I began making Ukuleles about 5 years ago to use the smaller pieces of wood I had left over from guitar building. Ukuleles come if four sizes. Soprano, Concert and Tenor sizes all tuned a forth above normal guitar tuning (C-G-E-A) and Baritone, tuned like the top four strings of a guitar (D-G-B-E). Each size has a slightly increasingly larger body and a scale-length that increases by one inch. I primarily build the Portuguese (guitar-shaped) design in a concert size with a tenor neck to add more energy to the instrument. This is the most popular style with Hawaiian players.
6-String Pineapple “Taro” Ukulele
The Kamaka Ukulele Company in Honolulu, designed a new oval-shaped body style called a Pineapple Ukulele. ( The prototype was actually embossed and painted to look like a Pineapple-Center Picture). A further refinement was to add up to four additional strings to the Ukulele for additional volume. Any Ukulele with more than four strings is called a “Taro” Uke indicating that it is a folk instrument. ( Taro is the root used to make the Hawaiian staple food Poi ).
Concert Ukulele bodies under construction in a group of 7 instruments
This is a Koa Concert Ukulele with a tenor neck. The longer neck adds more energy to the instrument making it louder and clearer. The sound-hole rosette is green sand from South Beach on the island of Hawai’i. The machines are gold Gotoh tuners with gold buttons. This Uke comes with either a hard Gator case or an Alverez Soft bag. $600
This is a Mango Concert Ukulele with a tenor neck. The longer neck adds more energy to the instrument making it louder and clearer. The sound-hole rosette is Mango. The machines are gold Gotoh tuners with gold buttons. This Uke comes with either a hard Gator case or an Alverez Soft bag. $600
This is a 6-string Tenor Pineapple “Taro” Ukulele made of Milo wood which grows on the island of Hawaii. Milo is primarily used for fence posts and bowl turning. The top is Red Spruce from West Virginia. The double first (unison) and fourth (octave) strings give this instrument a full rich sound. Sold. (Working on another one)
This is another Koa Concert Ukulele with a tenor neck. The longer neck adds more energy to the instrument making it louder and clearer. The sound-hole rosette is green sand from South Beach on the island of Hawai’i. The machines are gold Gotoh tuners with gold buttons. This Uke comes with either a hard Gator case or an Alverez Soft bag. $600
This is a Koa Tenor Ukulele. This is the size played by Jake Shumbakuro. The sound-hole rosette is herringbone. The machines are gold Gotoh tuners with gold buttons. This Uke comes with an Alverez Soft bag. $650
This is a very loud Soprano Ukulele from the 1920’s. these were made by the Kumalae Ukulele Company as souvenirs for the cruise ships visiting Oahu. It is Koa wood with upgraded Waverly tuners which replaced the original friction tuners. This Uke comes with a hard case. $650
These are the cases that come with the Ukes. The left one is a Gator hard case for the concert size instruments and the one on the right is the Alvarez soft case for concert and tenor sizes. The soft case also comes in black with brown sides and trim.
