This ukulele is for Andreas, who runs the site ukulelezeit.de. He was attracted to the wild grain, muted color palette and natural imperfections of the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic. These Myrtle alto ukuleles with asymmetrical tops and backs fit the bill and have turned into a “signature” model for Beansprout. I picked a Douglas Fir neck for him that had a beetle hole and some beautiful bark inclusions that was salvaged from a barn in The Dalles, OR. The Oregon Myrtle for the body came from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge come from California orchards. I liked this one so much that I spent awhile today practicing the song “John Henry” for our new cd on it. “I’ll die with my hammer in my hand” seems appropriate to making handmade ukes for a living!