My first tenor ukulele

tinguitar · Feb 1, 2011

It's a prototype, made in all meranti wood like the soprano I posted a couple of weeks ago. I've tried to make the shape look like a relative of my sopranos.

There's a short demo of it on my youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRrxgxGkGj4

It took a while for the sound to loosen up, but i'm pretty pleased with it now. I reckon I'll pare down the fan braces a bit more on the next one though..

tattwo · Feb 1, 2011

Very nice!.....it sounds great. well done

UkeforJC · Feb 2, 2011

man...Rob, you did it again.
Really nice uke. I love the sound...looks great too.

Doug W · Feb 2, 2011

Nice sound and nice pickin' too.

bluesuke · Feb 2, 2011

That sounds and looks great. Well done Rob:cheers:

Kekani · Feb 2, 2011

Sounds like the instrument is being "held back".

I'd change the strings to a low G, and something a little sweeter, like D'Addario J46's (I think the J50's or T2's may be a little too bright), possibly Savarez Alliance. Currently, it sounds too much like a Standard, but, again, there's something there waiting to come out - this is a good thing.

Nice craftsmanship, clean and simple. Meranti must be a nightmare to finish. . .

And ditto on the cool playing.

tinguitar · Feb 2, 2011

Kekani said:
Sounds like the instrument is being "held back".

I'd change the strings to a low G, and something a little sweeter, like D'Addario J46's (I think the J50's or T2's may be a little too bright), possibly Savarez Alliance. Currently, it sounds too much like a Standard, but, again, there's something there waiting to come out - this is a good thing.

Nice craftsmanship, clean and simple. Meranti must be a nightmare to finish. . .

And ditto on the cool playing.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think it could do with a lower string tension - I had fluorocarbons on it initially and they were much tighter, which seemed to mute the sound more.

Meranti soaks up the truoil like a sponge for the first couple of coats - I wet sand it into the pores initially to fill them as best as I can...

Uncle Leroy · Feb 2, 2011

Great sounding uke! What is Meranti wood relative to? It sounds punchy and bright.

tinguitar · Feb 2, 2011

Uncle Leroy said:
What is Meranti wood relative to?

It's one of those "generic" trade names for a group of very similar sub-species. It covers trees from the Shorea family and is imported to the UK mainly from Malaysia, I believe.

I tend to pick out the lightest boards from the pile at the local timber merchant.

BaldEagle5556 · Feb 22, 2012

Really like your uke and the sound. Did you have plans for it or did you wing it? Looks like you have lots of building experience.

Tom

Manalishi · Feb 22, 2012

I own one of Rob's Meranti Sopranos,and before he
jumps in and tells you, I can inform you that Rob is
a full time luthier,with a deservedly growing reputation!
So far as I know,he used to do it 'part time' until he was
put into a position where it became a full time calling!
I have met him a few times,and as though building superb
ukuleles was not enough,he is also a first class chap!

tinguitar · Feb 24, 2012

BaldEagle5556 said:
Really like your uke and the sound. Did you have plans for it or did you wing it? Looks like you have lots of building experience.

Tom

Hi Tom, thanks for looking! This tenor was my own design, though the construction is pretty standard. I've been building full-time now for coming up to a year and a half, with over 160 instruments completed to-date.

Cheers,
Rob.

Strummin simon · Feb 28, 2012

can i add i have one of Robs ukes....it is very good. i love it. a lot

My first tenor ukulele

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