Folks often ask us to define “Mastergrade.” Well, it is an arbitrary term and each wood species gets treated differently. In the case of Myrtle, it follows the same terminology as Koa. There is straight grain, curly and Mastergrade. For me, Mastergrade means that it not only has consistent curl all the way across the set, but it also has a unique color or grain variation that sets it apart. Yes, I know that some folks use an “A” through “AAAAA” system, but I think that gets a little tedious. I just kind of know a Mastergrade set when I see it!

For this uke, Nan wanted a really special set of Myrtle and then asked me to decide if it should have rope binding or something simpler. It could be too busy for some folks, but I think this Myrtle with rope was a no brainer. The Oregon coast Myrtle and the California pistachio come from woodfromthewest.com and the neck is made from a piece of wormy fir that was salvaged from a barn in The Dalles, OR. It is lightly built but feels solid, with a bright but balanced tone. I heard from Nan that this uke is likely going south for the winter, safe travels!