- Piccolo
- Soprano
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SOPRANO
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What is known as the soprano ukulele nowadays is often called the “standard” ukulele in Hawaii. This small, short scale instrument was the original ukulele. It is tuned GCEA or a tone higher at ADF#B. The model I use is copied from a Kumalae ukulele from the 1920s, which in turn seems to be a close replica of the original ukuleles made popular by Manuel Nunes who was one of the first ukulele makers in Hawaii. Nunes, a cabinet maker and younger brother of Madeira’s most famous luthier, Octaviano Nunes, is said to have adapted the small Portugese instruments, machete or braguinha and the rajao to make the first ukuleles. Utilising very similar body dimensions and scale length, my soprano ukulele is a little different to the old original instruments. Like them, it is very lightly built but has some differences which enhance its sound, intonation and longevity..... An ebony fingerboard A compensated bridge for correct intonation “Peghed” geared tuners for ease and accuracy of tuning. A cylindrical arch in the top which allows for a finer graduation of the top thickness, making the instrument more responsive and helps prevent cracks due to humidity variation. A unique arch in the back, formed before the back is joined and reinforced by a single lightweight arched laminated brace running along the seam. This gives the back the ability to both support lower frequencies and also enhances projection of sound in all directions. As there is no transverse brace in the back it can handle shrinking and expanding across the grain with humidity fluctuations. This feature is my own design and is currently unique to my soprano ukuleles only. It produces a very rich, rounded tone for such a small instrument and a wonderful rhythmic “pulse”.
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- Concert
- Tenors
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TENORS
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The tenor ukulele started to appear in the late 1920’s. By this time ukuleles were being made by the thousand in both Hawaiian and mainland USA factories. Perhaps the “bigger is better “ notion was part of this and perhaps also the increased sustain and low end response of the concert uke was catching on and players wanted to take it a step further. At any rate, with its 17” (432mm) scale and larger body, here was a ukulele which could support a low G string in the GCEA tuning. This may have made more logical sense to guitarists as well. As the factory era was well and truly established in the mid twenties, most concert and tenor ukuleles show the typical characteristics of factory assembly. They are much too heavily built. What I have done with my instruments is take them back in the direction of the original Portugese / Hawaiian instruments. They are lightly built but strong in the right places and sensitive in the right places. They have sophisticated but simple soundboard bracing, which is tap tuned and optimised for each individual instrument. The original configuration of the tenor ukulele, like the concert and soprano, was with the 12th fret at the body join. This put the bridge nicely in the middle of the lower bout, an arrangement which suits gut or nylon string guitar family instruments best. For this reason, my standard “traditional” tenor ukuleles are configured this way. The sound is strong and balanced. (Picture at left). As steel string guitars evolved in the 1930s to 14 fret necks for easier high note access, the ukulele followed that trend shortly after. This did little for the sound, but became the standard configuration. Ukulele virtuoso soloists tend to use these 14 fret tenors, often with cutaways, as their instrument of choice. My Solo Tenor model (picture at right) is the result of a considered re-design of the body to allow for a 14 fret neck with the bridge kept nearer the centre of the lower soundboard than it would be if the neck were simply shifted two frets out. It also has a bridge design and bracing pattern which enhances the response higher on the A string, a feature appreciated by solo players. Generally speaking the sound is more treble / midrange focussed than my standard tenor. Like all my ukuleles it is lightly built. There are more design considerations on the Options and Design pages.
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- Baritone
- Acacia Bass
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