Pheasant Wood Custom Tenor Ukulele - Sold
This is the Pheasant Wood Custom Tenor Ukulele–super tenor shape.
All pheasant wood body.
It’s All About The Woods
Body: all Pheasant Wood. This set was provided by the client with the request that the entire body be made from this wood. Of course, I complained, with the comment that I believed the wood too dense and tonally flat to provide a decent sound. But, I caved to the request. A more “feathery” look would be seen if this wood were flat sawn. This is a quarter sawn set.
Curly Koa backstrip.
Neck: subtle curl Hawaiian Koa with pheasant wood lamination. Carbon fiber tone rod. Epoxy sanded finish.
Koa neck with pheasant wood lamination.
Accent Woods: curly Hawaiian Koa used everywhere with the exception of the head stock faceplate and backstrap which are pheasant wood.
Fret Board and Bridge: Partridge Wood from Central America. Pheasant wood is normally sourced from SE Asia and possibly Hawaii. Partridge wood has similar appearances and approximates the density and workability of Pheasant wood. I thought a compliment to the appearance of the instrument. Radiused.
Curly Koa binding and accents all around.
The Rest Of The Build
Nut and Saddle: unbleached bone stained brown.
Fret Board Markers: white MOP.
Tuners: Gotoh UPT.
Strings: a combination of Thomastik-Infeld (cf 27/30) for the G/C and Yozuri Top Knot flouro for the E/A. Because I was questioning the tonality of the finished instrument I thought it might need a bit more umph on both the bass and treble.
Case: Crossrock ABS.
And
I hate to say it, the client’s decision was a good one. This instrument sounds great and looks great. Who knew?
I haven’t used the Thomastik string combination for years. I’m not sure who popularized this combination (Beau or Chuck I think) but it is a good one. The strings set almost immediately and are not metal sounding at all. They damp-out a bit faster than the brass wound but I didn’t find the sustain lacking. Because they are flat wound stainless steel they have no skritchy sound at all. Expensive and harder to tie but I think I might have to try again on some new instruments to test more. There you go Boys and Girls. This Pheasant Wood Custom Tenor Ukulele is just another journey into the wonderful, mysterious world of uke lutherie.
