Bonanza Homestead Line

Just when I think I have it figured out you people tempt me.
Sheez.
And maybe a star where Big Falls is.

Pete,

Many years ago Gibson produced a limited run of electric guitars in the shape of the lower 49 states.

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So maybe a uke in the shape of Minnesota? Not sure where to put the neck though.......
 
Crazy price for an American made uke (small town American jobs, folks!).
Comparable or cheaper than Kala all solid ukes made in China, but with upgrades of the Graphtecs and fluorocarbons.

I would love to hear some soundbites from the Homestead line. What is the bracing and weight?
 
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They have a Facebook page where they occasionally post sound samples. The audio quality of the recordings is not great, unfortunately.

The best information about the gen 5 bracing can be seen in Barry Maz’s review of their Saguaro Tenor. He has reviewed several of their ukes, and they consistently get top marks from him.

https://www.gotaukulele.com/2019/10/bonanza-saguaro-tenor-ukulele-review.html
 
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I felt the tone of both Homestead Tenor ukuleles on the video to be pleasing. Our Baritone Body Tenor Scale Oreo has a wonderful mellow voice that can be loud or soft. We have it strung with Worth Browns in Low G. It's my grandson's favorite Ukulele.
 
I just ordered a cherry cutaway concert. I’ll post a small review when it arrives.

I for one am looking forward to your post. I keep debating should I, I shouldn't I and if so which one :)
 
As a Minnesotan, I was thinking the same thing. Since I first saw these ukes I thought Pete should have a small outline or a solid mark in the shape of the state of Minnesota on the sound hole emblem centered between "Bonanza Ukuleles" and "Made in the USA / Music soothes the soul."

Mike, here is my start.minn logo.jpg
 

I love it! It's pretty much exactly as I pictured it. I like how you put the black dot where Big Falls is. I think it's subtle and elegant while at the same time a nice symbol of Big Falls/Minnesota pride showing where these wonderful ukes are born. Well done! You said that this was your start, are you still looking to tweak it?
 
Hi Everyone! I have a Bonanza Oreo Tenor myself (Walnut with Aspen Stripe) and a Double Pickup. It's pretty awesome. Pete did a great job making it for me. Pete and Shelley were great to work with and very generous and awesome people. Thanks Bonanza!

One thing about sound samples, however i should point out, at least in my experience is that what I heard on Facebook, Youtube, etc. was not what I hear in person when i received mine. Even after swapping out the strings a few times and adjusting nuts and saddles, i couldn't reproduce the full nice tone of what i heard and it was driving me crazy. Until...i realized what was happening. I believe when Bonanza Ukes were recording their sound samples, the sound projected is going straight towards the microphone.
So when i play it in person, the sound is not the same and felt a lot quiter. Then i figured out how to reproduce the nice full tone. Since i don't gig with my Oreo Uke, i just stand in front of a closet door or wall, and play close to it.
and voila!! The sound bouncing back off the walls come back nice and full and sound like the samples, as if my ears are the mic. So it's been very enjoyable to play like this so i can hear a nice full effect.

Plugged in, is another story. Very nice sound and very clean with that Double Pickup.

I love Pete's design of the cutaway. It's the sexiest curve I've seen on a uke cutaway, and i much prefer this style then the florentines, or other traditional swoops. So cool.

anyway, that being said, I do love my Oreo and it's only about 10 months old, BUT...UAS is knocking again and I might want to sell my Oreo here on the marketplace, to fund and try something else.
So if anyone is interested, PM me and we can work out what's reasonable.

Thanks Pete and Shelley, for an awesome instrument!
 
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Is a Homestead thinner than an Oreo? I can't tell from the pictures on the Bonanza site or on Facebook. The sides of the Oreo are three pieces and the Homestead appear to be two.
 
Is a Homestead thinner than an Oreo? I can't tell from the pictures on the Bonanza site or on Facebook. The sides of the Oreo are three pieces and the Homestead appear to be two.

I have been wondering that as well. Another difference I have noticed is the front and back are made of two pieces instead of the oreo’s one piece.
 
Is a Homestead thinner than an Oreo? I can't tell from the pictures on the Bonanza site or on Facebook. The sides of the Oreo are three pieces and the Homestead appear to be two.

The Homestead is the same thickness as an Oreo. 1 1/2 inches.

Rorym, The tops and backs on tenor and baritone are mostly 2 boards. Once in a while we get boards wide enough to make it a single board.
 
The Homestead is the same thickness as an Oreo. 1 1/2 inches.

Rorym, The tops and backs on tenor and baritone are mostly 2 boards. Once in a while we get boards wide enough to make it a single board.

Thanks for the clarification. I had not noticed the differences based on size.
 
Thanks for the info Pete. Have you ever thought of putting a sound port into the Oreo/Homestead? FuzzeeSock has become a closet ukulele player (OK, he just stands in front of a closet door :) so he can get the reflected sound. I was wondering if a more direct way might be a side sound port.
 
Thanks for the info Pete. Have you ever thought of putting a sound port into the Oreo/Homestead? FuzzeeSock has become a closet ukulele player (OK, he just stands in front of a closet door :) so he can get the reflected sound. I was wondering if a more direct way might be a side sound port.

I have done side ports in a couple by request. Because the instrument is only 1.5 inches thick the hole is only a 1" hole.
 
Haha yup, i only stand in front of a door or wall to play the Oreo. : ) But Pete, I suggested to Shelley once that maybe your future thinline designs can adopt what Kala, Leho or even the Hricane thinlines did, where each of those models have the arched backs. Those really work for projecting volume directly so no "closet door" uke playing required. Hahaha. I have both the Kala thinbody and the Hricane Tenor thinbody, and man those are really projectively loud, due to the arched back.
 
Hey Pete.
What's the nut width and string spread ( g to A ) on the Baritone Homestead ? Couldn't find and "specs" on your website. ( And I never bother with FB )
 
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