tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80559530888429577182024-03-13T17:59:35.755-05:00Leeward Lounge UkulelesWelcome to The Leeward Lounge!
You've wandered into a place where you can see my latest ukulele builds, hear a good story or two, and hopefully escape reality for at least a small while. So check your worries at the door and pull up a stool.
Rum on the rocks you say?
Ahh... There you go.
Enjoy your stay.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-41108623827350391462013-12-05T16:05:00.000-06:002013-12-05T16:11:10.232-06:00<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Hello again, everyone! I know it has been a very long time since my last post. I'm sorry for that! Life has a way of getting in the way of things. I have started making a uke for my friend Stephanie. We settled on a nautical design in Hawaiian Koa wood. Below is a pic of the rosette that I just finished. I've taken to calling this one "The Albatross Uke". You will see why once I'm a bit further into the build. I will try to post more often and should be showing a lot more progress pics from now on. I don't want to say anything yet, but there is something very big in the works for the Leeward Lounge. Stay tuned!! ~F </div>
P.S. Please don't be afraid to comment on anything that I'm doing! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-9735106459417138642013-07-14T12:07:00.002-05:002013-07-14T12:07:30.798-05:00Walnut is so sweet!Hey everyone! This morning I finished another ukulele. This one has Walnut back and sides, a Port Orford Cedar top, and a Bubinga wood fretboard. The headstock veneer is Ebony with an Abolone shell logo inlay.<br />
The Walnut/Cedar combo has produced a rather amazing tone and playability. I am very happy with this one! I have a freind who may want this one, but if not, then I'll be putting it up for sale.<br />
I will post a video of myself playing a song or two on this uke very soon, so stay tuned!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TYIQ36UaLxs/UeLZ6K0S_NI/AAAAAAAAAZA/FGgYW5WOsj4/s1600/IMAG0859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TYIQ36UaLxs/UeLZ6K0S_NI/AAAAAAAAAZA/FGgYW5WOsj4/s400/IMAG0859.jpg" width="225" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-50411923634938282342013-06-03T18:58:00.001-05:002013-06-03T18:58:01.856-05:00Number 14 for Hale Ukulele<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IccKsZuT8Jg/Ua0s7BBDM7I/AAAAAAAAAXM/-Fv-VNxhkpA/s1600/IMAG0788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IccKsZuT8Jg/Ua0s7BBDM7I/AAAAAAAAAXM/-Fv-VNxhkpA/s320/IMAG0788.jpg" width="180" /></a>I finally finished another ukulele for Hale Ukulele. This one has a spalted myrtle top, with curly myrtle sides and back. The neck is mahogany with ebony fretboard and bridge. This handsome fellow is also outfitted with a MiSi acoustic pickup system.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HmfFUMC4MmE/Ua0s7Y_ClMI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/TNslnxZfHic/s1600/IMAG0789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HmfFUMC4MmE/Ua0s7Y_ClMI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/TNslnxZfHic/s200/IMAG0789.jpg" width="200" /></a>With any luck, I will have 3 more finished for them by the end of the weekend. So, stay tuned. There is more to come.<br />
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Thank you, Ric and Monica!!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-9402362116627729352013-02-23T08:55:00.000-06:002013-02-23T08:55:38.085-06:00Sun and Moon Set<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S4VD1UibZHM/USjV2zcAqII/AAAAAAAAAVA/WrKZrsPWOH4/s1600/IMAG0687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S4VD1UibZHM/USjV2zcAqII/AAAAAAAAAVA/WrKZrsPWOH4/s200/IMAG0687.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zOC0KXb-1eg/USjV2kQVLaI/AAAAAAAAAU4/PRKtWgZdmik/s1600/IMAG0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zOC0KXb-1eg/USjV2kQVLaI/AAAAAAAAAU4/PRKtWgZdmik/s320/IMAG0685.jpg" width="180" /></a>Here is a matching pair of sun and moon ukuleles that I made for a a friend of mine, Blair, and his wife. Blair runs an excellent cocktail/spirit blog called <a href="http://goodspiritsnews.com/" target="_blank">Good Spirits News</a>. Please check it out!<br />
