The only thing I've ever been able to draw is cartoon armadillos, and in past years I used to draw them everywhere. Eventually I started collecting armadillo figurines and whatnot. Around 1990, I found a homemade mandolin made out of an armadillo shell (apparently inspired by a Peruvian charango) and had to have it. I only put on four strings, and tuned it like a uke. A few years later, the soundboard cracked. Last year, I went looking for someone who could repair it and convert it into a ukulele. Here's a before picture, with a Martin soprano for scale:
Neal Carey, a local hobbyist luthier who's made a dozen ukes, agreed to take on the task. I picked it up this afternoon. Neal put on an Italian spruce soundboard, a flamed maple fingerboard, cut down the heavy headboard and neck, installed a fixed bridge, a new nut, put on a Mylar pickguard because I strum heavily, and even put in an inlay of my cartoon armadillo! The armadillo shell, and the pared-down neck and headstock are what remain of the original instrument. The scale is slightly longer than my Martin soprano, but less than my concerts, so I don't know which to call it.
I'll post a sound clip when I can. How soon this will be depends on whether I can keep my daughter from commandeering the computer for marathon sessions of Farmville.
Neal Carey, a local hobbyist luthier who's made a dozen ukes, agreed to take on the task. I picked it up this afternoon. Neal put on an Italian spruce soundboard, a flamed maple fingerboard, cut down the heavy headboard and neck, installed a fixed bridge, a new nut, put on a Mylar pickguard because I strum heavily, and even put in an inlay of my cartoon armadillo! The armadillo shell, and the pared-down neck and headstock are what remain of the original instrument. The scale is slightly longer than my Martin soprano, but less than my concerts, so I don't know which to call it.
I'll post a sound clip when I can. How soon this will be depends on whether I can keep my daughter from commandeering the computer for marathon sessions of Farmville.
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