than the brass wound 3/4 of the Oasis. Both are smooth wound.
Nut and Saddle: unbleached bone.
Tuners: Gotoh open-back guitar style 15:1 ratio.
Case: Crossrock ABS. OOOOH! it just fits. I thought at first that I might have to go for a 3/4 guitar case. Perfect!
Snug fit!
And
During building I was impressed with the tap tone of the instrument. I have an unfinished parlor guitar in the shop and this puppy comes close. My first impression with strings put a smile on my face for sure. Volume–yes. Tone–you bet. It’s not boomy. This is an instrument for finger-style playing for sure. Who needs amplification.
A New Super Baritone Ukulele with super sound. Can’t wait to make another!
