New Ono Bastogne Walnut Tenor

I'm glad that you're pleased so far. I hope it gets even better in a few days!

And yes, the body is spread a little just a bit, though the photos seem to accentuate it. The idea is that the longer scale can work together with a little more volume in the body.

I think it adds to the originality, and makes perfect sense from a tonal perspective. Of the new ones you shared here, the Brazilian with Adirondack Spruce sounds very intriguing. Look forward to seeing and hearing that one when it is completed!
 
It's wood that I can't sell because of CITES so I might as well use it for myself. No point in letting it sit around!
 
Beautiful work. Maybe you can have a set of offerings for domestic use and sales only?
 
Brazilian rosewood is in CITES Appendix I and the other species that we use are no higher than Appendix II. Thus, it the only material that is a problem for sales within the US. For everything else, including all other wood and shell species, if it is in the country, it can be bought and sold in the country.
 
Another gorgeous Ono and it's going to be happy with the musical hands it lands in.
 
Thanks, Eddie. I'm glad that you're enjoying your travels!
 
It's really great to see you prowling the boards again Jason! As you may recall, this one had your name on it originally :) You'll have to get up to Houston and give it a strum one of these days soon!

Kevin,
I just read this message.

BTW, if this uke ever makes it into my hands you are never getting it back.
That is a promise. =)
 
Kevin, I'm waiting for a soundbite on this one!!
 
That's beautiful!
 
Kevin, I'm waiting for a soundbite on this one!!

Hey Tracie, I've been experimenting with strings, and am transitioning from fluorocarbon to nylon on trebles. It started out as an effort to find proper tension on a 19" scale Kinnard super tenor, and though it took some getting used to, I am pretty much all in now on nylon trebles. I presently have the Ono strung with Thomastik Infeld CF30/CF27/CN31/CN27. The basses are settled in, and the nylons are getting there. Hope to have a sample up in the next day or so.
 
Here's a recording I just did this morning. It's a tune i'm working on for our local uke meetup's open mic. I'll try to do a more traditional sample later today. (I'm still struggling to fingerpick and sing at the same time) The Ono only has about 20 hours of total playing time, but it is opening up very nicely.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mhl3zri4g2ed0gc/If I Needed You ONO SS.mp3?dl=0
 
Kevin, that is very well done! Of course, there is a wealth of diverse American music but, whatever the genre, it doesn't get any better than that song.
 
Here's a recording I just did this morning. It's a tune i'm working on for our local uke meetup's open mic. I'll try to do a more traditional sample later today. (I'm still struggling to fingerpick and sing at the same time) The Ono only has about 20 hours of total playing time, but it is opening up very nicely.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mhl3zri4g2ed0gc/If I Needed You ONO SS.mp3?dl=0

Kevin,

Wow! You just keep impressing me. What a great voice. And some nice playing, as always.

It is such a beautiful sounding instrument. Thanks for sharing this.
JJ
 
I remember that Needed You song! Man that sounds good and the playing and recording is so "clean". Great results. :shaka:

ETA:
Listening to the other sample, I see you went to low G instead of low F as originally thought. Can't fault that - sounds good where you have it. Where has the 19" Kinnard ended up?
 
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I remember that Needed You song! Man that sounds good and the playing and recording is so "clean". Great results. :shaka:

ETA:
Listening to the other sample, I see you went to low G instead of low F as originally thought. Can't fault that - sounds good where you have it. Where has the 19" Kinnard ended up?

Hey Jim, At first I made the assumption that the tension might be a bit too high in C tuning using the TI wound basses, so I started in Bb. I really did not like the tension in Bb, so after letting it settle in for a few weeks, I moved up to B and left it there for a while, checking regularly to see if the tension might cause any deformation to the top. At the same time, I had settled the Kinnard Super Tenor in to C tuning with pretty much the same string setup (different brand of trebles, but similar tension). I was playing the Kinnard regularly and I really got used to the tension, especially on the TI wounds. So, after a month in B, and after an email exchange with David, I decided the Ono could probably handle being tuned up to C. It's only been tuned to C for a few days now, but so far it feels and sounds great. It is really a young instrument only having a sum total of about 22 hours playing time. I am hoping my free time will increase again soon. If so, the Ono will surely get played a lot more. For that matter, I have really settled into a very small rotation of ukes (3 Kinnards and the Ono). When I decide to make the time, I will be selling about a dozen instruments that no longer get played with any regularity.
 
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Great job Kevin, I really enjoyed the playing and the singing.
 
Resurrecting this thread as this instrument has now made it's way into my hands in Portland, Oregon. This is more just praise for this piece of work than review, because frankly I love everything about it. Looks--this is a gorgeous instrument. I actually think it's a bit heavier than my other tenors (Kala Elite mahgony, Martin T1K), but I would not call the instrument heavy. It feels sturdy and very solid.

I changed this instrument to re-entrant Seagur Pink strings with gauges similar to Ukelogic hard tension strings. For a harder tension string like this I actually think this instrument is perfect in Bb tuning and that's how I have it tuned currently.

Every single part of this instrument feels great. The setup and action, the feel and shape of the neck (D shaped), the radiused glass smooth ebony fretboard with really remarkable fretwork (it's totally perfect). Extremely playable and extremely responsive instrument. The tension at this 18" scale feel perfect. Normally I don't like wider frets, but these are super low and with the extra room it feels great. I feel like all of my instruments have sweet spots for playing and the sweet spot on this instrument is huge. You can play it really differently and expressively. I've never had an instrument with this much sustain either, so that is making me more aware of when I should start muting notes as it usually just tapered off before. The feeling of playing this instrument is just fantastic and I think you feel really connected to the sound the instrument produces.



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Seriously wild looking Bastogne Walnut.



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Cantilevered fretboard, the soundboard is not perfectly parallel to the back (by design) and comes up to meet the strings at the bridge.


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Really gorgeous Port Orford Cedar on top. I read one maybe this forum or another that Port Orford Cedar isn't really a cedar and is closer to Spruce than something like Red Cedar. Not sure if that's really true, but the notes from this beautiful instrument are very clear and distinct. The entire instrument sounds like a bell or a big pan. I really think it's equally beautiful strummed or picked.

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Looks like the back bracing is mahogany and soundboard bracing maybe spruce? Wondering if this uke has a build # as there is not one written inside.


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I may be able to post a sound sample tonight, but I tried recording one today and this instrument is so much LOUDER than any other my others that I ended up blowing the mic the whole time.
 
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