Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

G'day folks ,

Here's some photos of one of my recently finished stringed things , a baritone ukelele , which I've ( for soon to be obvious reasons ) called the Raven .

The build is as follows :
Back and sides - Boonaree . Alectryon oleifolius . This awesome fiddleback Boonaree is from a tree I sourced near Wilcannia N.S.W.
Soundboard - Engelmann spruce . Some really bright split billet stuff I got as swapsies from Jack Spira .
Neck - Curly maple . From Alestair Boell from the Melbourne guild of fine woodwork .
Fingerboard - Pacific Blackwood . Xanthostemon sp.
Bridge - Scentless Rosewood . Synoum muelleriana . The bridge was cut from an old Qld forestry sample for which I had a double . Talk about rested timber , the sample carried the notes ; Atherton district 1948 !
Bindings - Hooked needlewood - Hakea tephrosperma . From a fallen tree that I sourced near Deniliquin . N.s.w . Black dyed swiss pear purfling lines .
Rosette tiles - Boonaree , Hooked needlewood and dyed Swiss pear .
Finish - Bleached shellac french polish , cut back with rottenstone and orange oil .
Nut and Saddle - Water buffalo horn from N.T.
Inlay - The Raven is Water buffalo horn , for those that have'nt worked with it , it's ability to hold detail whilst remaining flexible is stunning . The fencepost on which the raven sits is Ancient ged gum .

The verdict ; I'm super happy with the sound , much more small guitar than uke . It's full and rich with some really pleasing complexity .

The photos are probably not the best , I'm a reformed technophobe trying to catch up with technology .

Pete Curly

Well thats a absolute ripper Pete.

The wood displays beautiful figure and your inlays are just perfect.

I'd love a closer look at the rosette.

An absolute work of art mate.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Cheers

Alan

Yeah I'm with Alan, very impressive

Nice!

Mmmmmmm, melted cheese! Very nice work Pete, the Boonaree is a nice warm looking timber and beautifully figured. Like Alan I'd like a closer look at the work you've put in on the rosette (I get rosette envy ). A nice collection of wood

Some really great wood combo's going on there Pete. A distinctive package that just oozes "custom built". Beautiful instrument mate.

What strings did you go with on this one?

Absolutely stunning, the raven just tops it off. Actually listening to one making a racket just outside my window!!!!

When I was building my first guitar with Chris Wynne at Thomas Lloyd guitars last year Pete brought this Uke (then unfinished ) in to show us. Having seen it first hand I have to say it is absolutely stunning and the craftsmanship in the bindings, rosette, end graft etc is truly incredible. I would love to see and hear it finished.

Nice one!

We certainly have some pretty good builders here, the awesome instruments just keep coming.

Thanks for the feedback there folks ,
To answer a couple of questions , the strings are Aquila branded nygut type . They took a full three days to stretch out , they now seem pretty steady staying in tune . I won't claim any real experience in the matter but the feel is acceptable , maybe a bit over sticky on the wound strings , the sound is excellent .

I'll have a go at some detail photos of the rosette . I'm embarassed to admit that it took near on three days to do the rosette , design included . The soundhole cut outs around the rosette tiles were particularly sensitive in the soft , white spruce . Give me hard , dark mean timbers for inlay work any day .
Pete

Looking very schmick there Pete.

Worth the time and effort.

Be sure to throw it in on your next visit up won't you?

Might even make a little spectograph of it if you like...

Jeremy.

Hi Curly, Thanks for showing us this Uke! The inlay is wonderfully realized both conceptually and technically....Well Done!

I am not familiar with Boonaree....Wilcania you say....only been there once but I was not on a wood picking mission then:( It is very beautiful wood thats for sure.

John

Great looking uke and beautiful wood! I like the bird on the back. Did you have to reinforce the back where the inlay is? How thick (thin) is the inlay? What technique did you follow to do the inlay?

What a stunner Pete !!
I know it looks even better in the flesh ,the pictures don't show the grain in the Englemann top like I remember seeing it.

Mate ,

That Uke is the Buisness , realy nice stuff , Stunning.

Thanks for Showing .

Cheers,

Thanks for the offer on the spectrograph Jeremy , I know nothing but what I have read ( and not understood ) of the technology so you'll have to do a spot of deciphering .
Something I forgot to add in the build notes is that the soundboard bracing is Elaeocarpus grandis , or Silver Quandong . It has one of the best strength to weight ratios of all Australian timbers I have come across and is very tonally active . It pares beautifully and is pure silver white to boot . What I have found is that old growth timber seems much lighter than quick grown timber , which though being the opposite of what you might expect , is actually pretty common .
Pete