I noticed on my most recent trip to Hawaii that many people were fascinated by the Walnut I use. Around here, it is one of the most common hardwood trees that folks plant. I often find it being given away as firewood and scraps. The board for this back/sides was from our friend Chris at thedeemill.com, probably a scrap or leftover from one of his bigger projects. The Redwood top is from the board I salvaged out of a Tacoma boat shop a couple of years ago. The neck is Spanish Cedar from a retired builder. I used simple Walnut binding to wrap it all up. It sounds dark, rich, loud and vibrant and I love the aesthetic.
“Hello friends,
This ukulele is a true gem.
I could talk about how it smells - and it smells like heaven. Or I could talk about how it feels - and it feels and plays so easy (like this Sunday morning). Maybe I could talk about how loud it can be if I reach for that, but how its nature seems to be confidently even and calm. Mostly though - the sound is exquisite. Intonation is spot-on all the way up the neck. This ukulele is capable of some mind-blowing dynamics - able to sing softly and then turn on a dime and go far louder than one might expect from a ... is this really an ukulele? Then there is the guitar-like sustain. Amazing.
When Aaron posted on social media about the Oregon walnut I already had a good idea I was already wanting this particular combination. When I saw the figure on this set, it was clear I’d need it. I asked him to go for a very understated, straightforward aesthetic on this with minimal (actually, NO) bling and using as much homogeneity as possible. Clearly he delivered with an ukulele that is all walnut save for the deep red, resonant soundboard and the Spanish cedar neck (with walnut stripe!). These Spanish cedar necks on the Beansprouts also smell so good. Kinda peppery and sweet.
The baritone is a whole new area of the ukulele for me personally and I am so enjoying it. It’s almost a completely different instrument and this one is deep and brawny and really resonant. I can see where I may end up being late for some appointments for a while. It is exceedingly difficult to put down. And I am really stoked that this thing lives at my house and not someone else’s.
Thank you so much,
- K.M. ”