tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8021063486485439582024-03-13T21:25:05.017-07:00Salt City Found-Object Instrument Workszekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-89611619581438304542022-09-12T11:39:00.004-07:002022-11-29T05:28:52.961-08:00Curly Cherry Tenor Ukuleles (IW#140-141)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6UpsoLgxkLOXzS60e4AhDYupbzquaHr7JthpSTP4eqLBmnys8LZMoGbYQibiL6wJ71fp8HxKDoKA91JxQqunWADpKW02JbqidovrOqRQNIm28Tnr7Zx6HcQGr_vxpA2phs_ve76cCmReM7ReVn0gMOId1ZIjHZ3eW9biKkFZSt_BXbKK4naS2CO96w/s3195/2021%20140%20Front%2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3195" data-original-width="1652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6UpsoLgxkLOXzS60e4AhDYupbzquaHr7JthpSTP4eqLBmnys8LZMoGbYQibiL6wJ71fp8HxKDoKA91JxQqunWADpKW02JbqidovrOqRQNIm28Tnr7Zx6HcQGr_vxpA2phs_ve76cCmReM7ReVn0gMOId1ZIjHZ3eW9biKkFZSt_BXbKK4naS2CO96w/s320/2021%20140%20Front%2002.jpg" width="165" /></a></div><br /></div> A friend gifted me a chunk of the most stunning curly cherry that I have ever seen. It was in log form, so I milled it up and had just enough material to make two Tenor Ukes. I did not have quite enough to make them both in the standard shape, so mid-stream I had to decide to make a "Pineapple" style body. It made for an interesting side-by-side comparison.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>The lumber is truly lovely. Hard to work with, because of the curl. Hand planes did not like it so it was a lot of scraper work. But I was really happy with how they turned out. So gorgeous.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyG15oUJmSHTUdFRN0EAvNSpJfcgPYqJU_9KI0sz8poOi-O48ZVOzsjeRSdM5JOBKnoo1CI_hArsVS_rWW9URwFPpbPqjwMdb5KBQOzgLSk0Vf83u8AMekrc_JDm_DYBnObEGbdNdUCsEvZycCMxclL021TMxbB6HWcsCu6uXeE0YR7sFN_QhNRU8IA/s3377/2021%20140%20Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3377" data-original-width="1522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyG15oUJmSHTUdFRN0EAvNSpJfcgPYqJU_9KI0sz8poOi-O48ZVOzsjeRSdM5JOBKnoo1CI_hArsVS_rWW9URwFPpbPqjwMdb5KBQOzgLSk0Vf83u8AMekrc_JDm_DYBnObEGbdNdUCsEvZycCMxclL021TMxbB6HWcsCu6uXeE0YR7sFN_QhNRU8IA/s320/2021%20140%20Back.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjBMhoAxi9biG6TfmLbfAkXauzxkDe4r6I6boSgQoE7UA6LRIiqAt_vAm3tJzSX6cD0JKRTiejxfLKpfMkZRORdoAyVaooe_6N4eLRebzs8e78AqPzz5H4z6BoOmRhe7xRdRXseN5PKSlq5jcvv1R9yCMLrqhCPCIW0JMZh4t8wYNC37t19-KCqpEfw/s2368/2021%20141%20Front%2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2368" data-original-width="1328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjBMhoAxi9biG6TfmLbfAkXauzxkDe4r6I6boSgQoE7UA6LRIiqAt_vAm3tJzSX6cD0JKRTiejxfLKpfMkZRORdoAyVaooe_6N4eLRebzs8e78AqPzz5H4z6BoOmRhe7xRdRXseN5PKSlq5jcvv1R9yCMLrqhCPCIW0JMZh4t8wYNC37t19-KCqpEfw/s320/2021%20141%20Front%2002.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDdS1bIP9I9Ddy1zezduKB4dNWWkZnJmNQP1u1Sju21GR5HnYonNPDj1Y_nq_VAPVGQVmTA7z7uinoR7ZOi3aIlb6lr4G7P8oBRJFDMYEKYkm6BfdA8FcTbwX8B_V06sliOxNT1xS3ylpZTvWS5s1E5FITzAHktecDhqNxYBDCejkEo3z0yL56sF0Gg/s2995/2021%20141%20Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2995" data-original-width="1630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDdS1bIP9I9Ddy1zezduKB4dNWWkZnJmNQP1u1Sju21GR5HnYonNPDj1Y_nq_VAPVGQVmTA7z7uinoR7ZOi3aIlb6lr4G7P8oBRJFDMYEKYkm6BfdA8FcTbwX8B_V06sliOxNT1xS3ylpZTvWS5s1E5FITzAHktecDhqNxYBDCejkEo3z0yL56sF0Gg/s320/2021%20141%20Back.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><br />Here is how they sound:<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZrseM1ml6S4" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZrseM1ml6S4"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /><br /></p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-22195758652800328932022-09-12T11:17:00.004-07:002022-11-29T05:28:10.735-08:00"Venetian" Style Tenor (IW#139)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jCYZHt6SS0d_u4iuPMtcjcChO4QLui9IieBVGgZ-NnjWiOVLbEzqEu9kgr4uXmM8R5QZqvvoHLDTpcB6iXDaLi5lQMIQKAU6sUEP-Xv390zWkwLsPiML3PMiJbMR3RTTqK4DtgMqr3fJjZgZGCX3VRqivlAIRpSDgLiv8rgReu2yIrkQjU-DggQmJA/s3404/2021%20139%20Poplar%20Tenor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3404" data-original-width="1769" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jCYZHt6SS0d_u4iuPMtcjcChO4QLui9IieBVGgZ-NnjWiOVLbEzqEu9kgr4uXmM8R5QZqvvoHLDTpcB6iXDaLi5lQMIQKAU6sUEP-Xv390zWkwLsPiML3PMiJbMR3RTTqK4DtgMqr3fJjZgZGCX3VRqivlAIRpSDgLiv8rgReu2yIrkQjU-DggQmJA/s320/2021%20139%20Poplar%20Tenor.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>Someone saw the <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2020/11/venetian-exploration-iw126.html" target="_blank">Venetian style tenor</a> that I made a year or so ago and asked if I would make one for them. I adjusted the lines and curves a bit and got something much more pleasing in shape I think. It's really a nice little unit, I have to say.<p></p><p>The tail piece is a pie server and the bridge is a piano key. The top is spruce (which sounds WAY better than poplar), and the back and sides are poplar. I think I have the shape figured out now. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcL32WjePq24Zb2Rf6ANGycaRGaZea3c_5XXo98l4Tlu0TM9reTE_SErRXmG2d_b1OXKWbvtj-URWPFKB2ug4ddnOHjco5Jc0Wg9MS9nEUlSnRmmMt5lrFbmP-MIqwl2z_cghMAC5Vl92cncfzWGzZU0vbVX4cFax6pgg5EPMuvFzKw-OXUfQvGvQ4A/s3024/2021%20139Poplar%20Tenor%20Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2402" data-original-width="3024" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcL32WjePq24Zb2Rf6ANGycaRGaZea3c_5XXo98l4Tlu0TM9reTE_SErRXmG2d_b1OXKWbvtj-URWPFKB2ug4ddnOHjco5Jc0Wg9MS9nEUlSnRmmMt5lrFbmP-MIqwl2z_cghMAC5Vl92cncfzWGzZU0vbVX4cFax6pgg5EPMuvFzKw-OXUfQvGvQ4A/s320/2021%20139Poplar%20Tenor%20Detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is how it sounds:<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4rF1F-_Hno" width="320" youtube-src-id="E4rF1F-_Hno"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-46333109198103297222022-09-12T11:01:00.006-07:002022-09-12T11:04:31.316-07:00Scrap Pile Ukuleles (IW#134 - #138)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap-h-inLADVVxW_6XVz-C_gFSMkPCax1ocj1WT61vEJMIgrFsN_0qBBRKV-EUF5qW82VLlnRY9whAPnmHOdp4zu9yUDsnwm309sUvddGrj-b80hCC8irSfXXJHuCOdPJOcT8kQsy3Qeul0AGGuf30JUcjerBq8QfqEWPE3P5PVRXcVC6v_wt4yYW8gA/s3803/2021%20134-138%20Scrap%20Pile%20Ukes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3803" data-original-width="2936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap-h-inLADVVxW_6XVz-C_gFSMkPCax1ocj1WT61vEJMIgrFsN_0qBBRKV-EUF5qW82VLlnRY9whAPnmHOdp4zu9yUDsnwm309sUvddGrj-b80hCC8irSfXXJHuCOdPJOcT8kQsy3Qeul0AGGuf30JUcjerBq8QfqEWPE3P5PVRXcVC6v_wt4yYW8gA/s320/2021%20134-138%20Scrap%20Pile%20Ukes.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />Some more scrap pile ukes here a couple cherry ones from cabinet doors, a poplar one from piano wood, and two chestnut baritones from piano wood. I do love making a run of little ukes.<p></p><p>Not a lot to report. As I make more and more ukes they are just a satisfying project, and it is fun to get them out into people's hands. These were all finished in March and April of 2021. Clearly I have been remiss in getting stuff posted here.</p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-36606905721307924352022-09-12T10:58:00.000-07:002022-09-12T10:58:04.893-07:00Chestnut Parlor Tenor (IW#130)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LeojWtiL_qY5z9Nn8BQa8Z5DIdkFA4J954BdGsZXKXZP2n02PK6QmRB0hJcHa1YajMJ0UNAMnyYQybrHlnrAY0UMSdIJgrBsdPTWA7xT2JuEVNQAeefNWQhKlNeLBmYGVEYrQGgDbVEwAhHZOyAuNUvu0JiIiZ41VZkvP2_wcz_SyP0WuVXaBXwQ_Q/s3904/2021%20130%20Chestnut%20Tenor%20Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3904" data-original-width="2145" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LeojWtiL_qY5z9Nn8BQa8Z5DIdkFA4J954BdGsZXKXZP2n02PK6QmRB0hJcHa1YajMJ0UNAMnyYQybrHlnrAY0UMSdIJgrBsdPTWA7xT2JuEVNQAeefNWQhKlNeLBmYGVEYrQGgDbVEwAhHZOyAuNUvu0JiIiZ41VZkvP2_wcz_SyP0WuVXaBXwQ_Q/s320/2021%20130%20Chestnut%20Tenor%20Front.JPG" width="176" /></a></div> This was a little commissioned instrument. It's not unlike a lot of the tenors I have made, but I do love the sound of chestnut as tone wood. So warm and full. It's all piano wood, of course.<p></p><p> It's a nice little unit. Pretty book matching on the back, too, and a maple stiffener in the neck The veneer on the head stock is salvaged from a piano, and the white stripe is the ivory from a piano key. Not a lot else to say about this one.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP9Q0JhIGTunNV6nGdPmDeVCH5SS33C_pabJL4KYHiYih_zfqBdbdfyhQCpAa-oMLugcduJ11WD3AuDLHgRo09LeHEgLB_z-U-0aCxLtx3V4m6U_sxw3LTPbIBZ3jhfVBTVEkE0QeQKmWkkqInePDGxefllDjiuDpWm0TFTMw9POgCwr7Q6-OC89n9Q/s4032/2021%20130%20Chestnut%20Tenor%20Back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2056" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP9Q0JhIGTunNV6nGdPmDeVCH5SS33C_pabJL4KYHiYih_zfqBdbdfyhQCpAa-oMLugcduJ11WD3AuDLHgRo09LeHEgLB_z-U-0aCxLtx3V4m6U_sxw3LTPbIBZ3jhfVBTVEkE0QeQKmWkkqInePDGxefllDjiuDpWm0TFTMw9POgCwr7Q6-OC89n9Q/s320/2021%20130%20Chestnut%20Tenor%20Back.JPG" width="163" /></a></div><br /><p></p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-6295126236771220492022-09-12T10:50:00.005-07:002022-09-12T10:50:33.921-07:00Tenor Resonator (IW# 129)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_zyhsR6QqqQ62FybiBjJijodL4SCuTjWXqAvA3mWvFC-8Nby9LZiaPRI35wia5erKONP9Kgrt6AjYXW0RBQo1j6KszgMtammNO-oY2y2S3HPeNtz7Ue9BJ4vMDlTocl9xIbG9Ipj88AK/s2514/2020+126+Reso+tenor+Front+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="1182" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_zyhsR6QqqQ62FybiBjJijodL4SCuTjWXqAvA3mWvFC-8Nby9LZiaPRI35wia5erKONP9Kgrt6AjYXW0RBQo1j6KszgMtammNO-oY2y2S3HPeNtz7Ue9BJ4vMDlTocl9xIbG9Ipj88AK/s320/2020+126+Reso+tenor+Front+copy.jpg" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXTpMSrAJApzfObVgbPUSPprqhlio6rws-g8dbXdPnZqPxOscDo4DV-_0tp6bg0SsMmshPG1xGy-LwTFNbWFDxELy4ZGJkaZcYex5QvYIej-bIIY_LpH2GUNpNXqUwyrcprcbaN9r1Ctp/s2048/2020+126+Reso+Tenor+Back.