A very cool "artist palette" custom tenor from Bytown Ukuleles

A luthier friend of mine in Canada, Joel Jacques and his buddy have a new business making custom ukes in Ottawa.
I thought this one was very original.
http://www.bytowninstruments.com/co...ailable/products/artist-palette-tenor-ukulele

Wow, as a professional artist, that's almost too cool to pass up! (If my Mainland Acquisition Syndrome weren't in high gear, I'd be sorely tempted.) Maybe they'd be interested in my old palettes!

Jamie

Pretty spiffy looking. Lots of $ for an all laminate uke. Wonder how they play/sound?

Beautiful!

I think that pretty much has to be intended more as wall art than a player...at least at that price. It's a very clever idea and a very interesting piece but it's trying to fill a really tough niche. I like it...but I look at it more like a sculpture and I just can't justify spending that much on a sculpture though I know others can.

Even if it turned out to be a really nice player (not very likely, honestly, given a laminated sound board and probably a fairly heavy finish and a neck that appears to be pegged on and through-body), using it as such would put the kind of wear on it that would probably devalue it as a sculpture.

Most of my wall art is in the form of watercolors from unknowns at local art shows. I probably haven't spent more than $50 on any single thing on my walls. But, I can see where somebody who is very visual and has the budget could spring that kind of money for this. I don't see somebody who is looking for a player going for it, though. For that price you could get a really nice player that wouldn't lose most of it's value over a small ding.

John

PhilUSAFRet said:

Pretty spiffy looking. Lots of $ for an all laminate uke. Wonder how they play/sound?

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It's a piece of art!

Aw, Heck! I was planning on making a soprano like that. I didn't know it has already been done. Don't you just hate it when you have an idea, only to find someone has beaten you to the punch? I guess it's really difficult to have a truly original thought.

I'm consoled by the fact that they've made such a good job of it. It looks stunning.

ukantor said:

Aw, Heck! I was planning on making a soprano like that. I didn't know it has already been done. Don't you just hate it when you have an idea, only to find someone has beaten you to the punch? I guess it's really difficult to have a truly original thought.

I'm consoled by the fact that they've made such a good job of it. It looks stunning.

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I'd say there's certainly still room for a solid wood version. The idea is great, but I'd be really surprised if somebody would pay $1200 for a laminated uke, no matter how big the "cool factor"!

Jamie

Hi folks - I created the Bytown Ukuleles Artist Palette Tenor Ukulele, so I may be a bit biased, but here’s some information on the instrument.

I considered making it out of solid wood, but ended up deciding on using a laminated veneer because I wanted the figure of rotary-cut maple with the stability that only a quarter sawn maple would provide, but I didn’t want the ribbon grain. The plates were thickness to .068” and then lightly braced for stiffness. The beech neck does continue through the body of the uke similar to a coordinator rod that a banjo has, but is made to look like the continuous handle of a paint brush. And where is exits the bottom of the uke, you can either hang up the instrument as you would a paint brush or use it as a “strap button”. It is glued to the neck & heel block and the pegging on the back is purely decorative. The neck does not interfere with the top or back in any way.
The finish is 6 coats of “Tru-Oil” buffed up to a satin sheen and the interior has been blackened out with Black NGR stain for contrast. A palette knife and brush were used to add colour splashes of acrylic paint which did not affect the before and after tone/playability of the uke.

A sound post was added at the front of the bridge to correct a small belly in the top, which after it was installed, actually improved the tone & sound quality. In future versions of this uke, I will use an “X” brace instead of ladder bracing to eliminate this problem as well as doing a solid wood version.

This ukulele is playable. It has a bright, perky sound and is lots of fun to play given its funky appearance. It has been described as having a “pleasing sound” with “warmer mando/banjo tones”. This uke has had lots of play time at our local monthly ukulele jams and I’ll miss having it around. It sold yesterday to a local collector (at a negotiated price).

Thanks for the comments. We love getting feedback.
Mark

Hey Mark, I stand corrected, at least partially.

Seriously, welcome to UU and thanks for the info.

John

Very interesting looking. I'm glad it found a good home. I'd really like to hear a sound sample to see what it's like. Cool job, Mark, and welcome to UU.

Mark, thank you for replying on the thread. I'm so glad to know this creative uke found a happy home. I can imagine what a big hit it must have been in the uke group. I hope you'll make more, and that you'll also explore a solid wood artist's palette ukulele at some point in the future for this clever idea. (As an artist, I have to confess I generally use the lightest weight palette I can find, which is usually made of something like gatorboard --- totally not compatible with decent sound production! LOL.... If I found a beautiful palette of solid mahogany or some other tone wood, I'd be afraid to put paint on it. But now at least I'd know who could make good use of it! )

Jamie