#869- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Walnut Scout Ukulele

The first uke of the year! A humble Scout, made of shop scraps and ready for fun. Port Orford Cedar from the Oregon Coast and Walnut from a local tree. Thanks for all of your support last year, we really appreciate it! This uke is off to the Scout list, email us at info@thebeansprout.com to join.

“What is it that I cannot leave the house without, without feeling ‘nekkid?” There’s the briefcase for the computer, notebooks, and odd papers, the canvas bag to carry my lunch and serve as a shopping bag on the way home, and my Scout ukulele.

It may be my Beansprout Tenor (#849)’s feisty kid brother but it stands in no one’s shadow. It’s just the right size to grab along with the other bags as I dash out the door in the morning. It has a sweet voice and is just right to take out for a little picking between one thing and another.

I wanted a Scout for the portability, and thought I’d have to wait a bit, but wound up with this one on the first try. You referred to the wood choice, walnut and curly Port Orford Cedar, elsewhere as “bread and butter for me,” and it is really beautiful. A strip of what appears to be Maple doesn’t appear in the description, but it does show up in the neck.

I like to play my tenor at home in the evenings, but, as I pack it away, I can’t seem to help but pick up the Scout, and my practice time just goes on, and on.

Your artistry shines out again.
- RGE3”

#867- Maple and Pistachio Mini Five String Banjo

I love using maple. It’s the traditional banjo wood and there is still something about the sound and feel that is “right” for me. These boards were left from our kitchen cabinets project and show nice color variation and a little curl. The Pistachio pairs well with it and I was happy to include a graft on the headstock. This one is tuned to open g and has a goat skin head. It’s loud enough, but has a nice rich sound.

#868- Cherry and Texas Ebony Five String Banjo

The Cherry and Texas Ebony combo continues to create great instruments. This one has a 12” rim with no tone ring, a goatskin head and non steel strings. It is rich, vibrant and expressive with plenty of volume but no harshness. I am very proud of it. The Cherry came from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland, the Texas Ebony from a retired builder.

“Dear Aaron, Nicole and Henry,

The stunningly beautiful banjo arrived safely and I am thrilled to learn that I am able to follow your instructional book and actually begin to play some songs. I can’t tell you what this means to me.

Aaron, the banjo surprised me on so many levels…at first, its size and weight seemed a bit daunting, after having played ukulele exclusively for years, but immediately discovered how balanced and comfortable it is to hold and how easy the low action is to play. This was all a huge relief, because I want to go after it’s particular, growly- albeit inviting- jaunty conversational sound…everyday. This banjo and I will be expressing one other’s essence. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Nicole referred to the banjo as her…hmm…she will be called Mae.

Thank you so very much!

With love and appreciation,
E. M. ”

#864- Maple and Texas Ebony Tenor Banjo Ukulele

This banjo started off as a stock instrument I’ve been chipping away at all year. When a customer contacted me about a custom build, it seemed like this one would be a good fit. I chose Maple and Texas Ebony, finished with amber shellac for a classic/antique feel. The rim is 10” instead of 8”, which doesn’t really make it louder, but gives it a fuller and deeper sound. The Maple is from the Carpenter Ant Stash and the Ebony is from a retired banjo builder.

#863- Curly Myrtle Baritone Ukulele

This instrument is a surprise from one of our customers to a friend. Such an amazingly generous gift! It’s a close copy of the previous one I built for her, featuring some beautiful Myrtle from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. I like the simple look with no binding and some reddish Pistachio to compliment the green Myrtle. Whether it’s a grand gesture or a small one, I hope you all find the time to show important people in your life how much they mean to you. Happy Holidays!

#865- Walnut and Pistachio Short Scale Five String Banjo

Most of my customers seem to ask for the non-steel string set on this model, so it was a nice change of pace to string this up with steel. It’s punchy, but rich and dark too. The wood is simple and straightforward on this one, which I also like. Sometimes the straight grain wood is easier to work with and more stable, which I feel might contribute to a stronger sound. The Walnut is from a retired furniture maker and the Pistachio comes from California orchards. It has an 11” rim with a 20” scale, which is smaller/lighter than a normal five string, but still has a solid feel and big sound.