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1187" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXTpMSrAJApzfObVgbPUSPprqhlio6rws-g8dbXdPnZqPxOscDo4DV-_0tp6bg0SsMmshPG1xGy-LwTFNbWFDxELy4ZGJkaZcYex5QvYIej-bIIY_LpH2GUNpNXqUwyrcprcbaN9r1Ctp/s320/2020+126+Reso+Tenor+Back.JPG" /></a></div></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I have wanted a resonator tenor for a while now, and tried building one a while ago which I showed <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2019/07/resonator-tenor-guitar-iw112.html" target="_blank">here.</a> I ended up not liking it because it is too heavy, and I had to use a resonator cone that is made for a 6 string guitar, so it is bigger than I wanted it to be. So I don't end up using it much.</p><p>Well, <a href="https://www.cbgitty.com/guitar-instrument-parts/resonator-parts/the-hubcap-spun-cigar-box-guitar-resonator-cones-choose-from-3-sizes/" target="_blank">C. B. Gitty</a> has someone in New Hampshire that spins resonator cones out of paint can lids, which are much smaller. So I ordered up one and set about building another resonator. The new one is not as responsive as a spun aluminum cone of course, but it still sounds pretty good. I put a little piezo pickup on it and it sounds really good played through this amp that I got at <a href="https://www.gorhambrothersmusic.com/" target="_blank">Gorham Brothers Music</a> here in Syracuse. It is made out of an old reel-to reel player and has a great tone.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PRaho6dtfAVX4Ng9kTnYvKUdv_l8LcUT8Z5Bc7BFYLLET4u-vLVyb2Jxl5odhN9yhOxu-usQPh6HwHv7kgIO97C18WRFnE2zPSeGdAmniKbgE532h31L0lel8e9h8j9j_l3hY9iIOzBr/s2048/2020+126+Reso+Tenor+Front+Detail.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PRaho6dtfAVX4Ng9kTnYvKUdv_l8LcUT8Z5Bc7BFYLLET4u-vLVyb2Jxl5odhN9yhOxu-usQPh6HwHv7kgIO97C18WRFnE2zPSeGdAmniKbgE532h31L0lel8e9h8j9j_l3hY9iIOzBr/s320/2020+126+Reso+Tenor+Front+Detail.JPG" /></a></div>All of the wood for this guitar came out of pianos, of course. The resonator cover is cut out of a silver-plated serving tray, an homage to <a href="http://www.jaydanmoore.com/" target="_blank">Jayden Moore</a>, a metalsmith whose work I really love. The tail piece is a handle from an old fork. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-21593539468677164462021-07-12T10:14:00.005-07:002021-07-12T10:14:54.148-07:00Long Leaf Pine Tenor Guitar (IW#128)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2aI5nIn3gOG02ayn2cAkLlwnsfWnmIeeaBteDzKXhda1qbRVo7GzeDJe9Iaz2yMzFIqPsCJdnCYTyBIdWwFwIdKjcoRw9jwOI5JsnE_UTp2EoI0i-ln_wL3lYVw4FR0XsuAkvBp7uJis/s2048/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2aI5nIn3gOG02ayn2cAkLlwnsfWnmIeeaBteDzKXhda1qbRVo7GzeDJe9Iaz2yMzFIqPsCJdnCYTyBIdWwFwIdKjcoRw9jwOI5JsnE_UTp2EoI0i-ln_wL3lYVw4FR0XsuAkvBp7uJis/s320/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor.JPG" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I had this really nice, straight-grained piece of Long Leaf Pine sitting around, and I have been wondering what an instrument made out of that would sound like. So here it is. Spruce top, of course, from a piano sound board, but the rest came from an old beam that was removed during some construction here a few years ago in a century-old building.</p><p><br /></p><p>I bound the headstock, which I think makes it look a little more finished, and just for fun I offset the fret markers, which just makes it a little more quirky. The binding is tortoiseshell, which looks good with the long leaf pine, so I got some tortoiseshell dots to match. The fingerboard is dogwood from my folks land in North Carolina.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPyOPV_S58bP7tVCAg9oRZcl0MA4IjLYY43r8VdCnCy7wD2SbGekbP8rAf-bMnTRGGPBKIubKMcyUXR4B7agbfvYtluTum_rkoA9j8eiLvQcbdOtmhAQjiDw_xy0adWrv9d1327O4HrL6/s2048/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor+Head+Detail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPyOPV_S58bP7tVCAg9oRZcl0MA4IjLYY43r8VdCnCy7wD2SbGekbP8rAf-bMnTRGGPBKIubKMcyUXR4B7agbfvYtluTum_rkoA9j8eiLvQcbdOtmhAQjiDw_xy0adWrv9d1327O4HrL6/s320/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor+Head+Detail.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7Yp2myHdaOGN67-rcFW8ZMjyQ_ixgfkmes7DuYzjZ2dVtPVBS1X9G5PMGJ58S_MiQXhleQ5240Fedq-y0pFaBlAf5UP7vU04O8Ng9OiGj53OeUz2eo22SAic1XcVovlyzvZ0xg_wcMKu/s2048/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor+Fret+Markers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1439" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7Yp2myHdaOGN67-rcFW8ZMjyQ_ixgfkmes7DuYzjZ2dVtPVBS1X9G5PMGJ58S_MiQXhleQ5240Fedq-y0pFaBlAf5UP7vU04O8Ng9OiGj53OeUz2eo22SAic1XcVovlyzvZ0xg_wcMKu/s320/2020+128+LL+Pine+Tenor+Fret+Markers.JPG" /></a></p><p>It is pretty loud for such a little guitar, with a very present high end. Here is a little recording:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oFWCYe5_5PY" width="320" youtube-src-id="oFWCYe5_5PY"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-82647895080894101182020-12-14T19:13:00.010-08:002021-07-12T09:05:23.895-07:00Flamed Maple Tenor Guitar (IW#127)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUEEdrwPpx59ZBPkpHvSy83F973rkcIrJTIFlrsB23XWH-821uXelGLTLrwH8CMXZu6DNiqgBdyOUXxmaCDnhsW3X5sYs0JlAd0m6kl1XSP7tVvjTmVNh9BlWMSTNQMt3CPOu6cybECg_/s2048/2020+124+Flamed+Maple+Skull+Tenor.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUEEdrwPpx59ZBPkpHvSy83F973rkcIrJTIFlrsB23XWH-821uXelGLTLrwH8CMXZu6DNiqgBdyOUXxmaCDnhsW3X5sYs0JlAd0m6kl1XSP7tVvjTmVNh9BlWMSTNQMt3CPOu6cybECg_/s320/2020+124+Flamed+Maple+Skull+Tenor.JPG" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Early in the summer a friend who is a very skilled furniture maker strolled by and said he was working on a table made out of some seriously flamed maple, and had some off cuts, and asked if I wanted them.
<div><br /></div><div>Of course I did.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Flame" is a figure that happens in a tree that runs perpendicular to the grain of the wood. It catches the light in ways that can be stunning, it is used on fiddles to make the backs and necks really shine, so it is often referred to as "fiddleback" maple. The four pieces he dropped off were just barely enough to make a (very) small bodied tenor. One of them had a knot hole in it, which in a piece of furniture is often completely useless. A knot can't be used where a joint is put in a piece of furniture, and is usually seen as a flaw.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8T-l8Xb9kILLn6NrDJbEnpfG9hHKqmDIH7ESbGOHszEKaQAd3AV75nA14bvRhp40VObq7OCdAeZzhExTY5MGUXr3BAiD6EZUgOT3F0-CPRUYy3BO5kQLiAGWFSMdC21ZzDAbLc8u5ZUp/s2048/2020+124+Maple+Front+Detail.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8T-l8Xb9kILLn6NrDJbEnpfG9hHKqmDIH7ESbGOHszEKaQAd3AV75nA14bvRhp40VObq7OCdAeZzhExTY5MGUXr3BAiD6EZUgOT3F0-CPRUYy3BO5kQLiAGWFSMdC21ZzDAbLc8u5ZUp/s320/2020+124+Maple+Front+Detail.JPG" /></a></div>Then again, on an instrument you need a hole to release the sound. So it made sense to resaw and bookmatch that piece for the top. The end result was a grain and figure pattern that was visually striking and that had a grain pattern that sort of looks like a skull, which is cool.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had a chunk of flamed maple from some other project that I can't remember for the neck, so that worked out well. The fingerboard is made of Richlite, the bridge is an ebony piano key, and the tailpiece is a butterknife.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sound is interestingly bright, because the whole thing is maple, but slightly damped, because the sound holes are not quite big enough to let the sound out the way it wants to come out.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVdV2I0dvUwTLP5r4N8R_80NJ8lB0iFFYKIR5JWVM6u_rTd_kJArnxa_mL5DS-TXQSPgIU3aEZ89ZoP9skFpmjASFmPTxO7Dvang2K6y8fExohdrpTrzv4FQXJgCHKKzF9ERQ2eYgpdwJ/s2048/2020+124+Back+02.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVdV2I0dvUwTLP5r4N8R_80NJ8lB0iFFYKIR5JWVM6u_rTd_kJArnxa_mL5DS-TXQSPgIU3aEZ89ZoP9skFpmjASFmPTxO7Dvang2K6y8fExohdrpTrzv4FQXJgCHKKzF9ERQ2eYgpdwJ/s320/2020+124+Back+02.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sure looks cool though. Here's how it sounds:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z91pEmVqrjs" width="320" youtube-src-id="z91pEmVqrjs"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-51537971914917474922020-11-09T09:44:00.003-08:002021-07-12T09:05:07.646-07:00Venetian Exploration (IW#126)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE7-X31NOcalmRIeUhBuSI0O631ZpZJQACDLUFJzqdGLFrz_csVCRUgRBMGLHz_WnfV1md49ZIJwL3uTNxLw7k5hpl8lWFS6i5kCLvjjttFVpO2pGPTsJQqzuOw0WTFHsI1F0CA0-b0Ra/s2048/2020+Venetian+Mk2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1075" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbE7-X31NOcalmRIeUhBuSI0O631ZpZJQACDLUFJzqdGLFrz_csVCRUgRBMGLHz_WnfV1md49ZIJwL3uTNxLw7k5hpl8lWFS6i5kCLvjjttFVpO2pGPTsJQqzuOw0WTFHsI1F0CA0-b0Ra/w197-h375/2020+Venetian+Mk2.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Some time ago I saw a link on the web site for <a href="https://bernunzio.com/product/kay-kraft-model-venetian-27066/">Bernunzio's Uptown Music</a> in Rochester. It was for a 1930's "Venetian" style tenor from Kay Kraft and it just made my heart stop, it's so good-looking. So I thought I would make one.<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHgesrS0Ras9ikiMrBBlaAr2Q_Ws6RPwWi1HRrTI3WEUYo7cvM80_EH2aK-xdzEyQmpZVRzWPSER44uBI1t-PQnPM9IA7Ou78YYT9NYw37UoYo4MABzlcrX6jdGYosLZkJ6RelVO6AJq5/s2048/2020+Venetian+Mk1.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1045" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHgesrS0Ras9ikiMrBBlaAr2Q_Ws6RPwWi1HRrTI3WEUYo7cvM80_EH2aK-xdzEyQmpZVRzWPSER44uBI1t-PQnPM9IA7Ou78YYT9NYw37UoYo4MABzlcrX6jdGYosLZkJ6RelVO6AJq5/s320/2020+Venetian+Mk1.jpg" /></a></div>This is a whole different body style, and required completely starting over, to a certain extent. The original is not an archtop, though it wants to look like one. Instead of actually carving an archtop, though, the makers just put a wicked curve in the braces and bent the top onto them. Still solid spruce, but not carved. This allowed for the floating bridge and tailpiece. So that's what I did.
