NUD glossy black mandolele

KohanMike

Los Angeles, Beverly Grove West
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I just received the latest custom uke I had made by Bruce Wei in Vietnam. I originally ordered a mandolele in mahogany, but as it was shipping, I realized I should have made it glossy black, so I ordered one (and selling the mahogany, if anyone is interested). The black one was $355 plus $65 overseas shipping.

It came out great, solid acacia koa all around, beautiful glossy black finish, distinctive pearl binding. It sounds great, full, with good projection and sustain. I was planning on adding a pickup and preamp/tuner, but I'm holding off for now.

The first set of photos are right out of the box, the last couple are with a tailpiece I knew I was going to add right from the start to make it look more like a mandolin, new Aquila strings and strap buttons.

Black Mondolele arrived.jpg
 
Wow, that's neat!
Congratulations!
Dontcha love customizing things?
 
Looks pretty sweet! I hope it sounds as good as you hoped it to be.
Don't forget, a good string change can do wonders to an uke that doesn't sound up to par yet. My bruce wei sounds brilliant with oasis stringS.
I'm surprised yours cost so less. Maybe it's the wood choice you've chosen, right? Hopefully I can get another custom for around that price.
 
I've been playing it the last couple of hours and it's sounding really good. I'm taking it to rehearsal tomorrow with the CC Strummers.

I don't know how Bruce determines his prices, the mahogany mandolele cost $280 shipped, the black one $420. Seems like the extra work does justify the difference. The custom u-bass I received early last week was $480 and I provided the Thundergut strings, it has nice binding too. My gypsy jazz was $780 and he had to replace the tailpiece two times.
 
Wow, that's neat!
Congratulations!
Dontcha love customizing things?

Funny I'm looking at the pictures thinking wow that's kinda neat with the mod, scroll down and great minds think alike.

Awesome.
 
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Very classy looking! Like a four-stringed tuxedo! Love the pearly binding.
 
The AB tailpiece is a nice touch. Do you plan to eventually tie loops on the strings so they utilize the string posts? I've done the tie loops with nylon strings when I put them on a tenor banjo and on a mandolin experiment with nylons (sounded like h$££) and they do hold.
 
I may use the posts the next time I need to change strings, but it was so simple to just tie them off, I don't see why the posts are there in the first place.
 
That looks great! Tailpiece definitely completes the look too.
 
very classy look, high gloss black and beautiful shape. thanks for sharing, hope to hear a sound sample one day.
 
I may use the posts the next time I need to change strings, but it was so simple to just tie them off, I don't see why the posts are there in the first place.

The AB tailpiece is a mandolin tailpiece available from many parts vendors. Mandolin steel strings have loop ends. The eight posts are there for the eight mandolin strings.

image.jpg
 
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After a few days of playing this mandolele, I have to say it sounds and feels great; nice full voice, lots of projection and sustain. I changed the tuners to all chrome, which really looks right. This has moved into 2nd position in my stable, and could possibly become 1st.

Mandolele chrome.jpg
 
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