Buckle up folks, because we have four alto ukuleles in a row this month! The first is spruce and maple, one of my favorite combinations. Yes, they can be loud and bright, but I like the big dynamic range and clear tone that this combination offers. The wide grain, Oregon spruce top is from Camp Westwind on the coast. The amazing quilted maple is from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. The old growth Douglas Fir neck is from a Portland floor joist, with a single nail hole. The grafted pistachio for the fretboard and headplate is from California orchards.

“The ukulele arrived today. I haven’t much time to play it yet, but I just wanted to let you know it was here, safe and sound, and it’s beautiful. My daughter is in love with it, too, and I promised I’d share. My first impression is that it has a lovely clarity and sustain, but a mellow voice. In the video you made, you highlighted the difference between how it looked at a distance, and all the beautiful details you see when you look closer. I think that’s a really great description of the uke, but I also wanted to mention that, although I’m pretty sure I never quite said that as we corresponded about building it, it’s a perfect description of the aesthetic I had been hoping for - something beautiful and well-crafted that wouldn’t attract attention from across the room, but something still worth admiring up close. That’s a kind of humble beauty the world can always use.

Update: I’m gradually getting more time to play and it’s been really rewarding. The intonation is great. I’m learning how much or how little force I can use. My hands are used to concert scale and now that I’m not overshooting my reaches so much it’s really making beautiful sounds!

- M. T. ”