Because I had never built a guitar like this before, the first one came out pretty bad. Here it is, all built out of poplar. I learned a lot on this one, not least that it is really hard to figure out what is "symmetrical" on this body shape. You can see that this body is kind of wonky, and that the lower bout is just too wide. This is also a pretty huge body, bigger in the bottom bout than a standard dreadnought. Back to the drawing board! <div><br /></div><div> For the second one (which is #126, and one that I have not taken back apart for parts) I made the bottom bout smaller, and tried to balance it more. I also tried to make an oval sound hole, something that I will not try again. It was really hard to figure out what the proportions of an ellipse would be that do the same thing that a circle does, and I do not think I did a particularly good job. It is also pretty hard to freehand a good ellipse. </div><div><br /></div><div> The other thing that I thought I would try is a sunburst finish. I have been wanting to try that, and this seemed like as good a time as any. It was, unsurprisingly, pretty hard to do well on the first try. It came out ok, but smaller than I would have wanted. I do want to try that again on another instrument, i like the way it looks. I just need to practice it more. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjqQR4lZGrpi8z2jlXqDUEV1a17HB9Y0ueFT1mHbVrCZZaA_u4q7eaL_4-3gE_dLgALRIltgmVtb_QJZcm3JpOHjZHEuDTObF_cQqGvxmiBTFc4XZT4nkAK4k6wDi-hK3m8gHlSUKjdcP/s2048/2020+Venetian+Mk2+Detail.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjqQR4lZGrpi8z2jlXqDUEV1a17HB9Y0ueFT1mHbVrCZZaA_u4q7eaL_4-3gE_dLgALRIltgmVtb_QJZcm3JpOHjZHEuDTObF_cQqGvxmiBTFc4XZT4nkAK4k6wDi-hK3m8gHlSUKjdcP/w275-h206/2020+Venetian+Mk2+Detail.jpg" width="275" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div> The fingerboard is persimmon, which is the only North American relative of ebony. I have several blanks that i got from a persimmon tree that we took down on my folks' land, so I am going to be using it for a while. I like the light color against the sunburst, it shows the scroll work at the end of the fingerboard off nicely. The bridge is an ebony piano key, of course, and the tailpiece is a pie server. The rest of the guitar is all piano wood, naturally (spruce top, poplar back and sides), and the truss rod cover is the ivory veneer off of an old piano key. The usual stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div> All in all a good set of experiments. I have a feeling that more of these are in my future. Here is what it sounds like:</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/muMQVQCDVI0" width="320" youtube-src-id="muMQVQCDVI0"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-50803169633446618902020-07-29T12:40:00.000-07:002020-07-29T12:40:33.360-07:00El Gato Primo (IW#122)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOPRPuVL6z8Kn-kIwmAzOs2QyPfOg7BpFcNR84tp5shSEQ6bwCabrBQd2gvzsnqSxNpskR-Q3_vFubn5AhHSQbafUjc45L9adnr3FDMhJWMI7r2dpDm5iQA1bC99md4uL7h35EMiLCn06/s2048/2020+122+El+Gato+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOPRPuVL6z8Kn-kIwmAzOs2QyPfOg7BpFcNR84tp5shSEQ6bwCabrBQd2gvzsnqSxNpskR-Q3_vFubn5AhHSQbafUjc45L9adnr3FDMhJWMI7r2dpDm5iQA1bC99md4uL7h35EMiLCn06/s320/2020+122+El+Gato+Front.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I hope you have a friend like my friend Old Viejo Bones, aka Lovercat aka Mister SeƱor Morejon Gonzales. He is a rock. One of the four best musicians I know, an amazing visual artist, a loving friend to my kids, an ardent activist for social justice, and just an all around splendid human. He can play anything you put in his hands, he's the kind of person that could play you a tune on a folding chair and you'd ask him to play four more. He introduced me to country blues, and served as my mentor and facilitator as I was learning to play music. He played banjo in the jug band that we were in back in the early 2000's in Brooklyn, NY, and continues to inspire me musically. Go check out the album he recorded with his musical partner Fatboy Slim <a href="https://fatboywilsonoldviejobones.bandcamp.com/album/fatboy-wilson-old-viejo-bones" target="_blank">here.</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkIh7z_YZQkYoBfv-ely2xCoqCDwsyVNGywXGXUQevYj4H75ij1MnN4Jatltsy320b49cMnKJ99qoEew_z69Z49ULbiRIMYJ0t_eNQ6qcIFR_9DQBO1ffo2rdO5WlRPYXgsIFSTlPA2jY/s2048/2020+122+El+Gato+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkIh7z_YZQkYoBfv-ely2xCoqCDwsyVNGywXGXUQevYj4H75ij1MnN4Jatltsy320b49cMnKJ99qoEew_z69Z49ULbiRIMYJ0t_eNQ6qcIFR_9DQBO1ffo2rdO5WlRPYXgsIFSTlPA2jY/s320/2020+122+El+Gato+Detail.jpg" /></a>So he sent me a drawing of this cat a while back, and I dug it so much that I had to make him a little instrument with it on it. I had not used the laser cutter to make instruments yet, but I knew I would never be able to freehand this amazing drawing, so I decided this was the time. I used the laser cutter to engrave the image on the piano soundboard spruce that I used for the top. It came out pretty well.</div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of the baritone uke is all piano wood, of course. Poplar, which I really like working with. It bends well and sounds pretty good, and there is a ton of it in old pianos, so I have been working with it a lot over the last few years. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a nice little uke. Sounds especially good when Old Viejo Bones himself plays it.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbRLlchoTo4" width="320" youtube-src-id="tbRLlchoTo4"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-53255983707506600212020-06-12T19:39:00.000-07:002020-06-12T19:39:18.388-07:00Cherry Baritone and Soprano Ukes (IW#'s 120, 121)<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_zVREakjU3iYJ3Nx-ZljnpvRnax1M5Dcl0WQnkIaAtNWGtb3VYNZCnO-ODkGGspKPXi3je0WnLZ2CLHfqVyGKtftr8JNQ4dj37WFLqD5QBABTgQItbwPOYkKItKBkXWGZ5tLBnizn7mO/s4032/IMG_1689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_zVREakjU3iYJ3Nx-ZljnpvRnax1M5Dcl0WQnkIaAtNWGtb3VYNZCnO-ODkGGspKPXi3je0WnLZ2CLHfqVyGKtftr8JNQ4dj37WFLqD5QBABTgQItbwPOYkKItKBkXWGZ5tLBnizn7mO/s320/IMG_1689.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A friend gifted me some solid cherry cabinet doors, so of course I had to make some ukes out of them. The sides bent pretty well, actually, and They came out pretty well. Not super punchy, but very playable and they sure are pretty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I especially dig the baritone uke, which (in homage to one of the judges on the British Baking Show) I call "Cherry Bari." You gotta get your kicks somewhere. It sounds pretty good, which is a good thing because I have three or four more of those cabinet doors!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq8LHDqmadQEPj2X1yuMSyyct34E2GlFg0is2XTDXMYR2mVwsLub9SgU1oliptdTAcRGSNBkR7Euf25nD5M-oMB0PVnX4Y0v0e9HMgNWZmFM-6MrITDajXP5Z2OfEbTmjq3M5msLAkQ-j/s4032/IMG_1696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq8LHDqmadQEPj2X1yuMSyyct34E2GlFg0is2XTDXMYR2mVwsLub9SgU1oliptdTAcRGSNBkR7Euf25nD5M-oMB0PVnX4Y0v0e9HMgNWZmFM-6MrITDajXP5Z2OfEbTmjq3M5msLAkQ-j/s320/IMG_1696.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div></div>zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-43318459143233157612019-12-25T14:14:00.002-08:002020-06-09T06:18:09.685-07:00More Scrap-Pile Ukes (IW#'s 116 - 119)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk1NRKgpiBuXAPEqPGicxLvkSeLYRbiapfNrQ-F39cWv4j_sAywQcM9u_o5JbqtDFqLzjMgxHT5Sn7dPkwwSic623fpd-pwa82dqKgGR6EjxEGHjwQRYq9rxP8HbXZ_6P062YyEQekGuw/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3119.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk1NRKgpiBuXAPEqPGicxLvkSeLYRbiapfNrQ-F39cWv4j_sAywQcM9u_o5JbqtDFqLzjMgxHT5Sn7dPkwwSic623fpd-pwa82dqKgGR6EjxEGHjwQRYq9rxP8HbXZ_6P062YyEQekGuw/s320/fullsizeoutput_3119.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
I have written a couple of times about my <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2019/06/scrap-pile-ukes-iws-106-111.html" target="_blank">scrap-pile ukulele project.</a> This has become a big part of my practice, including being a workshop that i have given now at <a href="http://arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts</a> and am giving again this coming summer at <a href="http://pocosinarts.org/" target="_blank">Pocosin Arts School of Fine Crafts</a>. Here are four more. I had to get some of these in the mail ('tis the season), so did not take the time to photograph them individually or make videos. There are a couple of interesting stories, though.<br />
<br />
First off, the instrument in the photo above that is in the front on the left is number 119. It is all chestnut from piano wood. Plays well, sounds pretty good. I dig working with chestnut because (a) it is super rare (I wrote about it <a href="https://shavingsanddust.blogspot.com/2008/10/chestnut.html" target="_blank">here,</a> in what I am now realizing was more than ten years ago. Holy cow. Also good reading <a href="https://www.acf.org/the-american-chestnut/" target="_blank">here.</a>) and (b) the chestnut bends pretty well for the tight little curves on a soprano uke.<br />
<br />
The other three are American black walnut. Their story is also pretty amazing. The 1938 John Alden-designed motor sailer <a href="https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/yacht-details.cfm?y=6085977" target="_blank">TRADE WIND</a> was brought in for restoration a few years ago, and a friend of mine was working at the boatyard that did the work. He salvaged a few of the walnut panels (you can see a shot of the salon where they were <a href="https://imt.boatwizard.com/images/1/59/77/6085977_20170129063539185_1_XLARGE.jpg" target="_blank">here. </a>Pretty nice work, don't you think?) and this summer when I was in Maine on another project was kind enough to give them to me. More on that project later. My friend is one of the owners of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/clarkandeisele/" target="_blank">Clark and Eisele Traditional Boatbuilding</a>, they do amazing work on wooden boats.<br />
<br />
This black walnut was gorgeous. Using two of the panels I was able to make three ukes, a tenor and two sopranos. They sound great, and they look fantastic. Some of the walnut had a flame to it, and it is just breathtaking.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKCMfMLfoS9xufnpA-GmwIRQ_M4GrGKwLoPweQHLGrZg26p-4WadK4XkN7DHgDnVlj-1wRviNnGDc2uEJtz6y7VcYTYY1f-J0LFyiK1aKWVay50AVeoKaPFJZTfSrCmbfWA_aDHjL0F8H/s1600/fullsizeoutput_311a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKCMfMLfoS9xufnpA-GmwIRQ_M4GrGKwLoPweQHLGrZg26p-4WadK4XkN7DHgDnVlj-1wRviNnGDc2uEJtz6y7VcYTYY1f-J0LFyiK1aKWVay50AVeoKaPFJZTfSrCmbfWA_aDHjL0F8H/s320/fullsizeoutput_311a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
This scrap-pile project is eye-opening in so many ways, not least that it continues to underscore what I keep telling my students: It isn't what you have, it's what you do with it. I have a couple of dozen instruments out in the world at this point, all of which came from otherwise unusable scrap lumber in my shop. Along the way, I have also used this particular sub-project to teach several people how to make instruments for themselves, and even to do simple woodworking where they never had before. Good stuff.<br />
<br />
