Finished!
Pics
Specs:
All solid mango body
Satin finish
Mahogany neck
Rosewood fretboard and slotted bridge
Bone nut and saddle
Grover friction tuners
Ivoroid binding
b/r/b rosette
A thin red line continues up the neck and around the headstock, a nice touch.
The sound is exactly what I'd hoped.
Joel builds Palominos light. I was hoping for an open sound with a lot of ring and that's what I got. Even with Aquilas! He put Aquilas on it and I asked him about that. He said he prefers them for their "strong fundamental sound." So I'm going to drive them for a while before I put Worth Clears on.
The sound! The mango is all that I'd hoped. I'd describe it as somehow cheerier than the solid koa and mahogany ukes I've owned. Some kind of xmas crinkle across the low-high range. When I pluck an open string the soundboard vibrates strongly, moreso than K brands I've tried. The notes have consistent volume up the neck. I'm very pleased.
Playability. Terrific action. Comfortable to hold. I requested a flatter neck profile. It came out not as flat as koaloha, but I'm still pleased. One issue here, the back of the neck felt very slightly tacky, so it didn't feel so fast. I asked Joel about this. He recommended rubbing 0000 steel wool on it, and that took care of it.
Working with Joel. First and foremost I'm pleased. When I contacted him, he estimated the uke would take 4 months. When I told him I'd be visiting the US in 3 months, he graciously said he'd try to finish it by then. He did. After some nailbiting waiting for USPS, it arrived two days before my flight. I very much appreciate all his hard work.
However I had two disappointments. When I was choosing the wood, he didn't tell me that mango would cost extra. When he gave me the final bill, it was $50 more for the wood, so it was $1100 total instead of $1050. Since he kindly rushed the build for me, I paid it without arguing.
The second is something that bugs me a bit. His site said he uses mesquite for the fretboard. At the end he said he used Indian rosewood instead. I was hoping for a 100% green uke with no endangered wood. In fact I was happy when he told me that he gets his Honduran mahogany from
Greenwood Global, a sustainably managed forest. I take some blame for not specifically requesting mesquite or other non-endangered wood for the fretboard and bridge. I just went by what his site said.
Nit-pick dept. Here's something that doesn't bug me but I thought I'd mention it. The fretwork isn't perfect. A few fret edges near the soundhole feel slightly sharp. I'll take a file to those myself. The 14th fret does not quite stretch through the whole fret slot. It stops a hair short at one end. And the rosewood has two teeny indentations on it, perhaps tool marks? I attribute this to the rush he was in. To me these small imperfections add to the handmade feel. I dig it.
In total I'm a happy camper. For less than the price of a US Martin concert, I got a handmade, lightly built uke in my choice of wood, without wondering whether I got the pick of the litter, from a luthier who's been building since the 70s for the likes of John King and Rob MacKillop. Mango, by the way, is special to me. I have fond memories of eating fresh mangos off the ground when hiking on Oahu, and we have a mango tree in our yard here. The uke sounds fantastic both strumming old timey and picking classical. My first custom uke experience wasn't perfect, but the sound it makes is, so high-five!