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Both have myrtle wood sides and back with rosewood bindings and macassar ebony fretboards. The sun uke has a port orford cedar top and the moon uke has a walnut one.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1Tg12gNoqo/USjV3mcKTjI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/-H0WLJRXHdA/s1600/IMAG0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--1Tg12gNoqo/USjV3mcKTjI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/-H0WLJRXHdA/s200/IMAG0688.jpg" width="200" /></a>Both of these ukes were a joy to make and are easily my best builds so far.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97RyWrFtlBg/USjV5iEu3BI/AAAAAAAAAVw/rA9AmWJR-So/s1600/IMAG0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97RyWrFtlBg/USjV5iEu3BI/AAAAAAAAAVw/rA9AmWJR-So/s200/IMAG0690.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfwA-mb_kJA/USjV4Mvi0uI/AAAAAAAAAVY/UU7LiMpAp2g/s1600/IMAG0689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfwA-mb_kJA/USjV4Mvi0uI/AAAAAAAAAVY/UU7LiMpAp2g/s200/IMAG0689.jpg" width="200" /></a>Next I will be working on another walnut one and a uke made from some of the most gorgeous pistachio wood you have ever seen. Perhaps I will post some progress pics on that one as I go along so you can all see how I build. Thanks for your interest in what I'm doing!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-16355831467991074062013-02-13T06:28:00.000-06:002013-02-13T06:28:18.242-06:00The Hale Ukulele Set<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, Folks! These next two ukuleles were an important set for me. They were commisioned by Ric and Monica of Hale Ukulele in San Diego. They wanted me to design and build a line of ukes to be sold as there store brand, but made by Leeward Lounge Ukes.<br />
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The first one is a beautiful myrtle wood uke with a MiSi pickup installed. The second one is made of curly mango. Both of them turned out terrific with a nice, mellow tone and a good amount of volume and pop.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o56lYmV_tn0/URuFneAc0eI/AAAAAAAAATg/11VF50CCTeU/s1600/IMAG0622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o56lYmV_tn0/URuFneAc0eI/AAAAAAAAATg/11VF50CCTeU/s200/IMAG0622.jpg" width="200" /></a>There will be minor changes to design on the future Hale builds, like a smaller look to the bridge, but for the most part we're on our way!<br />
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I want to give a special thank you to Ric and Monica for their trust, support, and this amazing opportunity. Please check out their website, <a href="http://www.haleukulele.com/">http://www.haleukulele.com/ </a>, or better yet, stop by their store if you are in the area.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-39213260821530407222013-02-13T06:02:00.000-06:002013-02-13T06:02:24.650-06:00#7, the first Mytle<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KzK-j-h6dgE/URri4IfAopI/AAAAAAAAASk/K5w6ff_jKCY/s1600/IMAG0624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KzK-j-h6dgE/URri4IfAopI/AAAAAAAAASk/K5w6ff_jKCY/s400/IMAG0624.jpg" width="225" /></a>This is a ukulele that I made for a woman, Sherry, from the San Diego area. It is a Myrtle wood tenor with a Cedar soundboard, Rosewood bindings, and a Macassar Ebony fretboard. I was very happy with how it turned out and, thankfully, so was she. Here is just a bit of the review she sent back to me,<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vGQ0CwSiT6Y/URri4SmQTBI/AAAAAAAAASo/92cmOYQxJAc/s1600/IMAG0625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vGQ0CwSiT6Y/URri4SmQTBI/AAAAAAAAASo/92cmOYQxJAc/s200/IMAG0625.jpg" width="112" /></a>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">I got the uke about a half hour ago. It arrived in perfect condition. You did a great job! I tuned it up and the intonation is excellent. The workmanship is first rate. The uke is loud. I am impressed by how light it is – I've had a chance to play early ukes make by Joe Souza (Kanilea) and Kelii, and they were not as light or resonant as this uke. I love the size – it's almost like a long neck concert which is great for me I don't like big bodied ukes.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i style="color: blue;">It's really impressive how clearly the notes chime and separate on the upper frets, and the neck feels great. I've got a couple of ukes that I got from a collector that are some famous makers, and this uke competes with them.</i>"</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75o7-jRuOic/URri44byOlI/AAAAAAAAAS0/8mDb832wKf8/s1600/IMAG0627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75o7-jRuOic/URri44byOlI/AAAAAAAAAS0/8mDb832wKf8/s200/IMAG0627.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIiXHxLKUzM/URri4SGwbxI/AAAAAAAAASs/060U_F9nZKo/s1600/IMAG0626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIiXHxLKUzM/URri4SGwbxI/AAAAAAAAASs/060U_F9nZKo/s200/IMAG0626.jpg" width="112" /></a><span style="background-color: white;">I really did feel as if I turned a corner on this build. It's not like it went together easily; it didn't. But I felt much more confident about the scope of what I was doing. I have really learned to like the sound of a cedar or spruce top. I love the high-end pop that they give, especially with Worth strings, which I am also having a love affair with.