The Making of an Antica Ukuleleria Sacco Soprano

WebParrot (s2)

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(link is also posted in the Review section where Barry Maz reviewed the Sacco)

Marco posted a 9 part playlist of his process for making his Sacco Soprano. Nicely done video and you get to see how it's made, the creativity behind it, and what you're getting for the money. After watching and reading Mazs' review and watching this it looks like you're getting your money's worth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcmNgAvIDzM&list=PLK-QtqOSOLWWXAAqQZ6zhttH92Aj2Vd3g
 
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I'm not sure I agree with some of your analysis.


He needs to partner with a factory and set up some mass production of the components to get a better return on his efforts.

But it needs more work so that it can be moved to a lower price point and made/assembled with a lot less intensive effort from the maker, if it is to become a great product.

Northern Italy has some amazing factories and engineers, a uke like this could be turned into a bread and butter industry. Marco the maker could get some of the components off the production line and turn out the deluxe models for a price that his work deserves, and there could be a lower priced medium volume range for the masses.

I wasn't under the impression that he wanted to make a mass-produced instrument for the the masses. I thought that he wanted to make this instrument. From his own description on the Antica Ukuleleria site:

"...

The process, sofisticated but still artisanal, took a long time to be learnt, but now let me build a uke that it’s a lot stronger than the other models I do, making it perfect as a travel companion.
Sacco’s body is far less afected by humidity changes, more resistant to scratches and almost immune to cracks.

...

Resin infusion is usually an industrial process, it took me a lot of tests lasted almost a year to replicate it in an artisanal scale."




The goal was for him to be able to build something that is more durable than his usual instruments, while still being the fruit of his labor.

And speaking only for myself, I think the price point is great for a uniquely designed, robust, and artisan produced instrument.
 
It is not just about money, it is about allowing access to a good product by keeping the purchase price low

Yes! Slowness of production adds to the cost but not necessarily to the quality. Speeding up the process would result in more product in the same period of time.
 
Thanks for sharing this, WP! The videos are as entertaining as I’d expect from the guy who came up with the UFOS. Very cool insight into his process along with some excellent background music. The latter was good enough my wife didn’t mind that dinner was late since I watched these rather than cooking :)

The Sacco is much closer to a bio-fiber composite Blackbird Clara or composite body + wooden neck Klos than to an injection molded + fiber filler Outdoor, or Enya. His pricing is lower than I'd expect for this kind of product - Jute is probably much less expensive than CF, and his processes (love the slime!) reduce other expensive consumables.

Marco’s resin infusion is the high end of typical small shop composite techniques. He uses the same basic methods F1 teams use for carbon fiber car parts, scaled down, slightly simplified, and with an alternative fiber. Compare with Composite Acoustic's carbon fiber guitar factory tour at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QbH8_GnU5k IIRC, beyond the assembly line, the main procedural difference is they use an autoclave to cure the guitar body under pressure

Injection molded “carbon fiber” like Outdoor and Enya end up primarily resin with a bit of support from the loose fibers. Resin vacuum infusion uses the woven fabric as the main structure and leaves just enough resin to bind and reinforce the fibers. Using minimal resin gives carbon fiber it's low weight.
 
IMHO while mass producing would bring prices down, I don’t think that is what Marco is all about. He is a great designer with a mind that thinks out of the box. I’m sure if he wanted to he could get bigger, to get costs down. But at what cost. He seems more eco, design conscience. He’s not trying to be a MFC, or an Enya Nova or even a ODU.

I like the fact that he put the effort in to figure it out..........and did it on his terms. What comes of it is up to him.

Looks like Blackbird, could use its same moulds and use The same material if they wanted. Thing is, they have their EKoa and have their path. All are good paths..........

MFC offer a great product. Imagine if they put the effort into their necks as Marco does on the Sacco! HOOP pine vrs birch laminate are likely close. Spruce or cedar vrs Koa or cedar. I like fact he uses pear wood and cherry and his laminate for bindings is very eco conscience. MFC like what they are doing and use local woods too. To me all good.

I would not complain, if a quality Uke like the Sacco was made in larger quantities to get a lower price..... if quality and sound were close. But for what Marco is doing and his quality.......his price is good.

Anyways point is, making a zillion of something isn’t always the goal. We need to learn when more isn’t necessarily better!

Just my .02 cents worth and my opinion.

Very. Nice to read the review, see a new approach and find his you tube videos.
 
Marco likes to push the envelope with his designs. He's one of the most creative luthiers building ukuleles today.

He even influenced the industry when he introduced the Antica Ukuleleria Moderno Tenor. Basically he added color to the scoop and binding. (See Baz's review.) Several large companies introduced similar designs shortly after.

He seems to make limited runs of a model and then moves on to his next brainchild. Which like many very creative people is the whole point. (Pops from Ko'Aloha comes to mind.) Scaling up for mass production of his somewhat quirky designs would most likely not be a success. And the inhibiting environment of a corporate structure usually stifles creativity rather than encouraging it.

He does refine his designs and production techniques. But with a small operation, he has total control of all aspects of design and production.
 
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