whetu
Well-known member
I'm giddy. Yesterday I received my new Backpacker ukulele, made by Captain Ukuleles, which is based out of the small settlement of Te Pahu in the Waikato region of New Zealand.
It features all NZ native timbers, concert scale (or thereabouts), passive under-saddle pickup, strap buttons as stock, custom tuning pegs, Aquila Nylguts and a beeswax finish. It also arrived in a custom made tote bag.
Anyway, enough jabbering, you want to see it. Here you go:
The woods used are:
Top: Kahikatea
Back: Rewarewa
Sides: Kamahi
Neck: Tawa
Fretboard: Rata
Bridge: Tawhai
It's also interesting to note that some of the wood used is recycled, so each instrument made by Captain Ukuleles probably has some small story attached to it. Here's mine:
I'd like to draw your attention to the grain of the Rewarewa on the back, it's amazing IMHO
Because I'm having so much fun playing it I think any sound samples will be a couple of days away. I'm a very happy camper though, so I highly recommend Captain Ukuleles if you're after something unique
/edit #1: this cost me NZD$200 so roughly USD$140
/edit #2: jongm has posted his experiences here
/edit #3: more pictures of the family can be seen here
mm stan's
cocohonk's
finchiekin the owl's
suzukhammer's
It features all NZ native timbers, concert scale (or thereabouts), passive under-saddle pickup, strap buttons as stock, custom tuning pegs, Aquila Nylguts and a beeswax finish. It also arrived in a custom made tote bag.
Anyway, enough jabbering, you want to see it. Here you go:
The woods used are:
Top: Kahikatea
Back: Rewarewa
Sides: Kamahi
Neck: Tawa
Fretboard: Rata
Bridge: Tawhai
It's also interesting to note that some of the wood used is recycled, so each instrument made by Captain Ukuleles probably has some small story attached to it. Here's mine:
The Kahikatea is a special piece of wood. It came from a log pulled out of the Kaniwhaniwha stream (in Te Pahu) many years ago. It had been buried under the streambed for a long time. Possibly since settler times, as it had the remains of iron dogs for bullocks in the ends. So it’s a little like ‘Swamp’ Kahikatea. Very green. I was very lucky to get some of this wood through a friend who knew the son of the guy who found the log.
The rest of the timbers came from the south side of Pirongia. Trees that have fallen down over the years on a farm owned by an old guy I met recently.
I'd like to draw your attention to the grain of the Rewarewa on the back, it's amazing IMHO
Because I'm having so much fun playing it I think any sound samples will be a couple of days away. I'm a very happy camper though, so I highly recommend Captain Ukuleles if you're after something unique
/edit #1: this cost me NZD$200 so roughly USD$140
/edit #2: jongm has posted his experiences here
/edit #3: more pictures of the family can be seen here
mm stan's
cocohonk's
finchiekin the owl's
suzukhammer's
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