Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Well, it's been such a busy few months. Instruments leaving the nest so quickly it's hard to keep track. I managed to document this one as part of the commission, so if interested you can see the progress shots on my workshop blog.

The client saw another instrument I did with the sister set of this wood and wanted something similar. I won't make an exact copy of a commissioned instrument and she was fine with that. Just told me to go where I felt the wood lead me. A dream client to be sure.

It's the first time I've used these strings as they've just been released as far as I'm aware. They are very high tension and produce a crystal clear harp like sound. I think that they would really suite a finger style player from a classical background.

Anyway, the details are as follows

Body - Blackheart Sassafras
Top - Bearclaw Sitka Spruce
Fret Board -Indian Rosewood 12" radius
Bridge - Indian Rosewood
Bindings Indian Rosewood
Headstock Overlay - Indian Rosewood
Neck - Mahogany with Carbon Fibre Truss Rod
Finish - Mirotone 3220 over West Systems
Tuners - Shurtlers
Strings - D'Addario Titanium's

Wow!!
Very elegant. Particularly like the rosette, headstock and tuners.

Wow is right! I was lucky enough to see this one in the flesh yesterday. Bloody beautiful! I was in Cairns for the weekend and got to spend a few hours with Allen in his workshop. Always good to have a chat with Allen and learn something valuable about guitar making procedures.

Cheers

Alan

Beautiful I rest my case m'lud.

Geez! Beautiful work Allen. I think any client who let you do your own thing according to your tastes and sensibilities would be a very happy client indeed. It's not as if you're going to make a flying V Uke or Allen's "Doom Bringer 5000". Maybe next year though?

Stu

That's incredible Al, How could you part with that ?.

I'm not going to post any pictures of guitars I make on this forum anymore

Seriously, I'm not....until I can get the quality up around 187notches.....

Seriously, beautiful, and I'm really digging your rosettes....they look fantastic.

One of your blackwoods inspired me to do a flash-less heel of my current build(no pictures)

Tod Gilding wrote:That's incredible Al, How could you part with that ?.

Dead easy to part with them when you turn around and drop some cash on new equipment for the shed. Stay tuned.

We should be putting a limit on your tooling Allen. How else will we catch up...

Allen, you've got a nice rhythm of cranking out nice (no, stunningly beautiful!) ukes.

Now that is a cracker Allen. ... or is that a corker?

Stunning combos - the bridge pins matching the bear claw top, the headstock, rosette... smooth transitions, all class mate - congrats.

I am glad to hear your report on the D'addario Titaniums - I've just had a couple of sets of each uke size of them show up to be used on my current commissions, along with some worths. Those Schertlers look the part with the slotted head too. Looking forward to trying some.

New tooling... ?

Didn't bite the bullet did you ???

Jeremy.