Another possible build.

KohanMike

Los Angeles, Beverly Grove West
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A couple of nights ago I couldn't sleep, so I sat at my computer cruising eBay looking at ukuleles. I saw a uke I've seen before made by Bruce Wei Arts, who has built two of my ukes and a bass uke. A unique feature of the uke is that the sound hole is the Hawaiian Islands.

So for the next couple of hours I mocked up a 22" scale bass uke with that feature. I started with it being made entirely of spalted wood, either mango or maple, bridge, headplate, fretboard and all, but when I sent an email to Bruce asking the availability of spalted wood. He replied he didn't have any and didn't know when he will get some, but he does have curly/flame maple. He also said spalted wood is not good for the bridge or fretboard.

I then reworked the mock up with curly/flame maple and ebony bridge and fretboard, partly because of what Bruce wrote, and also because the more I looked at the spalted design, the less I liked the singular look. Black binding around the body, headstock and Hawaiian Islands. He said it would cost $550 + $85 shipping and take about 2-3 months. (I have a preamp/tuner, pickup and tuning machines that I will send him to install.)

I'm not sure I'm even going through with it, but it sure passed away the sleepless night.

Hawaiian Bass curly maple.jpg
 
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Looks pretty sweet to me, but then I'm a sucker for flame maple.

PS: I ended up getting an Oscar Schmidt flame maple bass uke.
 
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A bit off topic but are the Hadean 24" scale bass ukes the model 22's? The model 20's and 22's all read the same in the descriptions for me on the site. I know I could ask the dealer but you seem to have a great knowledge of these and it was one of your posts where Ive read it.

The islands shaped sound holes has never done anything for me. In fact I hate when I would look and see a georgous back and bam island shaped holes on the front.

I spent some time in Jasper TX in the 90's and you could buy any and everything shaped like the state. From Sunglasses to hot tubs all shaped like TX. When my friend and his wife visited CT I told her she wouldn't find anything shaped like Connecticut except a postcard. Imagine my surprise in the mall she walks over with a chocolate CT. ;)

Thank you
~AL~
 
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I'm not sure I'm even going through with it, but it sure passed away the sleepless night.

]

For the first time ever, I feel sorry for Bruce Wei.
 
Looks pretty sweet to me, but then I'm a sucker for flame maple.

Me too. A few months ago I actually bought a factory 2nd Oscar Schmidt bass uke because it came in flame maple, but the preamp crapped out as soon as I plugged it in, so I returned it. Now I'm glad I did because I like my design much better.

Oscar Schmidt u-bass.JPG


A bit off topic but are the Hadean 24" scale bass ukes the model 22's?

The new model number is 22-33. The electronics are definitely better in the new one, and the body is slightly larger. Whoever made up the listing must have copy/pasted the description from the 22, which is wrong. I emailed them at the time about the error.

Have you tried Ambien?

Never, I'd rather sit up and design than take anything.

For the first time ever, I feel sorry for Bruce Wei.

As always with your comments, I don't understand, what is there to feel sorry about for Bruce Wei when I couldn't sleep and designed a bass uke?
 
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when do you find time to play? (hehe)
 
I've been practicing for our gig on Sunday about 6 hours a day for the last week, but our leader just threw in 4 more songs that I don't know very well, making it 18 songs, so the pressure is on.
 
I like your bass design, it's fun cooking these things up. This is my design for a 23 in scale. It's still to be carved. The lower bout is 12 1/2 in, length 17 3/4 in.




DSCN9743 (800x600).jpgDSCN9741 (800x600).jpg
 
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Resurrection of an old thread. Impressed that you have the wherewithal to make one from scratch. Very interested in seeing the finished product.
 
kohanamike, I'm still finding my way around the place and didn't notice the dates. This build has been slow and hasn't been worked on in awhile. I'm making due with my fretless cigarbox ubass, the only instrument quiet enough to play while watching TV and not annoy my wife.P1010014 (358x800) (358x800).jpgP1010017 (800x600).jpg
 
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kohanamike, I'm still finding my way around the place and didn't notice the dates. This build has been slow and hasn't been worked on in awhile. I'm making due with my fretless cigarbox ubass, the only instrument quiet enough to play while watching TV and not annoy my wife.

View attachment 94149View attachment 94150

Very good, quite creative. By the way, when you post a photo, be sure before you attach it, to hit a couple of carriage returns at the end of the paragraph so the photo is under it and doesn't mess up the line spacing, as I did above.
 
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