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-31756783223547372122019-12-25T13:34:00.000-08:002019-12-25T13:34:45.101-08:00Poplar Concert Uke (IW#115)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkrO4bsRQ8utS3TLjqJvqc7P8blcHSCAxIzD2967yHGssSMbU6JhVjoy4EgOzBSthN7vHtj9BF7i4P93Cqox7_uQChqHfbWAEpzD3_XimT_ErGVrOrWgvq9NiIRP5826_fEffjkyzNT__/s1600/fullsizeoutput_311b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkrO4bsRQ8utS3TLjqJvqc7P8blcHSCAxIzD2967yHGssSMbU6JhVjoy4EgOzBSthN7vHtj9BF7i4P93Cqox7_uQChqHfbWAEpzD3_XimT_ErGVrOrWgvq9NiIRP5826_fEffjkyzNT__/s320/fullsizeoutput_311b.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGqE_yzBxpbPOCTzsT24AQiVgTZGFhg78XAJyz28nS-LgKNcE7hFqfU1J_LmKmZalgvhKbhiHreiAK7wC5mZZKcobt9AZsYV2QCgxbF2zEYnbXQQ765R3e3TdPzkvCLXEfQrhTZhmVHSX/s1600/fullsizeoutput_311c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGqE_yzBxpbPOCTzsT24AQiVgTZGFhg78XAJyz28nS-LgKNcE7hFqfU1J_LmKmZalgvhKbhiHreiAK7wC5mZZKcobt9AZsYV2QCgxbF2zEYnbXQQ765R3e3TdPzkvCLXEfQrhTZhmVHSX/s320/fullsizeoutput_311c.jpeg" width="240" /></a>I had been building soprano-sized ukes for a while, since they are so small I can get a lot of them out of scrap lumber. When an order came in for a uke I thought I would shake things up a little and decided to make a concert-sized uke. These are a little bigger, but still a uke, not a tenor uke.<br />
<br />
The result was this little poplar number. Plays well, sounds pretty good. more piano wood of course, thus all of the hardware holes. I dig the way the front is so crazy looking.<br />
<br />
I didn't get a video before I shipped this one, unfortunately. I got distracted and then it had to get to its new home.<br />
zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-33421114640273589922019-12-25T13:28:00.000-08:002019-12-25T13:28:20.853-08:00Walnut Tenor Uke (IW#114)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFCPDoYFwS4BnRctAgJa9_DcRfXqoo1tZHHxkzu4B_m0bV3dLCTt1OVYEEoCYRcdQllAeqp893PfwFN_cu7qEC1YHQywz-snfkKBrIzu54nXQCMfR_0e-oIxIX4MEiLSgaRoAEipC1n-p/s1600/fullsizeoutput_311d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFCPDoYFwS4BnRctAgJa9_DcRfXqoo1tZHHxkzu4B_m0bV3dLCTt1OVYEEoCYRcdQllAeqp893PfwFN_cu7qEC1YHQywz-snfkKBrIzu54nXQCMfR_0e-oIxIX4MEiLSgaRoAEipC1n-p/s320/fullsizeoutput_311d.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
A young friend of mine that is a songwriter wanted a uke to compose on. This one came from a pile of black walnut that a friend had gifted me many years ago, which I had never used. As usual, I found some smaller, off-cut bits that are too small to make furniture out of and used those.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS1O3w7Qw_PoYlX8KCa5wB9TJcIiv619jjPCTIx6aydu60-yDotXHslGcxA-lREnahNVxV7lUwBkHHVLoLZiEdw1dbUVd1MiKP1VKS8Oeq65jwKfjwdSKIVEgKmVnMwrutpicX0rLs-sn/s1600/fullsizeoutput_311e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="797" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS1O3w7Qw_PoYlX8KCa5wB9TJcIiv619jjPCTIx6aydu60-yDotXHslGcxA-lREnahNVxV7lUwBkHHVLoLZiEdw1dbUVd1MiKP1VKS8Oeq65jwKfjwdSKIVEgKmVnMwrutpicX0rLs-sn/s320/fullsizeoutput_311e.jpeg" width="159" /></a><br />
I especially love the sap wood/heart wood contrast in walnut, something that most of the time is avoided in furniture. The cool thing about building ukes is that we can celebrate what would otherwise be a defect. The back of this one looks particularly attractive, I think.<br />
<br />
Here is what it sounds like:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lYtKCSqu-pU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lYtKCSqu-pU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-20360732330313332412019-07-17T14:06:00.000-07:002019-07-17T20:04:38.057-07:00Arrowmont Ukulele (IW#113)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBpOQgyEi4gu6mncWocuy6noJvdiFrrtk9nl1Y6IzYVtQiELZZb4UU22n0rarKgL68IQ6_liFwJOZAWm_mXtpNaXrWJydtS6dZcK-PX35wvAotV8mAn2SgO9fWaa1THuMvqnE22lWCxcD/s1600/UzIVXjCLRtuiCr%2525j138TQw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBpOQgyEi4gu6mncWocuy6noJvdiFrrtk9nl1Y6IzYVtQiELZZb4UU22n0rarKgL68IQ6_liFwJOZAWm_mXtpNaXrWJydtS6dZcK-PX35wvAotV8mAn2SgO9fWaa1THuMvqnE22lWCxcD/s400/UzIVXjCLRtuiCr%2525j138TQw.jpg" width="211" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwZL0OAoApvxPd5GeMjqdPa3iBK7Gnh2-y_gIFsGLNRhY5QMXCBXHki-wWZU70otw1A673fj9oI2He2aDzkH3MtNDmZiC2jTYudtwKYpz1CbS4JVkm_BrPZMmC_HDRL1MZZZKVxnKjFqK/s1600/0WhwzUWHRJi3UVSj2rOpjQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="717" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwZL0OAoApvxPd5GeMjqdPa3iBK7Gnh2-y_gIFsGLNRhY5QMXCBXHki-wWZU70otw1A673fj9oI2He2aDzkH3MtNDmZiC2jTYudtwKYpz1CbS4JVkm_BrPZMmC_HDRL1MZZZKVxnKjFqK/s400/0WhwzUWHRJi3UVSj2rOpjQ.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So I love <a href="http://arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts</a>, which I have written about <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/07/piano-workshops-1-of-2-arrowmont.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2019/04/pentaculum-uke-iw-105.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and most recently <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2019/06/scrap-pile-ukes-iws-106-111.html" target="_blank">here</a>. This summer I was fortunate enough to be asked back to do a week-long ukulele building workshop. It was an intense week, starting with lumber from my scrap pile, much of which was from pianos of course. Some of that wood was poplar from the Wurlitzer piano that sat for many years in one of the common rooms on the Arrowmont campus.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wDwANYw2xBkhZdhdOUtO8O9CGKoRIYLdA4B41pOyAIqSkJxuOwSPw-THPbLnGIlv4YQtxHJCCH3hbrxyAvXQmYyysFJ6o1eM2YqMcUzMS2OAop81BdkyC16MeQGwvMkLuAnVnNZa2bSv/s1600/Arrowmont-2019-Ukulele+Class-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wDwANYw2xBkhZdhdOUtO8O9CGKoRIYLdA4B41pOyAIqSkJxuOwSPw-THPbLnGIlv4YQtxHJCCH3hbrxyAvXQmYyysFJ6o1eM2YqMcUzMS2OAop81BdkyC16MeQGwvMkLuAnVnNZa2bSv/s320/Arrowmont-2019-Ukulele+Class-37.jpg" width="320" /></a>As we worked through the week, I used some of that wood to make the demonstration instrument, showing the students how to bench build a uke, step by step, from scratch. They did a fantastic job, and it was so cool (as always) to see people (some of whom had never worked in a wood shop at all) to come out with real, playable instruments. Here is a photo of them. What a great time.<br />
<br />
The demo instrument came out pretty well, and has a great tie to the campus, so I sent it down to them to be put in their annual "Meet the Artists" auction, which is used to raise money for the school, much of which I think goes to scholarships. (Shameless plug: If you want to donate to their annual fund, which helps give scholarships to students to come learn all kind of things, go <a href="https://www.arrowmont.org/support/" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoteMNg-0w4cL79p6zy-ezwbBMZkCQr7YEYnbeChUkkCVNTybgsuTRSLlPUHPwsXBnAvZVk6xHf6z00wdzROPM-Xg5IeyvfqRMUApj_zt3fXXjBxCkF3ZfaPz8Y8C3QnKoQ3lLuTDd-yQb/s1600/7OG7wscfR52rFQKdRkzhxA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoteMNg-0w4cL79p6zy-ezwbBMZkCQr7YEYnbeChUkkCVNTybgsuTRSLlPUHPwsXBnAvZVk6xHf6z00wdzROPM-Xg5IeyvfqRMUApj_zt3fXXjBxCkF3ZfaPz8Y8C3QnKoQ3lLuTDd-yQb/s400/7OG7wscfR52rFQKdRkzhxA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little chairs made out of the black keys of the piano.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckHLBIqUDg1Q4x8vjMOtWBSMG4gNRTW-YME0XsLJl3o9t2UCgNipORQRkV-5i4SDwV6hd_40eJ_KMlM_cn7ezHXORGpDaWLtx_ghsFN8Dqr_I9xTcM_WfY4qvMxm94j9tCpCi3z3bRfTj/s1600/IMG_0479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckHLBIqUDg1Q4x8vjMOtWBSMG4gNRTW-YME0XsLJl3o9t2UCgNipORQRkV-5i4SDwV6hd_40eJ_KMlM_cn7ezHXORGpDaWLtx_ghsFN8Dqr_I9xTcM_WfY4qvMxm94j9tCpCi3z3bRfTj/s320/IMG_0479.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pile of scrap wood that became about 14 ukes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So here is a great little player, and I did the same thing with that one that I did with the Pentaculum uke, and took two of the black keys and made two little chairs that I glued inside the body. I like the idea of these little secrets in there, and I had such great conversations with <a href="https://www.suzibanksbaum.com/" target="_blank">Suzi Banks Baum</a> about the implications of furniture and spatial arrangement. Here is how it sounds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LdzFgOWzbX0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LdzFgOWzbX0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-60319319083663622122019-07-01T20:35:00.001-07:002019-07-01T20:37:22.802-07:00Resonator Tenor Guitar (IW#112)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUblTom5Azj74EUS-odO3EDjCB-nySy9J7-CpI0XeQUmL8DIki5wqyhGwyiH_yGeufP2iYHhoHMqmf9nsMzPF8JZs9mQwktHK28X0vf7EllZgqtnNmsTSMnnwk0MsfM-mLXXYM4-Xq0_u/s1600/112+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUblTom5Azj74EUS-odO3EDjCB-nySy9J7-CpI0XeQUmL8DIki5wqyhGwyiH_yGeufP2iYHhoHMqmf9nsMzPF8JZs9mQwktHK28X0vf7EllZgqtnNmsTSMnnwk0MsfM-mLXXYM4-Xq0_u/s400/112+Front.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
A while back I found this beautiful 1950's (I think) Slingerland tenor guitar on eBay. The price was good, the post said it was playable, and the fretboard was pearloid, which just made me drool. How could I NOT want to own it?!?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW_-mPnwZX9FynfflgYsTlQcoTWXxBqO00yBOzyg_i-58z6NQQpE3vBJTeyWWjLTWzzgevTANa27dt-xeDUMIreJ4MecHRoxv4CHxVn4r4Ox1P67Yp3VtgS2-k7v-g2WxcUw3D1I0P4Ai/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-07-01+at+11.21.47+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1004" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW_-mPnwZX9FynfflgYsTlQcoTWXxBqO00yBOzyg_i-58z6NQQpE3vBJTeyWWjLTWzzgevTANa27dt-xeDUMIreJ4MecHRoxv4CHxVn4r4Ox1P67Yp3VtgS2-k7v-g2WxcUw3D1I0P4Ai/s200/Screen+Shot+2019-07-01+at+11.21.47+PM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slingerland Tenor on eBay.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A wiser head in my life pointed out that there was no goddamn good reason for me to buy any instrument, and that I should just make one.<br />
<br />
Damnit.<br />
<br />
So I did. In the process I also remembered being at this place in Portland Maine where a fella had a metal-bodied resonator tenor guitar, which I very much enjoyed playing, so I decided to make it a resonator as well.<br />
<br />
I ended up buying a LOT of parts for this one, what with the resonator set-up and the pearloid. I struggled mightily with the pearloid, which I had not ever worked with before. I got this particular stuff from <a href="https://www.sweetwater.com/" target="_blank">Sweetwater Sound,</a> an outfit in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was a real struggle to find a piece of pearloid material long enough for the fretboard, and they were kind enough to sell me a big old sheet of it.<br />
<br />
Of course, then I had to face the fact that I had no idea how to glue it to anything. You could put everything I know about plastic in a shot glass and not spill any whiskey at all.<br />
<br />
So a great deal of research and trial and error later, and I ended up using contact adhesive (pro tip). Then I embarked on a whole different set of explorations about resonators, how to install them, how to set them up, how to make them play. There are a LOT of stumbles in this instrument, but it was a great learning experience. I know a lot more about plastic (I hate it. Don't use it), more about resonators (at least I have learned enough to know I need to learn a lot more about them), and as always I learned a little more patience.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rU8-ltrAKtw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rU8-ltrAKtw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Sounds good though.zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-78432034838256438682019-06-11T09:05:00.000-07:002019-06-11T09:05:15.771-07:00Scrap-Pile Ukes (IW#'s 106 - 111)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIuVB5SJSWdCdFpz2OW9fLFy0vcq4EZdNqHCYyiIOsvbTkfOfBOhrhNIQGf20IBH0mkZrFfHTnpa8A_J5ASgUFjjr0jfR73xJMz4bePomm4JlMF3IpqWrjhEJIg4zxODBaUzFBfR6I7Kn/s1600/2019+Family+Pile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIuVB5SJSWdCdFpz2OW9fLFy0vcq4EZdNqHCYyiIOsvbTkfOfBOhrhNIQGf20IBH0mkZrFfHTnpa8A_J5ASgUFjjr0jfR73xJMz4bePomm4JlMF3IpqWrjhEJIg4zxODBaUzFBfR6I7Kn/s400/2019+Family+Pile.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I just got back from teaching a workshop at <a href="http://www.arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts</a> for a week. We were scratch-building ukuleles from my scrap pile (more on that in another post). In preparation for this uke-stravagansa I made several before I went. In part so that the participants could see what their finished product might look and sound like, and in part so that I could refine my process into something that i could teach in a week. So I ended up with a bunch of instruments, which was great. <br />
