California Curl

No I'm not talking surf dude!  I got my hands on some killer Redwood top sets and there are no two alike; and, each one really  is killer!  I didn't know what to pair this wood with so my first endeavor was to go with the tried and true…

Cut, Color and Curl

In the old days (????) this type of Koa might have been common place. Now days it is a rarity to have the privilage to work with this type of wood.   This Hawaiian tenor ukulele  exhibits Koa with perfect Cut--meaning quarter sawn or vertical…

Double Up and Catch Up!

For some odd reason there seems to be a renewed interest in double sound hole and asymmetric sound hole instruments.  After the rapid sale of the last double puka tenor, I quickly got to work on another.   This instrument is a new Koa wood…

Inside the Box, Part 1

No rules, but some basic principles to follow.  My mentor, John Greven, has stated in some of his articles that the premise for bracing may have been more for strength rather than sound.  This subject could be debated for ions and I am…

and, Koa to you!

Here's another custom ukulele with Koa from the island of Maui.  You don't get Koa from Maui  often, and I consider myself lucky to have found this. I have used a Koa and curly Maple laminate neck.  Since it is so difficult to find solid…

She’s a real cutie, a Mexican beauty. . . . .

I need to write Jimmy Buffett and give him these words--could be the making of a great song. Here is a new instrument made from Mexican Palo Escrito (a genuine rosewood).  This is one of those "off the grid"  woods that hasn't been over…

More Black

I haven't been able to keep one of these instruments for too long.  After the last sold, I started a new one and decided to keep it a little more conservative--meaning, no beetle holes.  Here is that effort.  Of course the body is solid Black…

New Koa Tenor

Missed my weekly update so here is a midweek showing of a new Koa Tenor.  I'm using a new urethane finish and it has a little tint like lacquer.  The instrument is all Koa.  I have used curly maple binding to accent and have a koa/curly maple/koa…

Not Another Maple Ukulele!

I don't know, I just can't resist.  I've had the opportunity to build some "shop" instruments and decided to do another maple/sitka combination.  ALSO, the latest run of instruments have all been strung up with Jason Arimoto's PHD, low "G"…

Double Puka Koa Tenor

I have built a number of double puka ukes in the past but for some reason they are not high on the list of requests.  I was totally re- motivated after seeing HAPA this year though and thought it was high time to make another.  Here are a…