NUD (NUW, actually): Barron River Huon Pine/Aussie Blackwood tenor

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

Pictures here: http://www.brguitars.com/gallery/tenor/blackwood_huon1/

After spending one week with this excellent instrument, I find it to have a bright, deep tone that is very strong in the mids and does not sound plinky at all. Trebles are sweet without being harsh. Bass and sustain could be better, but they are still good.

Craftsmanship is flawless to my eye. The semi-gloss finish brings out the beautiful grains of the woods and appears to provide sufficient protection from everyday handling.

But when I were to get another Barron River uke from Allen (and I really hope I am able to commission another soon), I would like the back of the neck to have a satiny feel, so that it is not so "sticky".

All in all, this is among the best ukes I have played. Third-best actually, after my Kinnard cedar and Blackbird Clara, and on a par with the Kamaka HF-3 I used to own.

(By the way, it is currently strung with low G Worth Browns.)

Mivo · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations! It's very beautiful.

(I feel like a hypocrite when I say I'm curious about a sound sample, because I still haven't uploaded one for my BR!)

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

So you have the gorgeous monterey cypress tenor from Allen! Congratulations to you too. Isn't Barron River just amazing value for money?

I hope to get around to doing sound samples soon.

Camsuke · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations Andy! Beautiful ukulele, very classy. A tiny dusting of talcum powder on your palm should fix the stickiness. It's an old pool sharks trick, they use it to make the cue glide through their hand!

Hippie Dribble · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations Andy. Very beautiful. Looking forward to sound samples from both you and Mivo of these.

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

Thanks, everyone, and Campbell, in particular, for the tip.

Rakelele · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations, very nice! May I ask what the engraving on the Rosette stands for?

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

They are the names of my daughters.

Rakelele · Sep 25, 2015

Andy Chen said:
They are the names of my daughters.

That is so sweet. So I guess that one is a real keeper. Congratulations again!

mkatz · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations Andy, it is beautiful.

Mitch

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

Thank, Mitch

turtledrum · Sep 25, 2015

Congratulations, Andy. Just gorgeous! What a fine addition to the family! Love the names of the girls!

DownUpDave · Sep 25, 2015

Thank you so much for the NUD post. I really enjoyed knowing what you thought about it..........obviously a lot because you want another one. The pictures are great, his work is so clean, flawless and artistic.

Once you have played a satin neck all others feel tacky. My Webber is satin and when I ordered my LfdM I requested the same. I don't know how handy you are but rubbing down the back of the neck with some medium steel wool will take the sheen off.

Congratulations on a very beautiful instrument.

stevejfc · Sep 25, 2015

Congrats Andy........... one beautiful ukulele. I love the rosette. You're daughters must be smiling!

wayfarer75 · Sep 25, 2015

I love that the rosette has your daughters' names. It's a gorgeous instrument. I do want to hear sound samples! I am curious what I will think of the bass and sustain!

My BR has a satin finish, and my fingers don't stick to the neck like I do with my glossier ukes (my semi-gloss Kamaka is getting glossier on the neck the more I play it). I love that aspect, especially during this humid rainy weather we've been having since I got it. Oh how I wish we could have sent some of our rain out West this summer!

hollisdwyer · Sep 25, 2015

Andy Chen said:
Pictures here: http://www.brguitars.com/gallery/tenor/blackwood_huon1/
....But when I were to get another Barron River uke from Allen (and I really hope I am able to commission another soon), I would like the back of the neck to have a satiny feel, so that it is not so "sticky".

Andy,
Congratulations on the new Uke. I'm sure you are going to enjoy playing it for a long time. Re commissioning another, Allen has this sweet concert in his current stock right now that I'd love to get for my wife. Have a look at the BR website and let me know what you think.
Re the sticky neck issue, I was speaking to Beau Hannam recently about the same thing and he said you could use fine 0000 steel wool to bring a glossy surface back to a satin. I am going to ask Beau to do that when he gets to my build next year. I might also ask Allen if it is not too late to do the same to my 8 string.

lewclev · Sep 25, 2015

Thanks for posting and congrats. I love these posts - great way to expand our knowledge of ukuleles and their makers.

Andy Chen · Sep 25, 2015

Thanks, everyone, and also for the sticky neck solution suggestion.

Hollis: I have been checking out that hog concert with intent for a while. Love the wood on that. Pity I'm not much of a concert size player.

Mivo · Sep 25, 2015

Andy Chen said:
Pity I'm not much of a concert size player.

You say that like it's a bad thing!

I envy you folks who have a clearly defined preference. I still bounce around, and I think I'm accepting that I won't really figure it out until I'm a more skilled player than I currently am. (Or so I tell myself to keep UAS in check. I'm still curious what a KoAloha tenor sounds like.)

BR Ukuleles · Sep 25, 2015

The finish on my ukes is a nitro based lacquer, and there won't be any problem at all with a light rubbing down of the neck in the playing area with super fine steel wool. Usually graded as 0000. You can even have a little bit of paste wax on the steel wool as you do this.

NUD (NUW, actually): Barron River Huon Pine/Aussie Blackwood tenor

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