<br />
All of these have been made since January 01 2019, and they all came out of the scrap pile, so they are made out of all different kinds of woods. I'll call them out individually below. I sold a bunch before I could make videos of each of them, but they all sound pretty good.<br />
<br />
It has been an interesting trip making so many of them. There is not a lot of wood in each one, so the scrap pile is a good place to look for lumber for these. I am interested in doing another production run soon, now that i have a real system laid out. It's a good way to clear out some of the off-cuts and small bits and bobs that are left over from previous projects, and in fact one of the side effects of doing this was that I was able to remember and revisit old projects and remember people and places that I had not thought of in a while. Sort of like looking through an old photo album, back when we kept photo albums. <br />
<br />
Ok. Here is a breakdown of all of the instruments above.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AVUgrU9nUsCZdwM_SLuU9mrLG9KplvWt1uDhOpIalEr4fhUv4nRvxjVjeML2g6U9Pf6POQ15RQgWBHs4KBv9tGWb-QiQT7qo0uUUbge1F0omKBGJos9TVj1sh8JRBwuImcoUilwsRd0E/s1600/2019+106+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AVUgrU9nUsCZdwM_SLuU9mrLG9KplvWt1uDhOpIalEr4fhUv4nRvxjVjeML2g6U9Pf6POQ15RQgWBHs4KBv9tGWb-QiQT7qo0uUUbge1F0omKBGJos9TVj1sh8JRBwuImcoUilwsRd0E/s320/2019+106+front.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>IW#106: Reynolda House Poplar Uke</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://reynoldahouse.org/" target="_blank">The Reynolda House Museum of American Art</a> </b>is housed in a 1913 "bungalow" built by Richard Joshua Reynolds in Winston-Salem, NC. I grew up spending a lot of time there, since my mother was in the Education Department. Some of the first installational community sculptures that I ever made were for events there when I was in college, and I learned to shoot pool on the huge, beautiful pool table in the basement. The balls were actual elephant ivory, since they dated to when the house was built. I had no idea how lucky I was, or how strange this was as a way to grow up.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIul04iuDFrGfndF9Tju-TLU4li7-Kb15AwzjJSXvuwQDxnJ2mKJi_qOj3qEFSmEjUno8jHloCPzNEPkZ-w87PmfnLS0oNpIbJtvLcZN0bZVt9DCSLSWdQ65dBy1bb9misn2c-E80nCjM/s1600/2019+106+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIul04iuDFrGfndF9Tju-TLU4li7-Kb15AwzjJSXvuwQDxnJ2mKJi_qOj3qEFSmEjUno8jHloCPzNEPkZ-w87PmfnLS0oNpIbJtvLcZN0bZVt9DCSLSWdQ65dBy1bb9misn2c-E80nCjM/s320/2019+106+Back.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
About a decade ago some trees were cleared to make more parking, and through the auspices of my mom I got my hands on a little chunk of a poplar tree that was lumbered up. I used some of it for another project, but had enough scraps to make this little uke.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_e6n-9YrSaqDAEbZRvbG50QbmVstqlHejzuRkzLkrd_3y3kcNQIxlx6w21Dy86BJe09ZG8AbKO-Hj2bkggD7jDnhJa82iktgkWw39RBAeOjNzCGDMAM8kg7qWYK0xl4iRLqAo35HiL3Q/s1600/107+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_e6n-9YrSaqDAEbZRvbG50QbmVstqlHejzuRkzLkrd_3y3kcNQIxlx6w21Dy86BJe09ZG8AbKO-Hj2bkggD7jDnhJa82iktgkWw39RBAeOjNzCGDMAM8kg7qWYK0xl4iRLqAo35HiL3Q/s320/107+Front.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>IW#107: Church Pew Uke</b><br />
<br />
South Presbyterian Church, built in 1906 here in Syracuse, is a huge and gorgeous church. Until they were removed a few years ago, it held the tallest Tiffany windows in the country. A few years ago the congregation was trying to figure out how to keep it going, and they took out some of the pews. They gave a couple of them to me, and it was lovely red oak. Huge and heavy, I used a bunch of it for a project but still have some. It made a bright little uke. The top is piano wood of course.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuZYIn_0Gwva0QSvW2Cc-QVrDWMV9K5CXpZ7qDba5ft2MRazDcsSBvFyP0NyqqxaNP8jfzYJin7WbY_R_JORrj0Udfsj_tjcjYlFXHbliXYL3Fab8uEIIp982uiPFZKXzhmRnZc8qVZS/s1600/2019+110+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuZYIn_0Gwva0QSvW2Cc-QVrDWMV9K5CXpZ7qDba5ft2MRazDcsSBvFyP0NyqqxaNP8jfzYJin7WbY_R_JORrj0Udfsj_tjcjYlFXHbliXYL3Fab8uEIIp982uiPFZKXzhmRnZc8qVZS/s320/2019+110+back.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0UvjCn-r9G_UmpyHFViw9K7Tqu-HecGBX6yCQsZfxy9X0lb7VFlxTdzt1m6lJScb0Da1lsyCAJ2TYclgBIEU12u7uHtWs19yIszMZ7biS9ypgwAzSk5bd4ekbT3ZYmBIPjMmnRQr8-lm/s1600/2019+110+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0UvjCn-r9G_UmpyHFViw9K7Tqu-HecGBX6yCQsZfxy9X0lb7VFlxTdzt1m6lJScb0Da1lsyCAJ2TYclgBIEU12u7uHtWs19yIszMZ7biS9ypgwAzSk5bd4ekbT3ZYmBIPjMmnRQr8-lm/s320/2019+110+Front.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>IW#108: Poplar Baritone Uke</b><br />
<br />
Another baritone uke made out of piano wood. I like the way that the green of the poplar fades up the sides and then shifts to the white sap wood. This wood will mellow over the coming decades into a darker and lighter brown, but the fade will endure which I dig. This one is all piano wood, but there are a couple of pianos in there. I forget which.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzr6jO2whqraB0s8kwxRWJe970Xp5H6f5s6C7abGnGpXTtThWqAPW_f_gw8joVqw7_SwRl7YUnNwLMWm2niMqDtZUOQdzXQFIQM-Z7aUaIFEo3v_G_kcihg8efpCkF_db4d2ZLj1k-eOW/s1600/109+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzr6jO2whqraB0s8kwxRWJe970Xp5H6f5s6C7abGnGpXTtThWqAPW_f_gw8joVqw7_SwRl7YUnNwLMWm2niMqDtZUOQdzXQFIQM-Z7aUaIFEo3v_G_kcihg8efpCkF_db4d2ZLj1k-eOW/s320/109+Front.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>IW#109: Spanish Walnut Uke</b><br />
<br />
The father of a friend of mine took a one-year sabbatical and took his entire family camping all around the world. Guatemala, Turkey, the Mediterranean, truly all over. My friend was five or six at the time but still has a ton of memories about the trip. It was pretty epic. I think this was in the 1960's or 1970's. One of the items that the family bought and had shipped back was this huge wooden chest with hand-wrought hardware, which sat in his house all the time he was growing up.<br />
<br />
By the time I met him and we started hanging out, the chest had been sitting out side and was falling apart, so he gave me the wood (of course. This happens a lot in my life). When I planed it down, however, it was the loveliest and hardest walnut I have ever worked with. It is not open-pored like American black walnut that I have worked, it is hard like maple, though it is obviously walnut. Just gorgeous. <br />
<br />
It has a bright sound, since the wood is so hard, and the finish is Tru-Oil, which gives it a little sheen.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWD-0hv0f9NaQPsM2LBDXx5EpvkuaE6byy40e8KaCGLriveFWyaMYeJnxAoWko7oGsCj8LRIhgf9VKW7Fhnc9VGfF4qIKGGlXDyhGmzTKXHWu8rpZ-HKqxFj9ktCwHldq5EHb2tCPCIhji/s1600/110+111+fronts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWD-0hv0f9NaQPsM2LBDXx5EpvkuaE6byy40e8KaCGLriveFWyaMYeJnxAoWko7oGsCj8LRIhgf9VKW7Fhnc9VGfF4qIKGGlXDyhGmzTKXHWu8rpZ-HKqxFj9ktCwHldq5EHb2tCPCIhji/s320/110+111+fronts.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>IW#110 + IW#111: Northwestern Cedar Uke and Tenor Uke</b><br />
<br />
A friend gifted me a huge hunk of northwestern Cedar, and there was this little chunk sticking off of the end. It made it hard to stand up the chunk of wood and it kept falling over, so I split it off. It was just the right size to get a tenor uke and a soprano uke out of. The top, back, and sides as well as the neck are all cedar, and they have a nice mellow sound. There is something that I really like when the whole uke is the same wood. It's very visually pleasing.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is a photo of them all standing at attention. All photos for this post are by the inimitable Kevin Cwalina. More on him in a future post as well. Good looking family of instruments:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SCRuFUXAkOOiIJVSK99sJDZK62m0k4aO2zNOcWobIofEyOXDCFHR-zvUxfkm5V8bu1b0m6vS4rjyFrFLlalHvkiNXWI_kzIe0ipc3t0ZePR68hgab1FRDlPkAysIOBPR5TUxIXdfYcly/s1600/2019+Family+at+Attention.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SCRuFUXAkOOiIJVSK99sJDZK62m0k4aO2zNOcWobIofEyOXDCFHR-zvUxfkm5V8bu1b0m6vS4rjyFrFLlalHvkiNXWI_kzIe0ipc3t0ZePR68hgab1FRDlPkAysIOBPR5TUxIXdfYcly/s640/2019+Family+at+Attention.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (c) 2019 Kevin Cwalina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-5398381027726106112019-04-08T13:27:00.000-07:002019-04-08T13:27:43.011-07:00Pentaculum Uke (IW# 105)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDautQ-H0wPJu0DBeRLh5piFV-FBvMZ3lpL0-sqYdcIJNnMxf7uilk9K21TfLYMatIn5_C6k5c0v9PX7UthuuUVu6u0Zb40JVGFNqqbuCMjj2MkIdVhiT5I_491NuQFE66FBAwgRI-lVq6/s1600/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="739" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDautQ-H0wPJu0DBeRLh5piFV-FBvMZ3lpL0-sqYdcIJNnMxf7uilk9K21TfLYMatIn5_C6k5c0v9PX7UthuuUVu6u0Zb40JVGFNqqbuCMjj2MkIdVhiT5I_491NuQFE66FBAwgRI-lVq6/s320/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Front.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Every year for the last few years, <a href="https://www.arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts</a> hosts an invited residency called Pentaculum. It is a time for makers and writers to come together to spend an unfettered week exploring, developing, meeting new people, and generally unplugging from their lives in order to just make for a solid week. This year I was able to go as well, and it was truly a blast. I met a bunch of great people, and actually got some good work done towards the workshop that I am leading there in June.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUK42OL6ef438Ysb838ZV0miTSYshJtQHrVZDqCdtoZ5DEo7_ZY5UbV-9KhRPZgV030Pl4P5l_rBxtx1E84ulHqEfygFWWAT4nMKriBULCm5QBw8lrkEiMyNFAUnup5xyNBEuEjB-pBI_r/s1600/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="921" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUK42OL6ef438Ysb838ZV0miTSYshJtQHrVZDqCdtoZ5DEo7_ZY5UbV-9KhRPZgV030Pl4P5l_rBxtx1E84ulHqEfygFWWAT4nMKriBULCm5QBw8lrkEiMyNFAUnup5xyNBEuEjB-pBI_r/s320/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Back.jpg" width="184" /></a>Every year one of the people that is a graphic artist attending Pentaculum designs a screen for that week, that only exists that week, and on the Thursday night everyone brings t shirts or shop aprons or something to pull the screen on. I also brought he back of this uke, and we pulled the screen on it. This year is was James Ehlers, an artist and designer based in Emporia, Kansas. Pretty sick. Too big for the back of a tenor uke, but still pretty awesome.<br />
<br />
