Pontolog or Pontalog ???

Beau Hannam Ukuleles

Beau Hannam Ukuleles

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At 3:11 in this 2011 NAMM interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk6RG3_XYzw), Dick Boak from Martin names the white inlay in the lower bout of the style 3 Martin's a 'Pontalog' or 'Pontolog'. (see attached pic). I can't find any info on it- anyone know anything about it or did martin just make up a word???

pontalog.jpg
 
I thought it was called the whale tail.
Maybe its a french or spanish term?
 
Hahahhaha .- it has been known that some woman who even look at my instruments fall pregnant. I almost became pregnant making my last uke- i think it was the redwood top...?
 
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My suggestion is "Pendalogue"....it's a French description of symetrical flat crystal droplets used in making chandeliers necklaces etc: they come in various shapes but always symetrical.
I could be wrong tho' :confused:..this is one.
pendalogue.jpg
 
I read the thread title as "Poontang".
 
what ever its called i think it looks cool, surprised some luthiers that make martin style ukes haven't attempted it yet. ;)
 
ukuleG said:
what ever its called i think it looks cool, surprised some luthiers that make martin style ukes haven't attempted it yet. ;)
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It's a piece of celuloid made in the same reversed shape as the fretboard extension end ...it was only used on the top end Martin ukes...I believe it was just for decoration and it had no other function than that...Or!!! it could have covered up a pilot hole that was drilled to locate the positioning of the soundboard ???? Who know's....Perhaps some one who owns one? can get a heat gun and lift up the celuloid and have a look to see if there is a hole in the tailblock under it.:rolleyes:
 
I have one to do next week! But it will end up a black beauty... the original that it is copied from is in a very sorry state with the binding shrinking back and parts of it over sanded where the zealot restorer before me got carried away. It's unrecoverable and I simply use it as a reference piece.
 
Timbuck said:
It's a piece of celuloid made in the same reversed shape as the fretboard extension end ...it was only used on the top end Martin ukes...I believe it was just for decoration and it had no other function than that...Or!!! it could have covered up a pilot hole that was drilled to locate the positioning of the soundboard ???? Who know's....Perhaps some one who owns one? can get a heat gun and lift up the celuloid and have a look to see if there is a hole in the tailblock under it.:rolleyes:
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Ken, I have done a couple of repair jobs on the early style 3 Martins in the past and as I recall there was nothing under the bottom inlay, no guide holes, just a decoration. The material was a celluloid and was curling up, so I had to flatten it and glue it back down.
 
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