Recent content by Doc_J

Thanks Brad for sharing photos of your new design. Wonderful creativity and beautiful build execution! I can’t imagine how many hours it has taken. More please.

Allen McFarlen certainly has made some beautiful ukes. I’ve only played a used spruce/ziricote tenor of his. It was very bright in tone, but a nice uke. i’ve had a few Australian Blackwood ukes from Scott Wise. All were wonderful. Most recently received a Blackwood baritone 19” scale from...

Usually they email the URL (as well as publish it in each issue) for you to download the current issue.

If you are looking for a more unique Cedar, maybe consider sinker Cedar? The visual and acoustic properties of sinker Cedar are very appealing to me.

Over the last several years I’ve been able to find or have built several wonderful baritones. Generally a spruce top works great on several of mine. I’ve got bear claw Sitka, Sitka, Englemann, and Torrefied spruce tops that sound terrific. Generally a good hardwood back helps. These spruce tops...

IMHO the Best budget baritone is an old Favilla, if you can find one. They are getting harder to acquire. Plus they are 19” scale.

George glad you finally got your uke . I feel your frustration. It seems that the effects of pandemic are being felt on most services like FedEx, UPS, for the Postal Service. Each has managed to disappoint me in the past few months. Had an Apple product to be delivered by UPS with signature...

I've had and still own a few x-braced ukes (by John S. Kinnard, Josh Rieck, David Hurd, Bob Gleason) to name a few. All sounded great. But, it's the luthier, not the particular bracing that makes them great.

Virtuoso does pretty well. I've had success with scratch removal on a glossy uke or two by using Meguiar's® Scratch-X and old flannel cloth. Test before you commit. YMMV.

Thank you. I started playing Vivienne with DGBE but the sample was tuned to D# Ab C F. I am slowly tuning her up to find where she sounds best to me.

Meet ‘Vivienne’ built by Pat Megowan in Corvallis, Oregon. This is what I anticipate is my final uke commission. Age and over a decade of trialing different ukes have helped me refine what I like playing. I've had Vivienne a little less than 2 weeks. Pat does not number his ukes but names...

Thanks for the posts! Congratulations! Beautiful uke. Love the sound. And it will only sound better as the spruce opens. Red Spruce makes wonderful tops. Amazing curl in the maple body and neck. The faux tortoise binding reminds me of the vintage Martin tenors (one of my favorite...

Very nice Kevin! Beautiful work! Having played one of your baritones, I am impressed with the quality of your instruments. I know I don't need another baritone... but so tempting.

Lemon oil, Howard’s Feed’N’Wax, with a old flannel cloth or microfiber cloth should clean some and help after the moist cloth cleaning. A little 0000 steel wool with Lemon oil or Howard’s Feed’N’Wax on the fretboard should give the fretboard and frets a good feel and look.

Received my new baritone from Scott Wise today. In short, it is wonderful! This is his current standard baritone model of Australian Blackwood with his beautiful rope binding. The uke is gorgeous and well made. The years of experience of the luthier show in the sound and build quality. This...