I had the opprotunity to stop by and see Brian Griffins latest Concert Pinecones, play a few of his completed tenors and baritone and got a glimpse of one of the tenors he has underway now.
He strung the three Pinecones with the different guages that Dirk from Southcoast sent him. It's amazing how three identical ukes, made from the same woods at the sametime can sound so different with the same brand of string; just a different guage. The softer strings made them sing soft and mellow while the light/medium guage was much brighter and more volume. I couldn't keep my hands off them they sounded so different and beautiful.
Also got to try a couple of his personal ones he plays. Again strings make so much of a difference. The Soutcoast linears made his Cedar/Koa tenor roar like a lion yet the same string didn't sound right on his Spruce/maple tenor so he changed it back to Auroras recently bringing out that wonderful tone that only a spruce top seems to have. We compared his baritone with a Martin baritone I brought with me and in many respects, I liked his bari better in that it had a much deeper umm more masculine sound.
Then to top it off, he brought up one of the three tenors he's working on. One made from his old,old growth cedar tops and a 4A master grade Koa. Even without the French Polish he does, the Koa just sparkled in a way only highly figured koa does. And the neck, oh man it was so thin and is going to be a really fast neck when he's done. Looks like it'll be a rich deep dark ebony fretboard. I love the necks on my other Griffin tenors but this one is the best I've felt ever and it's not even finished.
There's going to be 6 lucky, lucky individuals who will eventually end up with one of the Pinecones he has now and one of three tenors he's working on . One he calls the Blonde as it will be a Spruce top I believe, with koa back and sides and a slim fast Alaskan cedar neck. I didn't dare ask to see the Blonde, cause I knew I would have to have it. May still. As it is, I got away with one of his Concert Pinecones and felt very privledged to have another Griffin to play.
If you want to see some wonderful ukes made by one of the most wonderful, finicky luthiers whose goal is to have his ukes around in a 100 years, check out Griffinukuleles.com and also check out his blog; it really gives insight to what a luthier of his quality goes thru making quality instruments.
Thankyou Brian for the wonderful day and great conversation on ukes and how strings do make a big difference.
He strung the three Pinecones with the different guages that Dirk from Southcoast sent him. It's amazing how three identical ukes, made from the same woods at the sametime can sound so different with the same brand of string; just a different guage. The softer strings made them sing soft and mellow while the light/medium guage was much brighter and more volume. I couldn't keep my hands off them they sounded so different and beautiful.
Also got to try a couple of his personal ones he plays. Again strings make so much of a difference. The Soutcoast linears made his Cedar/Koa tenor roar like a lion yet the same string didn't sound right on his Spruce/maple tenor so he changed it back to Auroras recently bringing out that wonderful tone that only a spruce top seems to have. We compared his baritone with a Martin baritone I brought with me and in many respects, I liked his bari better in that it had a much deeper umm more masculine sound.
Then to top it off, he brought up one of the three tenors he's working on. One made from his old,old growth cedar tops and a 4A master grade Koa. Even without the French Polish he does, the Koa just sparkled in a way only highly figured koa does. And the neck, oh man it was so thin and is going to be a really fast neck when he's done. Looks like it'll be a rich deep dark ebony fretboard. I love the necks on my other Griffin tenors but this one is the best I've felt ever and it's not even finished.
There's going to be 6 lucky, lucky individuals who will eventually end up with one of the Pinecones he has now and one of three tenors he's working on . One he calls the Blonde as it will be a Spruce top I believe, with koa back and sides and a slim fast Alaskan cedar neck. I didn't dare ask to see the Blonde, cause I knew I would have to have it. May still. As it is, I got away with one of his Concert Pinecones and felt very privledged to have another Griffin to play.
If you want to see some wonderful ukes made by one of the most wonderful, finicky luthiers whose goal is to have his ukes around in a 100 years, check out Griffinukuleles.com and also check out his blog; it really gives insight to what a luthier of his quality goes thru making quality instruments.
Thankyou Brian for the wonderful day and great conversation on ukes and how strings do make a big difference.
