Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele - Sold
Fresh from my dust filled work shop is this new Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele. This is a standard size. This instrument was not a custom order so I did it “my way”.
It’s All About The Wood
Body: Maybe I should say it’s all about the Koa. This is some pretty darn nice dark, crinkle Koa. It exhibits the 3 “C’s”–cut, color and curl. Most keep their sources secret except for me. I got this particular set from Elite Tonewoods. Mike knows his stuff and I sure haven’t been disappointed.
Finger Board and Bridge: professionally stabilized, radiused curly Koa. The stabilization process makes koa very hard and dense. No problem holding the frets in place. The nut is 1 3/8″.
Binding: blondish curly Koa with lime green/black/paua abalone purfling. The lime green purfling is pretty subtle. I used it because this paua has more green in it than blue.
Accent Woods: Koa, of course!
Neck: had to go with Honduran Mahogany here. I don’t come across koa that is suitable for necks often. And, mahogany is easier to work, more stable and lighter in weight. Carbon truss rod inside.
The Rest Of The Build
Nut and Saddle: stained bone.
Fret Markers: side neck markers in white MOP with 7/12 on top in paua.
Tuners: Gotoh UPT.
Strings: Pepe Romero.
Case: Cross rock.
And
I’m liking the off-center sound hole more and more. It may look a bit different than the standard but I think it balances the performance of the top better than the center sound hole. It also allows for a more active bracing. So, this puppy sounds pretty nifty from the start although I can’t keep my eyeballs off the koa in this Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele.