sunnuntai 31. toukokuuta 2015

Two finished instruments

This spring I have been working with two very different ukulele based instruments: A concert Ukulele with redwood top and flamed maple back/sides and a U-bass with sapele/maple/walnut body with koa top and maple neck. Both are now finished with eye and ear pleasing results! Thanks Olavi and Miika! Next up: Summer vacation!

Necks got Tru Oil finish. Bodies french polish

Short of one string that I broke
accidentally before tuning. 

The U-bass truly is tiny! Yet it plays in the actual bass register.
Polyurethane string magic!

The player with his bass, this time with
Aquila Thunder Red strings.

The bass is equipped with L.R.Baggs under saddle pickup
and active electronics

The tiny headstock barely fits the tuning machines.

Bridge and fingerboard are ebony. The cocobolo binding
kind of complements the color scheme. Well picked, Olavi!

BGM Electronics Elevation system
with 2 discs installed inside

Lisää kuvateksti
Grover Sta Tite 14:1 uke tuners

Flashy flames!


tiistai 5. toukokuuta 2015

Uke progress

It's been a very busy spring time at the Luther front, and too quiet here at the luthiery front. Anyways, some progress has taken place with Olavi's uke project. Just some gap filling and tedious sanding and we're good to start the finishing sessions. In the two last pics you see the reason for slow progress. One must study New Testament Greek to be a good Kenosis-luthier!

Headplate is flaming orange Cocobolo

Here is a Norwegian gem stone that will be seated in visa birch/cocobolo.

13 frets clear to the body

Coco binding creates a strong contrast on redwood/mapple


Masking tape to prevent cocobolo bleed into maple. The binding is coated first with several coats of shellac. This should keep the colors clean.


My son started a little solid body U-bass project at school and home with me. 21 inch scale and THICK polyurethane strings. Neck is flamed maple, body is laminated of sapele, walnut and maple and will receive a figured redwood top once it arrives. Nice project!