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Thanks again, Sherry!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-81956509285017612992012-10-01T16:19:00.000-05:002012-10-02T05:38:59.025-05:00Uke #4, The Hinano Paul uke<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFXCf5X_haE/UGoHs5J2c1I/AAAAAAAAARA/gTItsbu8M1g/s1600/IMAG0268%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFXCf5X_haE/UGoHs5J2c1I/AAAAAAAAARA/gTItsbu8M1g/s200/IMAG0268%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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This is another mango uke that I made for my friend, Paul from California. He wanted a uke similar to Pablus's instrument, but with something that the others didn't have. He didn't care so much what it was, just that it was unique. So I surprised him buy inlaying an island themed silhouette into the bubinga fretboard. This was a lot of fun to make! The mango has a nice, warm tone and good sustain, with just enough punch to make it stand out. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBQsUUvNFjU/UGoHniglNLI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/8wbfnbs23Mg/s1600/IMAG0267%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBQsUUvNFjU/UGoHniglNLI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/8wbfnbs23Mg/s320/IMAG0267%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjw2KSGW144/UGoHxz3GF1I/AAAAAAAAARI/hEQz2gWR7J8/s1600/IMAG0269%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjw2KSGW144/UGoHxz3GF1I/AAAAAAAAARI/hEQz2gWR7J8/s200/IMAG0269%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cm8NsAt7oik/UGoHzggsoWI/AAAAAAAAARQ/QzhWqfc-XPI/s1600/IMAG0271%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" kea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cm8NsAt7oik/UGoHzggsoWI/AAAAAAAAARQ/QzhWqfc-XPI/s320/IMAG0271%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-70709704586341894882012-10-01T16:02:00.002-05:002013-02-13T06:00:39.278-06:00Uke #6, The Pablus ukulele<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6bas0QvCHxs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe>This is a uke that I made for another friend of mine, Pablus, who resides in the Tampa Bay area and is and amazing musician and front man of the tiki band, The Crazed Mugs (<a href="http://www.crazedmugs.com/">http://www.crazedmugs.com/</a>). This one is made from mango wood. Mango has a suprising amount of color, figure and depth. I am still getting people who as for it based on this one uke. When Pablus and I were discussing the details of how his uke should look, he joked with me that I should carve a tapa cloth design into the headstock. I don't know if he was serious or not, but I thought about it long and hard and desided to create a veneer for the headstock that looked like tapa cloth. It took me forever to do, but eventually I created one out of maple, mahogany, and ebony.</div>
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Since then, Pablus honored and humbled me by shooting a video of himself playing the uke that I built for him. I owe him a huge debt of gratitude, because the video turned out wonderful and has been an amazing sales tool for me. THANK YOU, PABLUS!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0kjkz99Ll-U/UGoDH9Wf9lI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/VywI1Rin1aY/s1600/IMAG0278%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0kjkz99Ll-U/UGoDH9Wf9lI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/VywI1Rin1aY/s320/IMAG0278%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRUM6Q3bmxc/UGoDKf8X7TI/AAAAAAAAAQY/v-YCl1u8vfY/s1600/IMAG0280%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" kea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRUM6Q3bmxc/UGoDKf8X7TI/AAAAAAAAAQY/v-YCl1u8vfY/s200/IMAG0280%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRdvrXFSmys/UGoDMtQZJCI/AAAAAAAAAQg/crGugE5Bgtg/s1600/IMAG0282%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" kea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRdvrXFSmys/UGoDMtQZJCI/AAAAAAAAAQg/crGugE5Bgtg/s320/IMAG0282%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6mV5sIUQwjU/UGoDFsX480I/AAAAAAAAAQI/S5_Z3cVdxRY/s1600/IMAG0277%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6mV5sIUQwjU/UGoDFsX480I/AAAAAAAAAQI/S5_Z3cVdxRY/s320/IMAG0277%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-91687500103437848962012-10-01T15:44:00.001-05:002012-10-01T15:44:33.155-05:00Uke #5, The Rhum Rhum Room ukulele<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CT4BXpZedvE/UGoAOj0ClOI/AAAAAAAAAPg/90u-h-aMIZI/s1600/IMAG0272%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CT4BXpZedvE/UGoAOj0ClOI/AAAAAAAAAPg/90u-h-aMIZI/s320/IMAG0272%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is an ukulele that I built for my good friends, Joe and Nicole, for their New York home bar, The Rhum Rhum Room. This was a very fun build, with fretboard inlays to go along with their bar's logo. This uke is similar in style to my previous uke; being made from mahogany and spruce with an ebony fretboard. