If you really let loose...

mendel · Nov 8, 2011

Hey Everyone!

Another thread got me thinking. If you were set loose to build something completely unique and new with no concern about $, what would you build?

What woods would you use and why?
What type of design would you choose?
What would you do to set this- your masterpiece- completely apart from other Ukes you have built in the past???

casetone2514 · Nov 8, 2011

It would probably sound aweful, but I'd love to see a uke made entirely out of glass.

mendel · Nov 8, 2011

casetone2514 said:
It would probably sound aweful, but I'd love to see a uke made entirely out of glass.

That would be insane. Like a one piece full blown glass soundbox.... Absolutely nuts.

casetone2514 · Nov 8, 2011

That's exactly it! Although it would haveto be moulded, not blown (I'm not sure whether you meant blown glass) as I would want it to show all the bracing and kerfing inside. Plus, ground glass stoppers for pegs. I know it's totally mental, but I want one!

dave g · Nov 8, 2011

Seems to me I've seen pictures of a glass violin... (no idea when or where).

Steve vanPelt · Nov 8, 2011

Oregon luthier Jayson Bowerman had a glass lap steel at Healdsburg. There are pics on his website, bowermanguitars.com .

Timbuck · Nov 8, 2011

dave g said:
Seems to me I've seen pictures of a glass violin... (no idea when or where).

Here She is Dave...Hand blown.

BlackBearUkes · Nov 8, 2011

I don't think most luthiers think in terms building a one time masterpiece. What constitutes a masterpiece? Looks? It has to be sound, first and foremost in my opinion. Does a Strad look any different from most violins, no. Do they sound different, yep. Any well made uke in the right hands can be a masterpiece or sound like one. Yes, we build with every possible combination of woods, size, bling, etc. Do we call them masterpieces, not unless we have a very big ego. Ukes can get so fancy with so many extras that they don't get played, just collected. What's the point of that!

12fretharmony · Nov 8, 2011

For me, I'd probably make a Tenor Ukulele, with a few features.
- It tunes itself via a motor placed in the tuning pegs
- Has a built in amp with stompbox effects, which can be turned on and off via a touch screen on the back of the ukulele
- The fretboard lights up so that you can upload MIDI like files (like the ones for piano, except, well, ukulele) and learn new songs
- OPTIONAL: Runs on Tridium

finkdaddy · Nov 10, 2011

I want one with a built in rum flask.

Flyfish57 · Nov 10, 2011

Timbuck said:
Here She is Dave...Hand blown.

She's a beauty!

mendel · Nov 15, 2011

Flyfish57 said:
She's a beauty!

And the instrument is pretty awesome too.

Rick Turner · Nov 15, 2011

My own next personal tenor uke will have milo back and sides (thank you, Aaron), a spruce top, flying buttress bracing, a side port, carbon fiber reinforced back braces, and a 14 fret neck. I'll put in the D-TAR Timberline pickup system that works so well in my current #1 player. Not sure about bling yet. Probably do some just because...

If you really let loose...

mendel

Well-known member

casetone2514

Well-known member

mendel

Well-known member

casetone2514

Well-known member

dave g

Well-known member

Steve vanPelt

Well-known member

Timbuck

Well-known member

BlackBearUkes

Well-known member

12fretharmony

Active member

finkdaddy

Well-known member

Flyfish57

Well-known member

mendel

Well-known member

Rick Turner

Well-known member

Similar threads