Custom Ana'ole Tenor Build

Hi folks! I attempted to get a custom G-String tenor earlier, but it fell through, however I am now having one made by former G-String employee Gareth Yahiku, owner of Ana'ole Ukuleles. I had to opportunity to visit his workspace and test out a custom tenor he has for sale and believe me, that 'uke sounds sweet! Perfect intonation, good projection, and so dang nice to look at. It had master grade curly maple back and sides with a spruce soundboard, but I have to say it was too much bling for my taste.

After playing the custom tenor and meeting and talking story with Gareth, who is a great guy, very personable, I was sold, and we went onto discuss what I was thinking about and he is going to put it in action. He has a set of master grade koa that he'll be using on my 'uke and it is gorgeous. I've attached a scan of the wood in this post.

The details of the 'uke are:
Model: TC - 4 String Tenor
Headstock type: Slanted with 4 inline tuners, Fender style
Wood: Master grade Koa on front/back and sides, Ebony fretboard, bridge and headplate
Inlays: Abalone rosette, butt, Ana'ole "A" on headstock and top purfling
Binding: Black top and back
Tuners: Black chrome Gotoh geared
Nut/Saddle: Bone
Finish: High gloss, wet sanded and buffed

Can't wait to see how this will all turn out! This will be the first slanted headstock he'd be making under the Ana'ole label so I want to add some kind of designation to that fact on or in the 'ukulele. Any suggestions on that from the UU community?

I'll be posting more photos as the process of building the 'uke go on. If anyone is interested in getting one of his custom instruments, visit his website www.anaoleukulele.com and shoot him an email.

Mahalos for reading!

Congrats ukestah!!! You will like Gareth's uke!!! I do own a superconcert all koa from him and it sounds very veru nice!! I find his uke sounds very Hawaaien style and it is sooo light too!!!

Thanks fumanshu! Do you have pictures of your Ana'ole that I can see? What kind of strings are you using on it?

Oh...I'm not sure that I have picture of it. I have Aquila on it. It sounds very nice with Aquila...but I think in low G it will even sounds better.... In high g, it seems that the uke want more drive and want to give more sound that it produce now. I'm sure that the sound can be fuller and bigger in low G setting..

Some updates from Gareth! He was busy earlier with preparing for the Uke Guild exhibition, but here are the updates.

Image 1: Head and tail blocks glued on
Image 2: Soundboard and back were bookmatched and glued
Image 3: Abalone on the butt
Image 4: Rosette area channel routed and abalone inlayed
Image 5: Sound hole cut out and the braces are sanded and ready to be glued

Looking good so far! Instead of the normal "A" on the headstock, I chose to have something else there, pics will be up once he gets there but it'll be sick. I've added a ebony pick guard to the list and I will also get a MiSi pickup installed, heard so many good things about it on this board.

I love the idea of getting a custom 'uke made, however I seem to keep wanting to add things to it and the price keeps going up! LoL Also getting my Kamaka gold label tenor refinished. There were repairs done to it earlier by my uncle's friend and it wasn't pretty. Gareth said it'll look like new when I get it back so I'll post pics of that as well!

Mahalos for looking!

ukestah said:

Some updates from Gareth! He was busy earlier with preparing for the Uke Guild exhibition, but here are the updates.

Image 1: Head and tail blocks glued on
Image 2: Soundboard and back were bookmatched and glued
Image 3: Abalone on the butt
Image 4: Rosette area channel routed and abalone inlayed
Image 5: Sound hole cut out and the braces are sanded and ready to be glued

Looking good so far! Instead of the normal "A" on the headstock, I chose to have something else there, pics will be up once he gets there but it'll be sick. I've added a ebony pick guard to the list and I will also get a MiSi pickup installed, heard so many good things about it on this board.

I love the idea of getting a custom 'uke made, however I seem to keep wanting to add things to it and the price keeps going up! LoL Also getting my Kamaka gold label tenor refinished. There were repairs done to it earlier by my uncle's friend and it wasn't pretty. Gareth said it'll look like new when I get it back so I'll post pics of that as well!

Mahalos for looking!

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Thanks for sharing your experience! Having a custom instrument built is a great thrill, isn't it? About 1 month ago, I got my custom Moore Bettah tenor from Chuck Moore. It's a wonderful instrument, and watching the instrument come together through pictures was pretty darn exciting.
Cheers,
Mika

Ho brah, no can wait fo see da finished product . . . no foget fo post some pics when all pau!

Love the abalone! The blue hue really pops against the dark wood. I am sure the picture does not do it justice. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Da buggah look cherry! I saw several of his handiwork at the UGH Show last weekend for the first time, and out of several exhibitors Gareth's work to me was really outstanding.