The wood for this one is cherry, and it came from the vanity that was in the bathroom in our house when we moved in. I saved the wood when I made a new vanity (because I always save everything always) and it ended up making a nice-sounding little tenor uke.<br />
<br />
There is an raffle to benefit the following year's Pentaculum on the Friday of the week, and I put this into the raffle. It was not yet finished, but I promised to finish it and send it to the winner of the raffle. Because of all of the traveling that I have been doing it took a while, but I am very excited that <a href="http://www.descooper.com/" target="_blank">Desiree Cooper </a>was the second or third number chosen for the raffle and that she chose this uke. Go check out the short film that she wrote/produced called "The Choice." She read it while we were at Pentaculum and it reduced me to tears to the point that I could barely speak. She is a force of nature.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq4gtEGwqfgI3TxPjEn-Bk4tPY2NznpJHCjPNecDkEIZxm0jy0X3rV7T3AzkRIs7QjZuZEKjcw5q4d6muOnxIOdeEclBD67ujqjbaEhykgweyMt6Z_7GZqqj4aJDHSgHjUAcYc4Figc8m/s1600/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Chairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq4gtEGwqfgI3TxPjEn-Bk4tPY2NznpJHCjPNecDkEIZxm0jy0X3rV7T3AzkRIs7QjZuZEKjcw5q4d6muOnxIOdeEclBD67ujqjbaEhykgweyMt6Z_7GZqqj4aJDHSgHjUAcYc4Figc8m/s320/2019+105+Pent+Uke+Chairs.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny chairs glued into the inside of the uke.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also made these little tiny chairs while I was doing the residency, and some of us started arranging them in different places, in different orientations and generally having fun exploring what it meant to establish little relationships in that way. I glued them into the uke in the lower bout. There is a small hole in the side of the uke, and if you look in there just right you can see the chairs. They don't seem to affect the sound at all. Fun stuff.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is how it sounds:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/b7nUJ7xDMkk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b7nUJ7xDMkk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-21401888087597922732019-04-01T13:43:00.000-07:002019-04-01T13:43:08.250-07:00Baritone Uke (IW#104)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOt-W6oTm9ZdN0oBXdNV0uiDtVoraU07egRayiPicoTWFLdG8ctr40c5APhGym1fCslXXT7bzVel3pNe8qlhu6PWTAWit66GfOaumxKVNh380lhWs3zzdJjy2MYe8geKMvXQ8OkbhpGJhK/s1600/IMG_4375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOt-W6oTm9ZdN0oBXdNV0uiDtVoraU07egRayiPicoTWFLdG8ctr40c5APhGym1fCslXXT7bzVel3pNe8qlhu6PWTAWit66GfOaumxKVNh380lhWs3zzdJjy2MYe8geKMvXQ8OkbhpGJhK/s320/IMG_4375.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
You'll notice that I am missing a couple of serial numbers. Instrument 102 had a catastrophic delivery, meaning that I need to remake it. Pretty devastating. Then 103 was a quick build here in the shop and then went along with a friend, so I did not get a chance to document it. It was a nice little <a href="https://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2014/05/el-gato-dos-iw072.html" target="_blank">Bluesmaster</a> style of instrument.<br />
<br />
This is a nice little baritone made for an old friend. She now has a young daughter and apparently the daughter digs it as well, which is fantastic. She's connected to the <a href="http://www.reevestheater.com/" target="_blank">Reeves Theater</a>, which is a hell of a place to hear music if you are in Western North Carolina. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you are near Elkin, go check it out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesWXvD8sPSipXnC1EA_LORXTywYalyzk7lLVyyQnrLles2KR7tfY1FjNNsvBvBMT-NFhlv0iYtwgp8p5UnMBk7n8BxqAx3mQAMFptT2qaPapYinDP3FAEQ3c3R5HoYQDOSUjrfCe4On2h/s1600/IMG_4376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesWXvD8sPSipXnC1EA_LORXTywYalyzk7lLVyyQnrLles2KR7tfY1FjNNsvBvBMT-NFhlv0iYtwgp8p5UnMBk7n8BxqAx3mQAMFptT2qaPapYinDP3FAEQ3c3R5HoYQDOSUjrfCe4On2h/s320/IMG_4376.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
At any rate, this is a short post, as I also did not do a good job of documenting this one either. I will say that the tail graft and the headstock inlays are piano ivory, which is a practice that i intend to continue. I think it looks 50's retro in a cool way.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicWkDlbtdeTrwFovpoC_gJ8FUbth79WYdiPI-NEMcaWc1xIKMpKuZmgw4jsjmtDn2I5_zXqHpti03PkZ_sav-ltsKZ0SdkoyFZ791cpG_QITU7AbppX-Kv_Q-60D96Ldlqdn9czDdWYoR/s1600/IMG_4377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicWkDlbtdeTrwFovpoC_gJ8FUbth79WYdiPI-NEMcaWc1xIKMpKuZmgw4jsjmtDn2I5_zXqHpti03PkZ_sav-ltsKZ0SdkoyFZ791cpG_QITU7AbppX-Kv_Q-60D96Ldlqdn9czDdWYoR/s320/IMG_4377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
No video for this one. I have video for the next one, though.zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-63970947789685499872018-07-13T09:19:00.000-07:002018-07-13T10:03:57.313-07:00Wrest Plank Octave Mandolin (IW#101)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p0TYV2J1HMZQ2CsQ4T3Q1Lhgb5Ta6Ld_Ag1bwh46zUTjDvTLcncVBciWtZEC5qFE78gPoALcG2BimumyZ4nKPydG2Qs5oxpG-3HEj86_LJ_tA6QTp8xhVKW0NxgoO07YK114IV-IjE2L/s1600/2018+101+Octavo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p0TYV2J1HMZQ2CsQ4T3Q1Lhgb5Ta6Ld_Ag1bwh46zUTjDvTLcncVBciWtZEC5qFE78gPoALcG2BimumyZ4nKPydG2Qs5oxpG-3HEj86_LJ_tA6QTp8xhVKW0NxgoO07YK114IV-IjE2L/s320/2018+101+Octavo.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<br />
Back to the weird: Folks who read this blog regularly might remember <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/02/wrest-plank-tenor-iw90.html" target="_blank">Instrument # 90</a>, which is a four string guitar made out of the "wrest plank" or pin block of the piano. This is a piece of hard maple that is laminated into a beam that runs the width of the piano. The tuning pins protrude through the cast-iron harp and into the maple, which holds them via friction in the position that the piano tuner places them.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3Uye_8zNrc2fvWouPW-A4ji3d42Hss6VYaH3mvdFhLNhWUiCjM7WykUuuFt6ZTb_wv_AZLWBi2904ZKfgUXQlu11MRDZS-pMLQpBxydM1qbont9kjJJAG_xgVmhPhemhZEwxPI68QU_V/s1600/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3Uye_8zNrc2fvWouPW-A4ji3d42Hss6VYaH3mvdFhLNhWUiCjM7WykUuuFt6ZTb_wv_AZLWBi2904ZKfgUXQlu11MRDZS-pMLQpBxydM1qbont9kjJJAG_xgVmhPhemhZEwxPI68QU_V/s320/IMG_0611.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "wrest plank" or pin block planed down and ready to be made into parts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhwR1LvMUkaLvlA2bSlIfq0yb-P71whwJCZU1fIgZjZpw7mzkZ0TQ6wR-cnCTuwOiEXzMOyoclxE-a60dz5pjAuZsvpQwTO2Qf5GoVJhBwpJWWdTOKDgqEt70ScyPVIiELv9C8t5GyLQQ/s1600/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1118" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhwR1LvMUkaLvlA2bSlIfq0yb-P71whwJCZU1fIgZjZpw7mzkZ0TQ6wR-cnCTuwOiEXzMOyoclxE-a60dz5pjAuZsvpQwTO2Qf5GoVJhBwpJWWdTOKDgqEt70ScyPVIiELv9C8t5GyLQQ/s200/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Head.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The truss rod cover is ivory veneer. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLP5qJA0mx24vKy6Z2CRZQmMB72urbCZuaoTS6GlCIe67RxviZBHuNX71W9IHVLRgxuiF8L33WIPnAsY5lkmgPKVaEVOsMMb39LRpTXJn2yHhgRkcSxFhzhJz5_v-hfjKAgEKlqlpwB1C/s1600/2018+101+Octavo+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="711" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLP5qJA0mx24vKy6Z2CRZQmMB72urbCZuaoTS6GlCIe67RxviZBHuNX71W9IHVLRgxuiF8L33WIPnAsY5lkmgPKVaEVOsMMb39LRpTXJn2yHhgRkcSxFhzhJz5_v-hfjKAgEKlqlpwB1C/s320/2018+101+Octavo+Back.jpg" width="142" /></a>This hard maple is usually a pretty nice chunk of lumber that would be great for just about anything except that it has tons of holes in it, rendering it almost useless. So of course I want to continue to find uses for it.<br />
<br />
I have been wanting to make an octave mandolin, not because I know how to play one but because I have been interested in what playing a set of courses (pairs of strings) would be like as opposed to single strings, and mandolins are strung that way. One thing I noticed with instrument 90 was that because there is no sound hole, the sound only came out the sides. For a listener the sound image is a little funky. So with this iteration I did my best to limit the number of holes on the sides and back, and put them all on the front. I book-matched the front so that the holes mirror each other, and the bridge is an ebony black key from a piano.<br />
<br />
This thing has a lot of moments that I really dig: There is a resin-filled screw hole (You know how I like those!), there is a gorgeous tail piece that <a href="http://www.jaydanmoore.com/" target="_blank">Jaydann Moore</a> made, there is walnut kerfing. The truss rod cover is a piece of ivory veneer from a white piano key. All of this almost balances out the fact that I don't know how to play the octave mandolin.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1-s50z8scCyUjxv8PahgaUJHWDjKtM1pWw0owcgO24YaIq29i726eDRDTD79XB99HCJne450WmBKf7u336gdIGvYepC-7XqeGSJDGUaC8r0W8Xz6O_QCpdpuWAV5j1B0LTvevI7T1zgG/s1600/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Screw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1-s50z8scCyUjxv8PahgaUJHWDjKtM1pWw0owcgO24YaIq29i726eDRDTD79XB99HCJne450WmBKf7u336gdIGvYepC-7XqeGSJDGUaC8r0W8Xz6O_QCpdpuWAV5j1B0LTvevI7T1zgG/s200/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Screw.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resin-filled screw hole on the neck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSeIOk63LvlAVDHGhVdFCxaYtGFXtwjRglIXGdT1vulAsiYCGv3OwvONzwolbxLCA81LgjmO71K633GzUcKdLRT22J-fiEaNfFEgHjL94rqZeZoigdJ0h7reKt2MLXorKIB1ciLdJOxR/s1600/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSeIOk63LvlAVDHGhVdFCxaYtGFXtwjRglIXGdT1vulAsiYCGv3OwvONzwolbxLCA81LgjmO71K633GzUcKdLRT22J-fiEaNfFEgHjL94rqZeZoigdJ0h7reKt2MLXorKIB1ciLdJOxR/s200/2018+101+Octavo+Detail+Tail.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tail Piece by Jaydann Moore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSGGkO3o_ML_c3GE4Hh_DHIABupFbxj-l6lCeI-b4GtzlWXG1AIzZHZvMVgiPUjE3rI20IIrYw2XOPHE12NQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I gave it to my friend Tom and he made it sound pretty good, though. Because it is all solid hard maple, it has an incredible amount of sustain.<br />
<br />
