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”.

 

Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele

Get your koa on.

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.

Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele

Fletch matched back and sides.

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″.

Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele

Stabilized curly koa finger board and bridge.

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!

Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele

Koa binding, yes!

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.

Custom Koa Tenor Ukulele

Gotoh UPT’s in curly koa.

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.