GinnyT11
Well-known member
I have tears in my eyes as I write about how deeply, deeply grateful and happy I am to have received my Petroglyph Moore Bettah soprano today. I have an emotional disconnect between the player I am and the astonishing quality and artistry of this uke, and I can’t quite reconcile it. Maybe wine will help.
Not long ago, my husband Craig received a Moore Bettah tenor (the “Ki” uke with a Japanese-character inlay), which is about the only uke he plays now. After he got it, because we’d been communicating for some time, I casually asked Chuck if he’d make me a soprano (which I thought was like saying "Hey, would you hand me down that star?").
He asked what I had in mind. I requested Hawaiian petroglyphs (especially paddle man) because they fascinated me when we visited Hawaii, and a koa-milo combo, to represent Hawaii’s mountains and the sea. He thought about it for 20 minutes while doing something else and then said, “I’ve got a plan for it.” After I chose the wood (less-fancy koa, please, and the colorful milo), I left the design in Chuck’s hands. It’s the first time he has made a koa-milo uke and I’ll tell you, it sounds fantastic.
I’m thrilled at the inlays and how they tell a story of early Hawaiians hunting. I love the koa for the fret markers and the inlays. The curl in the wood give them some life. This uke is exactly what I wanted, a result of Chuck’s extra-sensory approach to building ukes.
Receiving this uke feels like a cosmic reward that I don’t deserve. Yes, I’ve saved up for it over time, and yes, I’ve practiced to play better, but why did I get the delight of working with Chuck and this uke imbued with his creative energy? I don’t know. But I intend to let this uke be sort of a spirit guide for me, to prompt and lead me into greater playing competence.
Not long ago, my husband Craig received a Moore Bettah tenor (the “Ki” uke with a Japanese-character inlay), which is about the only uke he plays now. After he got it, because we’d been communicating for some time, I casually asked Chuck if he’d make me a soprano (which I thought was like saying "Hey, would you hand me down that star?").
He asked what I had in mind. I requested Hawaiian petroglyphs (especially paddle man) because they fascinated me when we visited Hawaii, and a koa-milo combo, to represent Hawaii’s mountains and the sea. He thought about it for 20 minutes while doing something else and then said, “I’ve got a plan for it.” After I chose the wood (less-fancy koa, please, and the colorful milo), I left the design in Chuck’s hands. It’s the first time he has made a koa-milo uke and I’ll tell you, it sounds fantastic.
I’m thrilled at the inlays and how they tell a story of early Hawaiians hunting. I love the koa for the fret markers and the inlays. The curl in the wood give them some life. This uke is exactly what I wanted, a result of Chuck’s extra-sensory approach to building ukes.
Receiving this uke feels like a cosmic reward that I don’t deserve. Yes, I’ve saved up for it over time, and yes, I’ve practiced to play better, but why did I get the delight of working with Chuck and this uke imbued with his creative energy? I don’t know. But I intend to let this uke be sort of a spirit guide for me, to prompt and lead me into greater playing competence.