A Different Beau Hannam Redwood/Rosewood Tenor ...

hard to do a review when you don't have the uke? I guess you are really excited! hahaha
 
No doubt about it. Mr. Hannam makes the most beautiful ukuleles.
 
Wow Steve. Incredible. Amazing detail. Congrats mate!
 
That's a beauty Steve. Sweet. I love the agate window and snakewood Robson tuners.
Although, I favor slotted headstocks, yours is so cool!

How long until you have her in your arms?
 
Really gorgeous. Look forward to your review and sound sample!
 
All things going well, Hodge, she should be here Wednesday morning. Being that today is Monday, I am more than a little pleased. I'll put up a video and sound sample soon as I calm down enough ...
 
Really fantastic looking instrument. I think a Hannam is in my future.

What strings did he use on this Uke? They look golden.
 
Got here today! I put up a quick-and-dirty video in the Uke Talk section, I'll do a longer review later, once the strings have settled in. Strings are, by the way, A wound low-G and wound C (Southcoast) and Oasis for the E and A. Beau's choice.
 
Initial Review

Okay, now it is official ...

So, the Hannam tenor:

17” Scale, fourteen frets to the body. In a Crossrock fiberglass case.

IMG_3216_2.jpg

IMG_3211_2.jpg

Top is sinker Redwood, back and sides are Rosewood, as is the fretboard. The headstock overlays fore and aft are walnut burl, the headstock insets are agate, lined inside with gold foil. The agate window goes all the way through. The “H,” in MOP. The headstock is one-piece, bound in Tasmanian Blackwood. The fretboard is also bound in figured Taz black. The nut is MOP nacre, and the saddle is Tusq™.

The heel cap overlay is snakewood, as is the neck strap pin.

Purfling is BWB.

The end graft, centered around the jack for an Aloha Twin by K&K, is snakewood and buckeye burl.

The fret inlays are snakewood, and the 12th fret marker is snakewood, buckeye burl, Black Tahitian MOP and White MOP dots in 3mm, 2mm and 1mm.

The one-piece neck is Honduran Mahogany, with a carbon-fiber rod. The tuners are by Keith Robson, the first of his used on an ukulele. Original buttons were ebony, but were upgraded to snakewood. You can't believe how smooth these suckers are.

The three-piece rosette woods include: snakewood, buckeye burl, African blackwood, koa, cocobolo, Oregon myrtle, and beefwood, with the opening bound in snakewood, and inspired by Michi Matsuda’s work. The sound port is bound in cocobolo.

The bass strings are Southcoast wound low-G and wound C, and the trebles are Oasis fluorocarbon. Beau's choice.

All in all, one of the most stunning ukes I’ve laid eyes on, outstanding, clean, and tastefully-blinged. And it is a joy to hold and play, a cannon.

As to the sound sample, (posted in the Uke Talk section,) please excuse my ineptitude. I can't play for sour owl poot, but even that isn’t enough to hide the lovely tone.

When I started looking into getting a Hannam build, I found the HMS sound sample of Cory Fujimoto playing a Hannam sinker Redwood/Tasmanian Blackwood tenor, the song being Cory’s arrangement of the Chet Atkins’ tune, “Still Can’t Say Goodbye.” I thought it was such a lovely tune I decided to try and learn it. Found Cory’s TAB and am giving it a go. Not there yet, and I’m not ever going to be within a parsec of Cory’s ability, but if I get it down that one will be the next sound sample.

A couple more pictures, but if you have access to Facebook, this link might take to you the photo album Beau did on this beauty: http://tinyurl.com/n59lnqb

Or not, depending on your browser. If you want to see ‘em and you can’t click through, you can search FaceBook for “Beau Hannam Guitars,” click through to Photos - Albums - Agate Window Tenor with custom Snakewood Robson tuners, and get fifty-some images over which you can pore, if you want to see how Beau does a tenor ukulele.

Way more detail and information than you are apt to want, unless you are considering commissioning him for a build. Or you just like blinged-out ukulele p*** …

The new toy in no way diminishes any of the old toys, but since it is new, I will be spending some quality time with her. I am thrilled with this instrument, I can't begin to tell you how much ...

IMG_3220.jpgIMG_3216_2.jpg
 
Congrats on a unique and beautiful uke. And the sound is great. It has gorgeous sound, even without the strings and uke being broken in yet.

I must say that your story was funny to me, as it is exactly what happened with me. I saw Beau's uke on HMS and fell in love with the sound and also the song, "Still Can't Say Goodbye" that Corey played. So, I have placed an order with Beau, though not started the build yet. And also trying to learn to play that song and will be pleased if I can play it half as good as Corey does someday.

I have gone off the deep end with UAS and was out of control, so now need to reign myself in and control myself. I have stated to myself that I will stop my uke purchases, after these last 3 that I have ordered, of which Beau is one. My rationale is that my collection cant be complete in my eyes, if I dont have a BH uke in it. I enjoy collecting different ukes, even if I am a beginner and crappy player. Collecting ukes seems to have grown into an expensive hobby unto itself. I have only been playing the uke for about 1 year and sadly my UAS has advanced much faster than my playing ability.

Congrats again on the beautiful work of art. Looking forward to also getting a piece of art from Beau.
 
Congratulations on this wonderful uke! My wife has placed an order for one of Beau's instruments, and both your video and the one from Beau make me very confident that it will turn out great. Still a long wait, though... :(
 
Yeah, waiting is hard. In the classical guitar world, a year, year-and-a-half wait list is not uncommon. Longest list I recall was for Jeffrey Elliot. He cut it off at twelve years ...

Still, we aren't talking about fast food, and while it is possible that a long wait and premium price won't get you what you want, it certainly has been my experience that it does. I was lucky on my first build that the luthier, Michael Zuch, does it for fun and limits his orders, so I think it was about four months. Last I looked, he had started tinkering with making guitars, and that might slow him down. And his list isn't easy to get on, though you can't beat his prices, which are cost of materials.

Beau's lead time is stretching out, but I think he's still around the Mya-Moe delivery range.

Then there is Chuck Moore ...
 
Yeah, waiting is hard. In the classical guitar world, a year, year-and-a-half wait list is not uncommon. Longest list I recall was for Jeffrey Elliot. He cut it off at twelve years ...

Still, we aren't talking about fast food, and while it is possible that a long wait and premium price won't get you what you want, it certainly has been my experience that it does. I was lucky on my first build that the luthier, Michael Zuch, does it for fun and limits his orders, so I think it was about four months. Last I looked, he had started tinkering with making guitars, and that might slow him down. And his list isn't easy to get on, though you can't beat his prices, which are cost of materials.

Beau's lead time is stretching out, but I think he's still around the Mya-Moe delivery range.

Then there is Chuck Moore ...


Hey Steve did you miss the lottery for the Black Orchid MBU on Chuck's website last weekend...he takes names and the first 5 names get into a lottery..computer picks the winner...got to be on your toes....or you will miss all your chances....:)
 
I must say that your story was funny to me, as it is exactly what happened with me. I saw Beau's uke on HMS and fell in love with the sound and also the song, "Still Can't Say Goodbye" that Corey played. So, I have placed an order with Beau, though not started the build yet. And also trying to learn to play that song and will be pleased if I can play it half as good as Corey does someday.

Great minds think alike ...
 
Top Bottom