Defect or a feature ?

Timbuck

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One of my latest Sopranos has an eye shape knot in the neck..Would you call this a feature or a defect :rolleyes:..apart from that, its a great sounding little uke..would it put you o0ff or what ?
 
I think in this situation the standard solution is some dark stain applied liberally to the whole neck ... very dark stain...
 
It would definitely put some people off. Myself, assuming it's stable (coming from you, I'd never question it), I think it adds a bit of character and a unique fingerprint.
 
It is a natural feature of wood. It looks stable, and doesn't affect the instrument in any way.

Plus, it is a one-of-a-kind feature on a one-of-a-kind Timms ukulele. What's not to like?


-Kurt​

(plus, you could always say that was where the stem was when you harvested it from the ukulele tree...)
 
Mrs T says She dosnt know why I used that wood in the first place...I guess it was me being in an Ebenezer Scrooge mode at the time :eek:ld: Anyway if nobody wants to buy it, it will end up as a raffle prize or birthday gift or some thing like that..Or sold as a second at a bargain price...Come to think of it I think i'll sell it as a second :cheers:
 
A customer recently rejected this Honduras mahogany neck, and I don't blame him. There was no evidence of a defect until the neck was almost carved to shape. This little spot looks like a place where the tree started to make a branch and then decided not to. Sigh. I feel your pain.

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I like it....adds character and doesn't seem like it would compromise the neck in any way.

Ken, if my insurance claim (shop fire) were completed I would try to make you an offer on it right now.... I do plan to replace at least the 0 style that burned (I think your 17 fret soprano may literally be irreplaceable, though).
 
I dont mind it, I am sure the uke is a real stunner and sounds awesome. I have sent you a PM Ken!
 
Cant wait to get it, very excited, thanks Ken :)!
 
Call it Bird's Eye Mahogany and charge a price increase. :rolleyes:
I guess it depends on the price if I would accept it. I'm certainly no wood snob when building my own instruments, but if I pay big $$ I would expect it to be knot free. I wouldn't pay much for wood like that to start with. Sometimes defects pop up during carving though.
 
Easiest question ever.
If you're selling, it's a feature.
If you're buying, it's a defect.
 
I don't have a problem with it. Call it character. Adds some interest. However when I see these sorts of "interesting" imperfections (basically tree branches) I think, hmmm... is that going to be a potentially weak spot in the wood that is going to cause problems down the line? As far this example goes I say no and it looks great, but one does start to think about "old twisty". I think each knot like this has to be judged on its own merits. A big manufacturer would probably reject such a neck which is why all their instruments look all the same and are so boring. This is where imperfections mark the exceptional, hand built instruments. These are not products, these are works of art. Each one is an individual and not just another number in a long line of serial numbers. This is an advantage.
 
Except for the white/grey line inside it, the knot is very well executed... :)
 
Visually I quite like it. I wouldn't term it a defect at all, although you might term it a defect if it affects the actual stability of the neck. Chances are that it will be perfectly fine for the next 100 years or so.
PS. I have some Yew back/sides with a knot or two or three. Wouldn't have it any other way!
 
Maybe "gift" it to someone special. After all, as the old saying goes, "never look a gift uke in the eye".

:D
 
It's actually on its way to me ;). Very much looking forward to the delivery!
 
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