Anxious for it to be finished and arrive.

KohanMike

Los Angeles, Beverly Grove West
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I ordered another custom tenor uke from Bruce Wei in Vietnam a couple of weeks ago after seeing the design he was selling on his eBay site. Last night he sent me a few progress photos and boy does it look nice.

I'm so anxious to get it that I can't wait to post an NUD, so I'm posting the progress photos. Yes, it does not have a top sound hole, it has sound holes all the way around the sides, including one in the cutaway I wasn't expecting. A solid spalted mango top, solid curly mango body, solid spalted mango binding, ebony fretboard and bridge, solid maple neck.

BWA spalted progress 900.jpg
 
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Wow, very pretty, and VERY unique, Mike. Can't wait to see the finished product. Does he build ukes with radiused fretboards, and curved boughts for armrest?
 
Looks great Mike. Cant wait to see/hear the end result :)

I hope that Bruce Wei gives you a discount for being a sort of emissary for his brand here on UU. I know you did not intent to, but you are really showcasing his custom work very nicely with the ukes that he has built for you.

Does he read UU? Has he seen all of your wonderful NUD posts with the BWA instruments?
 
Thanks all, so looking forward to it.

Wow, very pretty, and VERY unique, Mike. Can't wait to see the finished product. Does he build ukes with radiused fretboards, and curved boughts for armrest?

I didn't specify radius but I find his ukes to be quite comfortable, and I'm sure he can do pretty much anything he is asked.

Looks great Mike. Cant wait to see/hear the end result :) I hope that Bruce Wei gives you a discount for being a sort of emissary for his brand here on UU. I know you did not intent to, but you are really showcasing his custom work very nicely with the ukes that he has built for you. Does he read UU? Has he seen all of your wonderful NUD posts with the BWA instruments?

For me the price he charges is plenty compensation. My first custom from him was my glossy black mandolele, $415, my second was a gypsy jazz Django style for $715 (North American luthiers started at $1200), a bass uke was $395, and this one is $380, plus $65 shipping for each. I recently found a luthier very near me in Culver City who makes beautiful ukes, plus he's very meticulous, and only charges $1000 for customs.

I actually don't know if Bruce sees UU, have to ask him.
 
...For me the price he charges is plenty compensation. My first custom from him was my glossy black mandolele, $415, my second was a gypsy jazz Django style for $715 (North American luthiers started at $1200), a bass uke was $395, and this one is $380, plus $65 shipping for each. I recently found a luthier very near me in Culver City who makes beautiful ukes, plus he's very meticulous, and only charges $1000 for customs.

I actually don't know if Bruce sees UU, have to ask him.

Thanks for sharing the details and pricing.

It's nice to see that one can get a custom at that kind of price, albeit likely due to economic differences between Vietnam and the rest of the world. Maybe labor and resources are cheaper there, and/or cost of living too? I dunno though.

You've got some sweet instruments from BWA and I appreciate you sharing your journey with us here on UU. :)
 
Thanks for sharing the details and pricing. It's nice to see that one can get a custom at that kind of price, albeit likely due to economic differences between Vietnam and the rest of the world. Maybe labor and resources are cheaper there, and/or cost of living too? I dunno though. You've got some sweet instruments from BWA and I appreciate you sharing your journey with us here on UU. :)

I think those are exactly the reasons his prices are such.
 
Bruce just emailed me that he will be shipping the uke in a couple of days. I sent him a link to this thread and he's throwing in a hardshell case, so it seems he is adding some compensation.
 
Man mike. That is some seriously striking wood. If it sounds half as pretty as it looks you'll have a dandy Uke.
 
Hope it sounds as good as it looks!
 
As I keep ogling the progress photos, I realize that picking such a beautifully figured wood works great with no sound hole, so much more of the grain shows. I just keep saying "Wow!" to myself, even out loud.
 
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