That master grade koa is gonna be absolutely gorgeous! Keep posting the pics of the progress

Eh Ahnko, mebbe he goin let play 'um . . . Hawaiian uke, hawaiian mele . . . what you tink?

mwaller: That Moore Bettah of yours is gorgeous! I just found the post and I have to tell you, that was the best new 'uke intro ever, and congrats on your first child!

Kanaka916: You know it brah! Earlier I was patient, but after seeing the pics da impatience stay building up a bit haha!

Big Fred: Yep, I like the contrast of the ab and the darker koa as well!

Ahnko Honu: Wow I didn't see that soprano when I was there on Saturday, but then again I did get there a bit later than I wanted to. That looks to be Ukulele Puapua's table? Did you get to try the 50th State Kanile'a? I picked it up, but it was so gorgeous I refused to make any attempts at playing it!

bryanperk: Yup that's what I'm hoping for! I really like the woods that Gareth uses for his instruments, always top quality and his luthier skills are top notch as well. Truly a nice guy to deal with as well.

I will update the post with more pics as they come. Thank you for all the kind words! I thought it was going to be easy waiting for it to be built, but after getting the updates, I'm getting antsy!

Gareth really makes a wonderful uke and his skill level is quite high as well. He's only been building under the Ana'ole name for a few years although he's apprenticed at G-String for a number of years prior to starting his own company. In my opinion he makes a wonderful player ukes and I love the aesthetic sense he has as well. I'm sure you'll enjoy your uke for many years to come.

enjoy,
Shawn

http://ukulelefriend.com

Aloha Ahnko Honu,

Sorry I missed you at the Uke Exhibition. I was only around on Friday and needed to tend to things at home on Saturday so I didn't make it out that day. It's always great meeting the gang from the forum though.

do keep in touch,
Shawn

http://ukulelefriend.com

Ahnko Honu said:

Da buggah look cherry! I saw several of his handiwork at the UGH Show last weekend for the first time, and out of several exhibitors Gareth's work to me was really outstanding.

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ukestah said:

Ahnko Honu: Wow I didn't see that soprano when I was there on Saturday, but then again I did get there a bit later than I wanted to. That looks to be Ukulele Puapua's table? Did you get to try the 50th State Kanile'a? I picked it up, but it was so gorgeous I refused to make any attempts at playing it!

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It was on the far left end of the Ana'ole table, it really caught my eye. I took the picture around 10:30 a.m. I wonder if it got sold before you arrived.
I took a picture of the Kanile'a but was affraid to touch it, you more brave than me.

Ukulele Friend said:

Aloha Ahnko Honu,

Sorry I missed you at the Uke Exhibition. I was only around on Friday and needed to tend to things at home on Saturday so I didn't make it out that day. It's always great meeting the gang from the forum though.

do keep in touch,
Shawn

http://ukulelefriend.com

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I saw your table but didn't see you. Next time.

Shawn: Yeah I actually found Ana'ole 'ukes when looking at your site and hearing the sound files. I then got to meet Gareth and test out the 'ukes he had on hand and was sold! His 'ukes have such great aesthetic appeal, but yet sound great!

Ahnko Honu: Ah must've gotten sold before I got there then. He had another soprano out too that he had just finished, that one sounded amazing and the koa was so nice. I had to at least pick the 50th State Kanile'a up, but believe me, I put it down VERY gently. And as Kanaka suggested earlier, you can try out da Ana'ole anytime once its done. Open invite to any UUers actually haha, just no drop 'em or ding 'em. LOL

Ahnko Honu said:

Da buggah look cherry! I saw several of his handiwork at the UGH Show last weekend for the first time, and out of several exhibitors Gareth's work to me was really outstanding.

Click to expand...

Alohas Ahnko, Gareth just e-mailed me and said that the rope binded 'uke wasn't made by him. He hasn't made one like that yet. Any idea as to who else might have made that one?

More updates from work done this afternoon.

Braces have been glued to the soundboard and...

Image 1: Soundboard has been glued to the sides
Image 2: Shot of the glued soundboard again.
Image 3: Ebony fretboard has been slotted (there are three... so two other 'ukes in the making? :drool
Image 4: Tapering done, back to kerfing.

Mahalos for looking!

ukestah said:

Alohas Ahnko, Gareth just e-mailed me and said that the rope binded 'uke wasn't made by him. He hasn't made one like that yet. Any idea as to who else might have made that one?

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I am stumped. I thought it was on his table, I'll have to ask around now.