Any market for a uke like this?

J

Johnny75

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Just curious if you all think there would be any kind of market for ukes like this. It's a baritone, 20 1/8" scale. Maple sides, back, and neck. Spruce top. Bubinga fretboard and bridge. Black nitrocellulose finish with white bound body, neck, and headstock. Pearl Inlays, Grover tuners. Very clear, bright sounding, loud. Holds tune very well.

Just building one for the fun of it has turned into an obsession and I will constantly be building instruments whether I can sell them or not. Just curious what you all thought. Next one will same body style, but maybe mahogany w/cedar top. I think I will test out some true oil as a finish as I really don't enjoy working with nitrocellulose lacquer. I have no earthly idea what one would even charge for an instrument like that. Other than just labor and basic parts, I have access to a family member's cabinet shop and scraps of some cool exotic woods so my costs are minimal. My wife doesn't understand my building more than just one of them and thinks continued building is a waste of time if I'm not selling them.

I would appreciate any input.

Thanks,

Johnny

6-20-2013 015.jpg6-7-2013 011.jpg
 
I like it! I really think the bigger body tends to give a fuller sound. I really like how the neck and headstock compliment the body style.
 
I suspect that if the price is right and the intonation is good up and down the neck I could easily be tempted...

PM me with what you think you'd need to get for one of these and I'll let you know privately what I think...and whether you can start building me one... :)

John
 
Having an option of a tenor or concert neck will really expand your market. Love the look! :)
 
Thinking about it some more:

Since this Is the uke world, I think the sweet spot design would be:
- That style headstock
- That shape body
- But the body sized down to a bari or tenor size.

I actually Like what the small uke bodies do to the tone. If the body gets too big, it really will
start sounding like a guitar with less strings. I'd suggest: embracing uke tone, using those cool aesthetics.
 
UkeKiddinMe said:
I actually Like what the small uke bodies do to the tone. If the body gets too big, it really will
start sounding like a guitar with less strings. I'd suggest: embracing uke tone, using those cool aesthetics.
Click to expand...

In general I'd agree with you but the baritone is a bit of a different stripe. For a reentrant DGBE baritone I'd agree, the smaller body is good. But, on a linear DGBE the typical baritone body really is a bit small for the lower four or five notes. One can hear the change quite clearly from the third to the fourth string when running down a first-position G scale, for example. Move up to scales across the fretboard but higher up the neck and there is no appreciable difference moving from the 3rd to the 4th string.

It's not terrible, and if one is careful it can be worked around, but I'd like to try a baritone with a slightly larger body for my "standard" tuning bari...

John
 
OldePhart said:
In general I'd agree with you but the baritone is a bit of a different stripe. For a reentrant DGBE baritone I'd agree, the smaller body is good. But, on a linear DGBE the typical baritone body really is a bit small for the lower four or five notes. One can hear the change quite clearly from the third to the fourth string when running down a first-position G scale, for example. Move up to scales across the fretboard but higher up the neck and there is no appreciable difference moving from the 3rd to the 4th string.

It's not terrible, and if one is careful it can be worked around, but I'd like to try a baritone with a slightly larger body for my "standard" tuning bari...

John
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if this bigger body would make it more viable for gCEA or GCEA tuning than a smaller bodied one. The simplicity of regular uke tuning with the deeper sound of DGBE tuning. I'm always looking for a uke-tuned "surrogate jazz/blues guitar."
 
nongdam said:
On a bari body? The concert length might be too short to drive the soundboard
Click to expand...

I didn't say it would sound good, but everyone seems to be clamoring for concerts lately. :p

A tenor neck should work though. What are those called, super tenors?
 
Looks great. Give it a price tag and a sound sample.
It's perfect for my purposes!
 
You want to know if there is a market? Build one and sell it on this forum, all the rest is guess work.

Johnny75 said:
Just curious if you all think there would be any kind of market for ukes like this. It's a baritone, 20 1/8" scale. Maple sides, back, and neck. Spruce top. Bubinga fretboard and bridge. Black nitrocellulose finish with white bound body, neck, and headstock. Pearl Inlays, Grover tuners. Very clear, bright sounding, loud. Holds tune very well.

Just building one for the fun of it has turned into an obsession and I will constantly be building instruments whether I can sell them or not. Just curious what you all thought. Next one will same body style, but maybe mahogany w/cedar top. I think I will test out some true oil as a finish as I really don't enjoy working with nitrocellulose lacquer. I have no earthly idea what one would even charge for an instrument like that. Other than just labor and basic parts, I have access to a family member's cabinet shop and scraps of some cool exotic woods so my costs are minimal. My wife doesn't understand my building more than just one of them and thinks continued building is a waste of time if I'm not selling them.

I would appreciate any input.

Thanks,

Johnny

View attachment 54796View attachment 54797
Click to expand...
 
Looks nice

peewee said:
Looks great. Give it a price tag and a sound sample.
It's perfect for my purposes!
Click to expand...

I'd also be interested after hearing a sound sample. I've been looking in this forum for a reasonably priced bari. You could certainly sway me if the sound and intonation are excellent, and your price wouldn't damage my marriage.
 
I would change the fret dots as you have one on the 9th fret vs most ukes have it on the 10th fret
 
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