Koa Tenor Uke with Rope Binding

[Allen]

Here's one I've managed to get done in time for display at the upcoming Cairns Ukulele Festival in a few weeks time.

Koa is from the same sets of orphaned guitar backs I've got. This time I pore filled the Koa before finish. It's a bit more of an upscale instrument so finish needed to be a bit more refined. 30% gloss Mirotone. Less is more with this low gloss finish. If you start to pile it on the matting material makes the finish cloudy, so this has 3 thin coats sprayed on in the morning. Weather was fantastic that day. Then late in the afternoon a light rub back and another coat. Job done.

Carbon Fibre reinforced neck, CF bridge patch and 5 small fan braces. Head plate is a slice of burl that Tim Spittle had on offer to the forum last year, and is the first time I've got to use it.

Entire instrument is assembled with 315 HHG. I love the stuff.

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[Clancy]

You've done it yet again mate.
Lovely work, great match at the tail & you got to be proud of the heel binding integration.

[charangohabsburg]

Another eye-catcher!
The "rope" combines perfectly with the top and back wood.
And these photographs are also very well done. It wouldn't be the same with a muddy background on a rainy day...

[ozziebluesman]

Looks great Allen. I do like the slotted headstock along with the rope binding and the burl. Look forward to a first hand look at this one in a few weeks.

Cheers

Al

[Kim]

Great work Al

The rope bindings combined with the slothead and flat finish create a look of class and indeterminably age. I believe the burl on the headstock is York Gum...York is an area 'just' north of the furthermost reaches of Perth's northern suburbs.

Cheers

Kim

[kiwigeo]

Another nice one Allen.

[liam_fnq]

Great work Al

The rope bindings combined with the slothead and flat finish create a look of class and indeterminably age. I believe the burl on the headstock is York Gum...York is an area 'just' north of the furthermost reaches of Perth's northern suburbs.

Cheers

Kim

York gum glued on with pork gum.....................

It looks better without a butt strip too Allen. Those stripes line up perfectly.

How long did it take you to paint all those pretty colours around the edges?

[rocket]

Very very nice Allen, that wouldn't be a bit of black butt on the headstock would it?
Cheers,,,,
Rod.

[Allen]

Thanks everyone. I don't have a clue as to the species of the burl. Just something Mr. Spittle was offering up to us a year ago. Kim probably has the best informed guess as he's in Tim's shed more than me. I had some sent to Lillian as well, so if you're looking Lil, that's what it's like under finish.

And I have been practicing that butt join after seeing a couple that Nick posted some time back. I was amazed at how well he did them and I wasn't going to let some Kiwi have one over me. Especially one that drives a lime green commodore.

[Kim]

OK, may be "I believe" was a little too soft...It IS York Gum Burl.

Cheers

Kim

[Allen]

There you go.

[Nick]

And I have been practicing that butt join after seeing a couple that Nick posted some time back. I was amazed at how well he did them and I wasn't going to let some Kiwi have one over me. Especially one that drives a lime green commodore.

Think you've manage to better me there Allen. Very classy instrument all round, right from the tip of her lovely burled head right down to the tight join in her bum I'm not usually a fan of the traditional rope binding but this wooden one just fits in so well with the Koa around it & is, in itself, an attraction (along with the koa's figure). I also got some of Mr Spittles York Gum burl & I've seen it on your last two builds, I'm busting to build something to put it on now! It certainly looks the dogs bollocks

Right it's out to the shed with me to practise my 'invisible' joint ............or trade in the Commodore for a white Screwzuki

[christian]

Allen !!! yet more beautiful work !!!!! you are the UKE Master thats for sure !!!
love the finish mate, brings so much more of the warmth and colour out of the timber eh.
wish I could convince my clients of that.

look forward to more !!

Cheers,

Christian.

[Allen]

Thanks Christian.

Now that I've done several in this finish I wish the market would lean this further this way too. It's a fraction of the work and time. Granted, some timbers just look better under gloss and the Zircote one I'm working on now will most likely be a gloss finish.

[Lillian]

.... so if you're looking Lil....

But of course I'm looking. I haven't commented because those guys in my head who are responsible for retrieving information from the archives have fallen down on the job again. Rather recently I saw an old guitar with the same rope binding and now I can't recall the details. And instead of admitting in an open forum that I'm getting old, (they do say that the memory is the first thing to go, I disagree, but won't go down that path), I was hoping that it would come back to me before the weekend was over.

Allen, it's gorgeous. The timber choices and the finish reminds me of a time long past, when people would rather past the time talking and playing music. It looks like it would have been a special present to someone who was very special, like a favorite niece or nephew when they turn old enough to be responsible.



I love the burl under the finish. The stash you sent is set aside of something special.

[DarwinStrings]

Very nice woody/marquetry look about that one Allen.

Jim

[Kim]

Very nice woody/marquetry look about that one Allen.

Jim

Yes Jim that's what it is alright, a "nice woody/marquetry look" making it unmistakably 'hand crafted'. So much so that one would need to be a complete philistine not to be able to recognize that fact from 50 paces.

Cheers

Kim

[DarwinStrings]

So much so that one would need to be a complete philistine not to be able to recognize that fact from 50 paces.

Now that reminds me Kim, I had been trying to remember a woman's name who recently asked me how much I would charge to make her a Ukulele as she had seen my fiddle back maple suprano with the Paua/bone fret board inlay and wanted one like it. I told her the price (in line with Allen's prices on his web site) and she scoffed and told me she could get a good one for a hundred and fifty bucks. So you have jolted my memory as I think her name must have been Phillis Tine.

Jim

[matthew]

Very nice Allen. Do you have any progress pics of making/fitting the rope binding?

[Allen]

I didn't make this binding Matthew. It was a custom order from Gurian. The binding is a real pain to bend by hand. I found that if you do it in the bending form with blanket that it goes really well. Then to get the pattern to line up at the tail block and heel are the only part that is tricky.

[needsmorecowbel]

when you say 315 HHG that be the gram strength? Where do you purchase this HHG?

[liam_fnq]

Here's where I got mine.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merc ... ry_Code=TI

[Allen]

I get mine from Tools for Working Wood. Yes 315 is the gram strength. They will tell you that they don't ship to Australia anymore because too many people were bitching about AQIS stopping the glue at the border, which we all know is a hit or miss affair. I've lost one order that way and have 3 get through. I just tell them that I accept the responsibility if things go pear shaped. I also get 5 lbs in at a time as its hardly worth the shipping cost otherwise. I also get them to put it in a flat rate box and they adjust the postage for me.

[Peter T]

Right it's out to the shed with me to practise my 'invisible' joint

We have all been hoodwinked Nick! Word is out that in a vain attempt of one-upmanship Allen has built just half a uke and photographed it sitting on a mirror!!!

[needsmorecowbel]

haha it has the shortest open time...I am Stuffed haha. Cheers for the links guys i will get my hands on some when i begin gluing up this classical. Beauty of a Uke Allen! The purfling frames it nicely!

Stu