UkeStuff
Well-known member
Today I had pleasant surprised: my new ukulele from Bonanza Ukulele arrived, as well as my two latest straps from Straps for Chords.
About the Bonanza: I had a chance to see the new Bonanza Ameoba shape in person a few weeks ago (Pete and Shelley brought a bunch of them to the Minnesota Winter Bluegrass Festival). I was impressed at how comfortable these were to play, and after the festival ordered one.
Specifically, I ordered one with an aspen front and black walnut back. I also asked for a black walnut head plate, along with white tuners and a white nut and saddle that matched. Surprsingingly, they constructed it very quickly (I was expecting it late April), and it arrived today.
I haven't played it very much yet, and it won't be fair to fully review it until it has had a chance to age a little more and recover from the journey from upper Minnesota!
All that said, so far it has a clear tone, it is beautiful, and it is a unique ukulele built to my requests. All for under $300. You can't beat that price for what you are getting. bonanzaukuleles.com. I love that it is an ingenious design and solution by a Minnesotan (and his wife)--and that they are using what I would consider North American woods. Nuts, Saddles, and Braces are made of corian; the kerfling (sp?) is CNC'd out of a solid piece of wood. Necks are purchased from Mainland (I love that Mike allows for that). So--fun to have my own Bonanza (I commissioned one for my choir program) and to support Pete and Shelley's company.
Also arriving today from across the pond were my two latest straps from Staps for Chords, who I originally found on eBay. I really like their straps, and requested a Dr. Who strap (they are in the UK, after all) and a Halloween strap. Traci was able to find material for these...so now I have those, too. Incidentally, Shelley Mai of Bonanza Ukuleles also makes straps (I have a Star Wars strap on my Outdoor Ukulele. Now I need a Star Trek strap). If you have strap buttons, I would suggest either--and I am sure that Sarah Maisel's straps are excellent, too.
I will add to this post when I make a video...but I do want to give this ukulele some time to settle into my life and to open up a bit.
About the Bonanza: I had a chance to see the new Bonanza Ameoba shape in person a few weeks ago (Pete and Shelley brought a bunch of them to the Minnesota Winter Bluegrass Festival). I was impressed at how comfortable these were to play, and after the festival ordered one.
Specifically, I ordered one with an aspen front and black walnut back. I also asked for a black walnut head plate, along with white tuners and a white nut and saddle that matched. Surprsingingly, they constructed it very quickly (I was expecting it late April), and it arrived today.
I haven't played it very much yet, and it won't be fair to fully review it until it has had a chance to age a little more and recover from the journey from upper Minnesota!
All that said, so far it has a clear tone, it is beautiful, and it is a unique ukulele built to my requests. All for under $300. You can't beat that price for what you are getting. bonanzaukuleles.com. I love that it is an ingenious design and solution by a Minnesotan (and his wife)--and that they are using what I would consider North American woods. Nuts, Saddles, and Braces are made of corian; the kerfling (sp?) is CNC'd out of a solid piece of wood. Necks are purchased from Mainland (I love that Mike allows for that). So--fun to have my own Bonanza (I commissioned one for my choir program) and to support Pete and Shelley's company.
Also arriving today from across the pond were my two latest straps from Staps for Chords, who I originally found on eBay. I really like their straps, and requested a Dr. Who strap (they are in the UK, after all) and a Halloween strap. Traci was able to find material for these...so now I have those, too. Incidentally, Shelley Mai of Bonanza Ukuleles also makes straps (I have a Star Wars strap on my Outdoor Ukulele. Now I need a Star Trek strap). If you have strap buttons, I would suggest either--and I am sure that Sarah Maisel's straps are excellent, too.
I will add to this post when I make a video...but I do want to give this ukulele some time to settle into my life and to open up a bit.