An exciting Uke update.

Tudorp

Big guy with a lil' uke..
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The shop I am working with and myself have agreed on a price point for ukes coming through my shop. I have also started the process of copyrighting a name for ukes from my shop. Again, I will not be actually building these ukes, but they will be to my specs, as well as set up here in the USA in my shop. These ukes will be exclusive to my shop. I am pretty excited with how talks are working out. I will be making these available in Soprano and Concert size. Tenor size will be special order. Price point is looking pretty good to stay under $250, most likely closer to $200. All of them will be sold with a hard case, and set up with Aquilas. Here is the proposed line up of the "Duke Of Uke" solid wood ukuleles. Inlays, are more subtle than we have had started off with, which was my suggestion. More fancy inlay can be had however upon special order. My inlays will be MOP and Abalone.

Dukeukes.jpg


As always, I would love feedback and opinions, good or bad are both welcome. This is gonna be fun..
 
Alright, man! Way to go and best of luck in your venture. It looks like a great idea and a good time to do it.:music:
 
Im definetly diggin the inlay and brand name.
The ukes are cool you got a good line up there the only one im not to kean on is number 2.
Quick question will you be selling online or in person or both.
 
Im definetly diggin the inlay and brand name.
The ukes are cool you got a good line up there the only one im not to kean on is number 2.
Quick question will you be selling online or in person or both.

For the time being, just individual private sales. I do not have a brick and mortor shop, but it can very well turn into that. Maybe a website in the future..

But, my plan is not to go crazy with this, because I want to keep overhead low to keep the pricing affordable. To make cool solid wood ukes available to us poor folk.. ;)
 
I think the subtle inlay as default with the more elaborate as an option is a great idea. I know I myself loved the dragon on that tenor...
 
Aloha Tudorp,
Yes Good Luck in your new business venture.....May you prosper and have fun doing it....
How about Dukes Ukes....he he
 
Seeing that I go by The Duke of Straw - my bandmate started calling my uke the "Dukulele". Good luck with everything.
 
thanks guys.. If I find "Duke Of Ukes" is gone, I will have to change that up somehow. I have a couple ideas.
As far as friction tuners on the sopranos, I haven't decided yet, but am leaning on going with that for the soprano size. They are lighter, and just look better on a soprano I think..
 
Good luck! Will any of them be made of bamboo?
 
Aloha Tudorp,
Your business venture IS exciting.....good luck.
The Duke of Ukes is a company in Alberta, Canada. They're on Facebook.
 
Haven't considered Bamboo yet. No telling though as I get into it. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. It looks like the Duke might come back rejected. But, again, I have a cool twist to that as an alternate if it doesn't pan out. The ukes will be called "Duke", if that flies. I might have to drop the "of Ukes" and if I do, oh well, I thought it was too cool to not have been done yet, hahhah.. But, I do like the Duke, and again, a cool twist on that, that actually may end up the primary anyway, because the more I think about it and look at it, the cooler the alternate looks, lol.. Now I feel like a woman trying to decide on shoes, lol..
 
This is my alt. headstock. Like I mentioned, it may end up my primary even is Duke comes back approved. I am starting to actually like it better.

altheadstock.jpg
 
Good luck with your business. I really like number 4, very cool!
 
I like # 4 because your arm isn't blocking the sound like in the traditional placement , and it just looks cool. good luck.
 
Yep, #4 seems like it would be pretty popular. The only issue I have with that one so far, is the shape of the hole. If these go into production for me, I am considering changing the hole shape to round, egg, or oval shaped. The shape it is at present presents a weak point in the top. The sharp corners could posibly create a weakness and prone to cracking along the grain from that point. That kind of concerns me on that one. It wouldn't be an issue with a lam, but all the ukes I plan to deal with are solid woods..
 
There's always "D'uke", as in "Da Uke".

If "Duke" and "dük" don't work out.

Funny, but I've never thought of an umlaut and a ukulele together before....
 
There's always "D'uke", as in "Da Uke".

If "Duke" and "dük" don't work out.

Funny, but I've never thought of an umlaut and a ukulele together before....

Hmmm, D'Uke popped into my head too!
 
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