Here is a video of me ham-handedly trying to chord something on this. It is interesting enough to play that I am hopeful that I can learn to play it a little better.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1YcQw-SAEc8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1YcQw-SAEc8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-80901242695355925712018-07-10T13:15:00.002-07:002018-07-10T13:15:35.242-07:00Spalted Oak Tenor (IW#100)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jc5xtpxgYTj2Ar3LF7QEfEdc-8rYQfDrhyphenhyphen4VBqe7NIGeUAR-drwlBXj_2U7l76SHHsPM714dGI1lUkErm488IfLpBIFfzs0ySfxQN-oqNQvA33Ox1eNNOcW_8VCycw61PLEDZiTIH7Eu/s1600/2018+100+Tenor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="663" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jc5xtpxgYTj2Ar3LF7QEfEdc-8rYQfDrhyphenhyphen4VBqe7NIGeUAR-drwlBXj_2U7l76SHHsPM714dGI1lUkErm488IfLpBIFfzs0ySfxQN-oqNQvA33Ox1eNNOcW_8VCycw61PLEDZiTIH7Eu/s400/2018+100+Tenor.jpg" width="165" /></a>And instrument # 100 has rolled around! Momentous. True, many of the numbered instruments are canjos and experimental things, and true, many were reassembled into something else or have wandered off to do other stuff, but here we are at # 100 anyway. Pretty cool. And I could not be happier that it is this little number.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTNluTekuq9y0Iljyw04UvMHWOZvHZvOm5ZGkQVNrz-2F93VhOGvQPCWjW44-q5_PUUw9n066aixz3DYytVfl7Ud2b3PbIY8okWnibjoZPvNThxMkgCgNlHyu0awrBBvQvnFQK04Z6qbm/s1600/2018+100+Tenor+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="676" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTNluTekuq9y0Iljyw04UvMHWOZvHZvOm5ZGkQVNrz-2F93VhOGvQPCWjW44-q5_PUUw9n066aixz3DYytVfl7Ud2b3PbIY8okWnibjoZPvNThxMkgCgNlHyu0awrBBvQvnFQK04Z6qbm/s320/2018+100+Tenor+Back.jpg" width="135" /></a>I wrote about the oak back posts on the Shaw Piano <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/09/oak-parlor-guitar-iw92.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2018/07/oak-parlor-guitar-iw98.html" target="_blank">here.</a> This is a third instrument made from those. When I started slabbing up the parts, however, I found that the wood was spalted. "Spalt" is a general term used by wood workers to describe what happens when fungi start to break down a fallen tree. They tend to move vertically along the growth rings, and can leave a variety of differently colored lines along the grain when the wood is dried and turned into lumber. Some of these lines can be very dramatic and quite beautiful, and wood workers will often use spalt as a pretty breath-taking visual element in their work. More about spalting <a href="https://www.northernspalting.com/spalting-info/faqs/" target="_blank">here,</a> and a nice gallery of spalted wooden objects from the same web site <a href="https://www.northernspalting.com/art/previous-work/" target="_blank">here.</a> So the lumber for this guitar is spalted oak, and though not as dramatic as some spalting, it is still pretty cool (I think). It shows up as black lines on the back and sides.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTmolHR5KP9vLpFYWQ7H8nNH5uiDnyIBPlIitCNiqVBImt8rdTOlWG7bGc4ui-eEHlRC8OA-vjLcp5qqKuOWt3pk7hpbf80Ac1uhDeI2e4kuifZBLqBbHRZHMYY47sNMRrpql1awvCZW8/s1600/2018+100+Tenor+Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="535" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTmolHR5KP9vLpFYWQ7H8nNH5uiDnyIBPlIitCNiqVBImt8rdTOlWG7bGc4ui-eEHlRC8OA-vjLcp5qqKuOWt3pk7hpbf80Ac1uhDeI2e4kuifZBLqBbHRZHMYY47sNMRrpql1awvCZW8/s320/2018+100+Tenor+Side.jpg" width="107" /></a>This instrument is for ceramist <a href="https://www.nathanwillever.com/" target="_blank">Nathan Willever</a>, who is a big supporter of <a href="http://www.craftschools.us/" target="_blank">the Craft School Experience,</a> which made it so perfect that I had just enough of the sound board from the piano that sat in the common room at <a href="https://www.arrowmont.org/" target="_blank">Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts</a> for several decades. Sorry for all of the links. They are all great sites though, and worth investigating. I was tickled that I had enough of the soundboard to be able to include it in this instrument for him.<br />
<br />
It sounds great. The oak is really punchy and it is a really easy player. Here is the video:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oS2pS4jjLe0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oS2pS4jjLe0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-24207171617906851932018-07-09T18:59:00.000-07:002018-07-10T04:53:13.730-07:00Shaw Piano Baritone Ukulele (IW#99)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI194vlYkegfOguSJfamtSbvLt9-WsZC2ZDlD-AdmAScVDAl-TSvMPuxzPhOWTJ48d0JPZybSQQQRx7xFdvLQtiUULmMcsQWXEPX4W95MKp6ePr9-qGjz3xccdCKfoXF6fPeMiJ4Z_eF-/s1600/2018+99+Bari+Uke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="754" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI194vlYkegfOguSJfamtSbvLt9-WsZC2ZDlD-AdmAScVDAl-TSvMPuxzPhOWTJ48d0JPZybSQQQRx7xFdvLQtiUULmMcsQWXEPX4W95MKp6ePr9-qGjz3xccdCKfoXF6fPeMiJ4Z_eF-/s400/2018+99+Bari+Uke.jpg" width="187" /></a>I wrote about Shaw Piano 13837 <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/03/shaw-piano-iw-91.html" target="_blank">here.</a> I have been slowly working to make instruments for several members of the family that had owned it, and here is another. All poplar, as much of the piano was. This is for a seven year old who has an interest in playing guitar. Small hands can struggle with steel strings, so mu suggestion was a baritone ukulele. Same chord structures as a guitar, but lower tension and nylon strings (I REALLY like Aquila Nylgut strings. They has a lovely feel, and really sound like gut instead of nylon) so easier to fret. This is a lovely little uke, and has the extra sound hole that I like to leave just south west of the bridge, so it really is very like #91, linked above. The owner of this little instrument is the first cousin twice removed the owner of #91, after all.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUqC7xzEFfPtSW14kQmmdHDZ2AE75ORw20txRlm22TEtnv2IZ_XS8CUGZz0yUxhdd6f-ymT-miXV0UbgeLMjbL5L7ZVwgFUZUtljvVH3_1lug2c03bN2rO1kf6JQKJNoPiyAUGd1eEd3v/s1600/2018+99+Bari+Uke+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUqC7xzEFfPtSW14kQmmdHDZ2AE75ORw20txRlm22TEtnv2IZ_XS8CUGZz0yUxhdd6f-ymT-miXV0UbgeLMjbL5L7ZVwgFUZUtljvVH3_1lug2c03bN2rO1kf6JQKJNoPiyAUGd1eEd3v/s320/2018+99+Bari+Uke+Back.jpg" width="135" /></a>For the fingerboard, I used the maple from the <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/02/wrest-plank-tenor-iw90.html" target="_blank">wrest plank </a>of that piano, which had a lot of "birds-eye" in it. Bird's-eye is a rippling of the grain that creates gorgeous optical effects. No one really knows why it happens, and a lot of people have tried to force it over the years to no avail (including shooting maple trees with shotguns, which did not have much effect, surprise surprise.) Maybe I will write more about that in a future post. It makes for a shimmery, very hard surface on the fingerboard that really stands out visually.<br />
<br />
The bridge is a piece of the molding that was on the piano, an it (and the binding) are walnut. So as far as wood species, this little instrument is kind of a mutt, but it is a lovable mutt.<br />
<br />
At any rate I am excited to keep this instrument in the family that gave me the piano. And I hope the little hands that play it now will continue to enjoy it when they are much much older. Here's the video:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ywRUoDTp6C8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ywRUoDTp6C8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-50831328586073949322018-07-09T08:15:00.002-07:002018-07-09T08:15:20.775-07:00Oak Parlor Guitar (IW#98)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjx_xRBQH4npWwO2thf3owdpOxuGl_DrppPdlNYKbzcWN54n4U8GCMBUPuZPIq-Gj6KnFKYnDNgL_RS5IM3JUqH2yxN9aGZaxE1dC5iKkZxXIMXITB8Qy0nIvyHE-YA6UWXfPkuCvqK3o/s1600/2018+98+Oak+Parlor+Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="671" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjx_xRBQH4npWwO2thf3owdpOxuGl_DrppPdlNYKbzcWN54n4U8GCMBUPuZPIq-Gj6KnFKYnDNgL_RS5IM3JUqH2yxN9aGZaxE1dC5iKkZxXIMXITB8Qy0nIvyHE-YA6UWXfPkuCvqK3o/s400/2018+98+Oak+Parlor+Front.JPG" width="167" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHcEYvzdb6A9Be53QivRsRQ3egO8Iav1Cjh5rN1JW_5Gx2eK_63dEOkvmhMLpE-4pSNbnH9H57I57YOzOLagCZf0VQFj3_sQuU-npoAop0eIS3C2nRZdgpM21vkrdssqD8AduVmJdfPjo/s1600/2018+98+Oak+Parlor+Back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="651" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHcEYvzdb6A9Be53QivRsRQ3egO8Iav1Cjh5rN1JW_5Gx2eK_63dEOkvmhMLpE-4pSNbnH9H57I57YOzOLagCZf0VQFj3_sQuU-npoAop0eIS3C2nRZdgpM21vkrdssqD8AduVmJdfPjo/s320/2018+98+Oak+Parlor+Back.JPG" width="130" /></a>This is a really nice little parlor, made entirely out of a single oak beam from the Shaw piano. This is the second one I have built from one of these beams. The first one is <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/09/oak-parlor-guitar-iw92.html" target="_blank">here</a>. There were five of these beams on the piano, so theoretically there could be five guitars. The beams are large enough (about 4" x 5" x 36") that I can get the back, sides, and neck out of one of them, and I like the idea of an instrument being made entirely out of one piece of wood.<br />
<br />
You can see that there is a screw hole left over from the piano that I filled with resin, I like the way that speaks to a former life. Oak as a material is really punchy and very bright, and this instrument came out pretty well I think. <br />
<br />
This one lives with an old friend of mine, and when I delivered it we got to sit for a minute and play music together. I had not seen him in a long long time, and it was so nice to reconnect through music and through musical instruments. What a gift.<br />
<br />
Here's the demo video:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ODDmTvHn67k/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ODDmTvHn67k?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-81139935120505376582018-04-29T17:09:00.000-07:002018-07-09T07:53:56.947-07:00Mahogany Tenor (IW#97)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4v1QXoeVgSo0GYgwNsvWTBCKdsF6cO5yGskxSW2nOxG5GJLadhyphenhyphenQnKbZjuUcLeT3kWGtNJI0CAvskPjaBTgRTiO5MQkK520HJM1u-WQ9P2aSf6jfrA-uA8j_PXQFRkF_do1hi6jvE1qH/s1600/2018+97+Booth+Guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="747" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4v1QXoeVgSo0GYgwNsvWTBCKdsF6cO5yGskxSW2nOxG5GJLadhyphenhyphenQnKbZjuUcLeT3kWGtNJI0CAvskPjaBTgRTiO5MQkK520HJM1u-WQ9P2aSf6jfrA-uA8j_PXQFRkF_do1hi6jvE1qH/s320/2018+97+Booth+Guitar.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
<br />
An old friend (the friendship is old, not the friend) asked if I would make him a guitar. He had been wanting a tenor, which is of course what I have made a lot of lately. I was delighted to say "yes," and the talk turned to wood. Although I have been almost exclusively using salvaged piano wood, I had a chunk of lumber left over from <a href="http://zekeleonard.com/artwork/296632_Slow_Slab_table_and_Benches.html" target="_blank">this table</a> that I made a few years ago. It is a slab of Honduran mahogany that is three inches thick and 42 inches wide, and it made a fine table and a couple of benches.<br />
<br />
I have had the offcut sitting in the lumber rack for over ten years, wondering what I would do with it. It seemed like this was it. Not technically a "found object," but still scrap wood, in a way. I used Sitka spruce for the top, which was salvaged form the mast of the 1924 schooner <a href="https://www.soundexp.org/" target="_blank">Adventuress. </a>It was not the 1924 mast, I should point out. It was from a rebuild some time since then, but it is still beautiful straight-grained spruce.<br />
<br />
The build was concurrent with #95, so I was building two instruments in tandem, both of them with a body lifted from drawings of a Lyon-Healy parlor guitar body from 1900 (Though Lyon-Healy does not make guitars any longer, they do still make harps, so if you have been to the orchestra lately it is likely you have heard one). I updated the bracing, though, to a modified Martin-style X-brace pattern. Here is a little video I made from the images that I took to document the process, with a soundtrack made on the instrument:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bDzEZ2TCl1w/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bDzEZ2TCl1w?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgFQGYAKI6ubuJSs72yVEnussNTfl8ep7TSwQHVtOHqABv0prIxzhoKLcHVYd_VJucNQn2AkSfKRuAAgBY87xQbUSQSTekHoe-XpQwZuEldiHDqFqIdNgqWEXFR__ZM0wea3Mvt-ykWWC/s1600/2018+97+Booth+Guitar+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgFQGYAKI6ubuJSs72yVEnussNTfl8ep7TSwQHVtOHqABv0prIxzhoKLcHVYd_VJucNQn2AkSfKRuAAgBY87xQbUSQSTekHoe-XpQwZuEldiHDqFqIdNgqWEXFR__ZM0wea3Mvt-ykWWC/s320/2018+97+Booth+Guitar+Back.jpg" width="165" /></a>The real struggle on this one was with the finish. I tried a lacquer finish twice, and both times it came out pretty poorly. So I had to scrape it back to bare wood and start again. After the second time it failed I decided that I would just use an oil finish. Believe me when I say I have no stock in Tru-Oil, but I LOVE it as a finish. It linseed oil with some other stuff in there (hardeners, maybe? Other oils? The MSDS is not clear on that) and it is easy to apply and makes a nice hard finish. I really dig it. And it just makes the wood grain sing. Really nice stuff.<br />
