Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Another commission and my most exotic instrument so far.

The client and I discussed various timbers and merits to each for some time. Finally settling on Honduran Rosewood and some Ancient Sitka Spruce. He then gave me free rein to build what I felt like in a Baritone size with a low G set of strings.

Sometimes I have a very clear idea of the entire instrument right from the start, and other times it's just a bit organic, picking and choosing as I go along. This was a little like that. I wasn't really sure what bindings and purflings were going to work out so there was a lot of starting and stopping while I went back to the wood racks to pull out some likely contenders. My idea was to make an instrument reminiscent of a classy 1940's cocktail lounge.

Specs are as follows;

Back and Sides - Honduran Rosewood
Top - Ancient Sitka Spruce
Neck - Spanish Cedar
Head Plate - Ebony
Fret Board - Honduran Rosewood 12" radius
Bridge - Honduran Rosewood
Bindings - Jarrah
Machine Heads - Hipshot
Strings - South Coast Uke Linear Set
Finish - Mirotone 3220

Hmmmm, now that's class.

Love the look of this one Allen.

Cheers

Alan

Early days but a beautiful warm sound with impressive bass response.

Boy, Brent's spruce certainly wasn't wasted when it fell into your hands Allen. 3000 years (Possibly) waiting to become this. It looks stunning and certainly different to 'normal' spruce. I'm liking the look of the whole instrument, you've got the balance just right.

Just heard back from Brent. It's dated at 2850 years before present date.

Well now there is something new , I am a wee bit of a wood nerd so anytime I see a timber I've not come across before it's bloody exciting .
The ancient spruce is gorgeous , as is the combination in which you have used it .
I am wondering from whence it came , do you have a provenance or a story ?
What is curious is that all of the other "ancient " timbers I have come across are naturally durable while spruce is clearly not . Bog Oak of Europe , Ancient Kauri and Totara of N.Z. , Ancient Redgum from Victoria and N.S.W and bog Huon from Tassie , all at least class 2 durable .
I'd love to hear more of the ancient spruce story .
Pete

That is amazing

Spruce came from Brent Cole Sr. at Alaska Specialty Woods. He's on the prefered vendor list. They found it while excavating for his new factory. Some pictures and info on his Facebook page. Several of the members of the forum are subscribed to his page and have been following along with the story. I was rather lucky in getting 5 sets of the wood when 9 went up on offer. This particular set only fielded one baritone size top. The others will allow me to get a baritone and maybe even a concert, or some other combination.

What a knockout combination of timbers! I'll have to fix a Martini.

Just beautiful Allen. The unusual top colour really goes well with the Honduran Rosewood.

It's one instrument that I'm really going to be sorry to see go.

Thanks for all the kind comments.

Very cool Allen i really like your art deco look head stock.
Have you given up the panel beating yet?

Not yet Luke, but my wife wants me too right now. I kinda like the extra $$$ the day job brings in so I can just buy pretty much any tool or wood that I fancy. Might not be an option if I gave it up. But one day.....Oh one day.

Very classy and elegant Allen. Raising the bar, one uke at a time
Miguel

This instrument has got more comments and emails than any previous. Might need to start making more. I was thinking a matched set from soprano through baritone for the discerning uke aficionado.

Good idea Allen what about a reso model too with your Deco vibe it would be very cool

Awe man.....where the hell am I going to find the time?

Allen wrote:Awe man.....where the hell am I going to find the time?

You already seem to produce quality at an alarming rate (considering you work a fulltime job also) already so I'm sure it's not too much of a stretch for you Allen.

Beautiful work as always Allen .

Very nice instrument Allen, all class as always and the red black combination is outstanding.

It makes me curious to because I have a sinker redwood top set aside for a steel string which I bought from Rick Mac a good number of years ago when he first started listing them. It's dark blue all over which will turn black and be similar to your lovely uke once wetted by a finish.

But aside from the unusual and very appealing colour, what I find intriguing is how stiff, light and resonant it is. In fact when it comes to tapping, it is easily as responsive as anything I have in my stash. So it makes me wonder if you have found find the same with your ancient spruce?

If so I wonder if the mineralisation responsible for the woods colour change also somehow enhances its tonal properties? I don't really know if that is possible and I guess no one really does. But I do know that when you hold the top I have to the light you can see glistening particles of what appears to me to be be silica, and you can also feel and 'hear' these particles as you wipe your hand across the wood, and it makes me think that perhaps such wood is the way it is because rather than undergoing normal decomposition, something in the ecology has been just right and it has been captured in mid transformation from tree into fossilised wood?

Anyhow my curiosities aside your uke is a beauty

Cheers

Kim

This wood is certainly harder than any spruce I've had. That is to say, the surface is more like a hard wood than a soft wood. You can see something sparkling, almost iridescent in it as well. And when you run it through your fingers, it feels a bit like unglazed porcelain.

Yup...you describe it well Allen. Sparkling, almost iridescent particles that are like tiny crystals the sinker redwood I mentioned does feel like unglazed porcelain, and it too is quite hard. Yet its lighter than I would expect too, sort of like it had been made with a honeycomb core, and being dred size the volume of the sound generated by the particles making contact with the palm of my passing hand is also quite surprising.

If I seen more like it come up I would buy it in a heart beat, but I never have so I am happy to have this one.

Cheers

Kim

That is fantastic! Especially love the little touch with the heel.

Hi Alan
Absolutely stunning! top class workmanship .
That spruce is amazing.
Regards Steve

Would be really interesting to know if there has been mineral replacement or infill going on to account for the "sparkles". Do you have a small off-cut ? I have a variety of "machines that go ping" that should be able to tell...

Kevin