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMJcJvxYhSY/UGoATjWsMtI/AAAAAAAAAPw/2UtpyrVinG4/s1600/IMAG0275%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" kea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XMJcJvxYhSY/UGoATjWsMtI/AAAAAAAAAPw/2UtpyrVinG4/s200/IMAG0275%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dxbNmqMJXW0/UGoASVi_oMI/AAAAAAAAAPo/tASitaLhCk0/s1600/IMAG0273%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dxbNmqMJXW0/UGoASVi_oMI/AAAAAAAAAPo/tASitaLhCk0/s320/IMAG0273%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nbcaTulCawo/UGoAVcBUqMI/AAAAAAAAAP4/fgKsVqYFkLA/s1600/IMAG0276%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nbcaTulCawo/UGoAVcBUqMI/AAAAAAAAAP4/fgKsVqYFkLA/s320/IMAG0276%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here is a link to a review of The Rhum Rhum Room that was done by the NY Barfly website: <a href="http://www.nybarfly.com/my_weblog/2009/02/review-the-rhum-rhum-room.html">http://www.nybarfly.com/my_weblog/2009/02/review-the-rhum-rhum-room.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-48883649950658036932012-10-01T15:17:00.002-05:002012-10-01T15:17:21.450-05:00Uke #2, progress!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4h_OegY23Sg/UGn5h8eMgVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/CiL6aXRqRI4/s1600/81%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4h_OegY23Sg/UGn5h8eMgVI/AAAAAAAAAPA/CiL6aXRqRI4/s320/81%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LkjWsnvGMA4/UGn5jxGhxPI/AAAAAAAAAPI/bwYY7zH5yWw/s1600/84%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" kea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LkjWsnvGMA4/UGn5jxGhxPI/AAAAAAAAAPI/bwYY7zH5yWw/s320/84%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a>These are some pictures of my second ukulele build. It is solid mahogany with a sitka spruce top. I built this one to Hana Lima's plans for Kasha bracing. I do like the sound and look of a Kasha braced uke. I have made other ukes with this style of bracing, but it isn't as popular as a traditional, fan braced uke. I sold this instrument on ebay, and it was officially the first ukulele that I sold to the public. It turned out rather nice, especially for only my second build. But, I have many years of wood carving under my belt, so I had a lot of the tools and skills that someone who was starting fresh wouldn't have. Plus, I am also a musician, so I also have the advantage of knowing what an instrument should sound like.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IcwB4eO6fWc/UGn5nmaljmI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/XSZd-iZBIlE/s1600/86%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IcwB4eO6fWc/UGn5nmaljmI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/XSZd-iZBIlE/s320/86%255B1%255D.jpg" width="180" /></a><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/io04Bya_XBc/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/io04Bya_XBc?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/io04Bya_XBc?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055953088842957718.post-9865889788014766422012-10-01T15:03:00.002-05:002012-10-01T15:03:56.732-05:00Uke #1, the indestructible uke!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GtqOW593xCs/UGn2AS_rQyI/AAAAAAAAAOw/tkK7yeIfOXY/s1600/001-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" kea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GtqOW593xCs/UGn2AS_rQyI/AAAAAAAAAOw/tkK7yeIfOXY/s320/001-41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a picture of the first ukulele that I ever built. I finished it in April of 2011. It's walnut with a mahogany neck and a bubinga fretboard. It is definitely the work of someone who had never build one before! It's built like a tank; thick, heavy, and nearly indestructible. I also used a water based varnish, which I immediately regretted. I've since switched to Tru-Oil, which I love working with now. But, this uke was a great way to cut my teeth and I learned very much from this first build.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0