<br />
It came out well. And since the new owner has been a Union Stagehand for his whole working life (and so has had to wear black while running shows), the head stock veneer, the heel cap, the tail graft, the bridge, and the saddle are all ebony. Black details for a stagehand. Seemed appropriate. Also sprung for fancy-pants high end tuners, thinking to myself "how much better could they really be?" The answer? Very much better. Wow, do Grovers make a difference. Holy moly. This is also my fist foray into inlaid fret dots on the fingerboard, which was fun. I never need them, since I can't see them anyway, the side dots are so much more important to me when I am playing. but the make it look more "guitar-y," don't they?<br />
<br />
Here is the video for this one:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4VfDlApnn70/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4VfDlApnn70?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-8650433955384717062018-04-24T06:30:00.002-07:002018-04-24T06:30:40.599-07:00Ferris Avenue Tenor (IW#96)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQ88qlqJognNmtRdE1uAMiVtsOuUwcXZAKFO1EtY3SNWVwcXEBhkL0VeSRRM4CSwixd8W9VpOZBMcxWlkMgGDAyBAWSWote3btl2Ck7dNwYu6A9mDu84jgkiGS150cNxySnhPe81Lctzz/s1600/2018+96+Ferris+Ave+Guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQ88qlqJognNmtRdE1uAMiVtsOuUwcXZAKFO1EtY3SNWVwcXEBhkL0VeSRRM4CSwixd8W9VpOZBMcxWlkMgGDAyBAWSWote3btl2Ck7dNwYu6A9mDu84jgkiGS150cNxySnhPe81Lctzz/s320/2018+96+Ferris+Ave+Guitar.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<br />
At the corner of Ferris Avenue and Genesee Street in Syracuse sits a blue-shingled farm house. Two different friends told me on the same day that there was an old piano in front of it, so of course I went over and started harvesting. It is, without question, the strangest piano that I have yet disassembled. Obviously very old, and obviously assembled with hand tools primarily, it bore no manufacturer's mark and very few machine-made parts. It did not even have a harp, simply a big piece of steel plate that holds the loop end of the strings. The pins at the other end are driven right into the wrest plank. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FNZrPts9wgoL1bNdloFrTgibymZWnlm6xTKhE39ZdVquLMQAmdtARJK7WzYzqMOx7148XfnmA_yYXWMIa9-WD1MPfG_8AEbQQ11laklC8giSG4ARqgYefvysSbaqZrZ_Ou-S0ZZacpA4/s1600/2018+96+Ferris+Ave+Guitar+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="718" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FNZrPts9wgoL1bNdloFrTgibymZWnlm6xTKhE39ZdVquLMQAmdtARJK7WzYzqMOx7148XfnmA_yYXWMIa9-WD1MPfG_8AEbQQ11laklC8giSG4ARqgYefvysSbaqZrZ_Ou-S0ZZacpA4/s320/2018+96+Ferris+Ave+Guitar+Back.jpg" width="143" /></a>As I was harvesting, the owner of the house came out and we were chatting. That house is the original Ferris Farm house, it was the house for the farm that is now neighborhoods. The piano had been in the basement when he bought the house, and he is only the fourth owner since the house was built in the early 1800's. That is, it was in the Ferris family for a long long time. He had no provenance on the piano other than it was there when they moved in.<br />
<br />
It has all the hallmarks of being a kit that one might order and then give to the local cabinet maker so that they can build you a piano, which makes sense if you think about how relatively recently we have become able to do things like transport pianos great distances with ease.<br />
<br />
The veneer is all a lovely walnut burl, and the wood is almost all walnut. I don't get to work with walnut very much these days, it is not a common salvage wood. What a treat. It has a very particular smell when it is worked, and it is lovely to bend and to carve. The result is a beautiful, mellow sounding instrument that is a joy to play. I ran some maple up the center of the neck, and reinforced it with a carbon-fiber rod.<br />
<br />
The top is from the <a href="http://scfoiw.blogspot.com/2017/03/shaw-piano-iw-91.html" target="_blank">Shaw piano</a> that I made #91 out of. Since that guitar is in our family and this one is going to stay in our family I positioned a hole that was in the sound board in a similar place, so that they recall each other.<br />
<br />
It is my current go-to player, and since I put a K & K pickup in it, I have been using it to record some of my own songs recently. Here is the video:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GbtCU1Vn7k8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GbtCU1Vn7k8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802106348648543958.post-81475663731246162632017-11-25T18:12:00.000-08:002018-04-23T12:41:11.067-07:00The Deltrula (IW#95)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_709279277"></span><span id="goog_709279278"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJYB61k5x6hpHSjvVaFDCuF41wbZyqB6O-hTFba0mkbr1jjO6Kl_SdHehaxFpRdQLYImhC07GIyf3DWjs0AJYPVU4F7A5Q6htgGtOlQc_wuj0YspGDz3WEj78417wt88VywSTb_IQSLru/s1600/IMG_2502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJYB61k5x6hpHSjvVaFDCuF41wbZyqB6O-hTFba0mkbr1jjO6Kl_SdHehaxFpRdQLYImhC07GIyf3DWjs0AJYPVU4F7A5Q6htgGtOlQc_wuj0YspGDz3WEj78417wt88VywSTb_IQSLru/s320/IMG_2502.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My eldest son, then age 7, and I were sitting in our guestroom one morning about a year and a half ago. This is the room where a lot of the instruments live that I don't play regularly. There is the big old jumbo-sized six string made by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-hedu-473aa515/" target="_blank">Seth Hedu</a>, an acoustic baritone guitar made by <a href="http://wishbass.com/" target="_blank">Steve Wishnevskey</a>, and a banjo that belonged to my wife's uncle. There is a charango that my mother in law brought back from La Paz, Bolivia after a visit and a five string mountain dulcimer made by the great W. E. "Bill" Young, who was a North Carolina maker of some distinction before he passed. I am still looking for more information on him, so if anyone has some, send it along. I'd like to make him a memorial here.<br />
<br />
There are also a bunch of things I have made over the years that are of varying levels of recognizable. The only factory made instruments in the room are the banjo and my own personal most expensive instrument, which is a round-necked Dobro that I bought when I played with the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW3ciAENc_8" target="_blank">Brooklyn Jugs</a> fifteen years ago or so.<br />
<br />
So my eldest and I are sitting there and he says "You should make a guitar with three humps instead of two humps. "Hm," I say. "What would that look like? Could you draw it for me?" One of the things I LOVE about kids is that there is little inhibition. "Sure," he says, and pads off to find a pen and paper. He draws what he is thinking of and I say "well, that's cool looking. What is it called?" With all of the confidence a (then) seven-year-old can muster he says "It's a Deltrula."<br />
<br />
So of course I have to build it.<br />
<br />
I had to back-burner it until this past June, when I was at <a href="https://www.haystack-mtn.org/" target="_blank">Haystack Mountain School of Craft</a> leading a workshop, and it was there that I filled some spare hours beginning the work of making a Deltrula. It is... Weird.<br />
<br />
Weird to say the least.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFegxJ5Jq_EG-eEXnIJySUNGs9bqdKRq_-oxsPXzaEdbg4zuT8YzaDAKq51afoTt0K5B3hPzdDgy0RhuWf2IROClfFEDi2hLQWgU81_ofpbyZYqSns_eQybISwIim2NpMqCbleQ5lgd9DB/s1600/View_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="912" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFegxJ5Jq_EG-eEXnIJySUNGs9bqdKRq_-oxsPXzaEdbg4zuT8YzaDAKq51afoTt0K5B3hPzdDgy0RhuWf2IROClfFEDi2hLQWgU81_ofpbyZYqSns_eQybISwIim2NpMqCbleQ5lgd9DB/s320/View_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Because I was at Haystack, and because I was surrounded by brilliant humans who make stunning things, and because I like working with people on projects, I appealed to the metalsmith <a href="http://www.jaydanmoore.com/" target="_blank">Jaydan Moore</a> (who was teaching the metals class that session) for a tailpiece. It is a piece of an old serving tray and is just about right for this crazy thing. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNA7F9jY8tgRfskJbt68BKH2SFA1auq0-ZISKBVi44W473Go8OC7eY4ZCnVf7sHDYqLa365DP6YReOP-6ZHZJ7Kzj40PtU-9fhsOiesDDvzWmHo1rS39RC5htfsLDXG-TCVwB7lJHPJOa5/s1600/View_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="491" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNA7F9jY8tgRfskJbt68BKH2SFA1auq0-ZISKBVi44W473Go8OC7eY4ZCnVf7sHDYqLa365DP6YReOP-6ZHZJ7Kzj40PtU-9fhsOiesDDvzWmHo1rS39RC5htfsLDXG-TCVwB7lJHPJOa5/s320/View_004.jpg" width="204" /></a>Because he was born on the 13th, it has 13 strings and 13 frets. I played with the drawing a little because I wanted it to have a ridiculously short neck to deal with all of those strings. It is strung in four courses of three strings each, with one extra bass string. That extra string is tuned to A, with the four courses tuned to DGBE, which is how I keep my tenor guitar tuned. Pretty weird to play.<br />
<br />
The whole thing is chestnut out of a Shoninger Piano that was built in 1913 I think. So a combo of wormy and not, with a piece of the original mahogany veneer on the completely silly and massive head stock. It is pretty loud, and my eldest says it sounds "like a robot," which seems about right. Not sure it will come out on this video, but it sure is a weird thing. Sort of like my eldest.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OHwwI7vPguGa7m8MfiCYFscKdCK6cwCZycP8N07xLL2NRwvQMm2nusZVY9AQU3MA5utoQcotDA7-eRUVXlwuBVcJLFs3DxfFMKCAYUFUHIaFswwq6U3030YSjoJlqkVBpkPxDs0AgX1Y/s1600/View_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OHwwI7vPguGa7m8MfiCYFscKdCK6cwCZycP8N07xLL2NRwvQMm2nusZVY9AQU3MA5utoQcotDA7-eRUVXlwuBVcJLFs3DxfFMKCAYUFUHIaFswwq6U3030YSjoJlqkVBpkPxDs0AgX1Y/s320/View_001.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3r7wluL88F6key9n2qf21JPBeJ9qiQ7R4xbxmk-CiUN4ihepcK3lIdEyUG2xEPWGyc6CUkxkJIpDCvt8o4raDRkASQTJ-GjYBFvMhI1wmSxzqoZGF3xs7k8WDv9-GcCGJw50L3jF_JTQ/s1600/View_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3r7wluL88F6key9n2qf21JPBeJ9qiQ7R4xbxmk-CiUN4ihepcK3lIdEyUG2xEPWGyc6CUkxkJIpDCvt8o4raDRkASQTJ-GjYBFvMhI1wmSxzqoZGF3xs7k8WDv9-GcCGJw50L3jF_JTQ/s320/View_003.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>
Here is how it sounds. It is, truth to tell, pretty hard to play. But it sounds pretty good. I could see it being a back-up instrument on something. And it will certainly get hauled out to any workshop on experimentation. As far as I know, I am one of three Deltrulists in the nation. Which means that I am one of the three best in these United States. Here is a little video, as per usual:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/96MiyqZM3uk/default.jpg?sqp=CPjE6NAF&rs=AOn4CLD3TfFqdPotw_3W7cAoh8POKCJEhA" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/96MiyqZM3uk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />zekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16414670413149382536noreply@blogger.com0