70sSanO
Well-known member
I guess the myth of how hard it is to build a ukulele should be busted... at least not if you are a talented woodworker. I couldn’t make one, but I have gone by to see Fred Shields a few times, and although his designs are not complex, his woodworking is excellent. Tight joints, smooth transitions, no sharp edges, nice necks, and great intonation. You won’t get the bling, but he seems to knock them out without too much stress.
And if you think about it, being a luthier is a great job. A person may not get wealthy, but they don’t have to worry about living close to work... work lives close to them. If you have a significant waiting list, you already have your year set and can fill in with spec or even non-instrument work as needed. No 8 to 5; you work when you want to. A great life if you can do it. Like a surfboard shaper. Go catch waves and make boards in between. The ultimate goal is building only spec, since commissioned instruments bring a level of unrealistic expectation.
And as others have said, if the market supports a price of 4000 pounds great. If it doesn’t it will sell for less. Is it worth it to me? Probably not, but maybe one day it will be. From an acoustic and playability perspective, all the embellishments don’t add anything. I play everyday, and if I find a plain looking but great ukulele for a lot less, I’ll jump on it.
John
And if you think about it, being a luthier is a great job. A person may not get wealthy, but they don’t have to worry about living close to work... work lives close to them. If you have a significant waiting list, you already have your year set and can fill in with spec or even non-instrument work as needed. No 8 to 5; you work when you want to. A great life if you can do it. Like a surfboard shaper. Go catch waves and make boards in between. The ultimate goal is building only spec, since commissioned instruments bring a level of unrealistic expectation.
And as others have said, if the market supports a price of 4000 pounds great. If it doesn’t it will sell for less. Is it worth it to me? Probably not, but maybe one day it will be. From an acoustic and playability perspective, all the embellishments don’t add anything. I play everyday, and if I find a plain looking but great ukulele for a lot less, I’ll jump on it.
John
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