Last Uke

[Will Reyer]

Last Uke: Uno Tiempo Mas, No Mas 08/31/18

One more soprano ukulele, absolutely no more. At least, not with the Old Martin Antes plan.

This plan doesn't have a flat where the neck mates the upper bout, making the neck fit lots more tedious. Yes, I know I could make a new mold and produce one with a flat where needed. And yes, as my old Texas friend, Kinney, used to say, “Wha, hail, if it wuz simple, Ah'd be doon it.”

This one was a request by our old friend, Roberta, who used to teach with Pammy Ann, while I played guitar to her husband's bluegrass banjo. I have plan and tiger maple on hand to make Pam a tenor ukulele, and expect I could probably make “Bert” one of those, too. Lots bigger, easier to make and play.

This uke has a cherry soundboard and back, red oak sides and bridge. Neck is yellow poplar with a half-inch red oak center stripe surrounded by 1/8” teak strips. End graft is also red oak and teak. Fretboard is osage orange, nut and saddle are purpleheart. Interior bracing and linings are white pine.

Four coats of sanding sealer and a couple wiping urethane, my usual screwdriver headstock with quarter-sawn sycamore veneer. Heel cap's maple with a scrap of mahogany under it. Use what you got.

Seems like sacrilege to even post this above Herman's splendid V-braced guitar.

[Kevin in California]

Will she's a bute!

[John Parchem]

gorgeous! you had me worried when you said last ...