#862- Redwood and Curly Walnut Baritone Ukulele

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. ”

#856- Cherry and Pistachio Tenor Banjo

Even when I choose pretty basic materials and design specs, there is still always something to puzzle out or improve upon. In this case, I was really focused on getting the most out of the GDAE tuning, despite the short 20” scale length. Neck angle, bridge height, string gauges, truss rod adjustment, head tension, etc…In the end, it rumbles, it purrs, it sings, especially on single note melodies and double stops. It has an 11” Cherry block rim with no tone ring and a 20” scale length supporting GDAE tuned steel strings, an octave below mandolin. The Cherry for the neck/rim and the Jatoba trim are from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. The rest is Pistachio from California orchards.

#855- Spruce and Curly Walnut Tenor Ukulele

I’ve never built a uke with Craig’s Spruce that didn’t sound good. His dad cut in many years ago in British Columbia from a float log. I’ve been using it for brace stock and tops for a few years now and it doesn’t disappoint. I like that the boards are wide enough to make one piece tops that have interesting grain and color. For #855, I paired it with some curly Oregon Walnut that I salvaged from a shop in The Dalles. The neck is some nice Port Orford Cedar and Walnut from my neighbor’s shop. I love the sound and feel of this combo, with a strong presence and sweet tone.

#851- Western Red Cedar and Mahogany Scout Ukulele

This one was really fun and a great chance to use up some special scraps. The Cedar top and neck are architectural salvage from a Hood River house, with those cool stripes and areas of texture that show their reclaimed status. The back and sides are African Mahogany and the fretboard/headplate/bridge are local walnut. I wrapped it all up with some shop made, random species rope binding. It’s off to the Scout waiting list.

#854- Spruce and Mastergrade Myrtle Tenor Ukulele

Spruce and Myrtle has proven really popular around here the last couple of years. It is loud, sweet, vibrant and “green” to me. (Do you ever hear colors?) The Spruce is from British Columbia, cut by our friend Craig’s dad. The Myrtle is some fancy stuff I got from Mya-Moe when my bosses retired. The neck is Port Orford Cedar from the Oregon coast. The rest is some local walnut. It has our special bird’s foot purfling, a low g and a K&K pickup. Let’s make some more “green” ukes, ok?

#857- Curly Walnut and Pistachio Mini Five String Banjo

I’m still surprised by the sound of this little thing, especially in open g tuning. I designed it for a higher tuning, but it’s a found a niche for banjo players who need a smaller instrument, whether for travel or due to physical needs. The curly Walnut on this instrument is subtle but has a lot of character. It comes from a local tree via The Dee Mill. The multi colored Pistachio is from California orchards and is a nice contrast to the Walnut. When you add the brass hardware and goat skin head, it really ties it all together.

#858- Cedar and Curly Walnut Alto Ukulele

This ukulele is a good representation of what I do:

1) Local woods, harvested and milled by me.
2) Simple aesthetic with interesting wood grain.
3) Easy playability and good intonation.
4) Loud and rich voice with nice sustain.

#853- Curly Walnut Tenor Banjo Ukulele

The root of this project was a banjo uke I made for myself last year that used a 10” vintage rim. I really liked it and folks started to ask for it after hearing me play it. This one is all Walnut from trees I’ve milled and I really like the look of just one species of wood. The 10” rim seems to have a little more air and resonance behind the notes and looks and feels proportional to me. Can’t wait to get it in your hands, Louise, and Happy Birthday!

FYI- I have parts set aside for a Maple one this winter, drop me a line if you are interested.

#850- Fir and Koa Rajao

This is my second instrument for my Kingdom Era Ukulele project, made possible by a grant from Mortise & Tenon magazine. For this project I went to Hawaii and studied instruments from the 1880-1890’s, built by the three original Portuguese builders. This instrument, the Rajao, is the larger five string ancestor of the ukulele. I used only appropriate hand tools, traditional methods and the same materials as the original builders for this instrument. It is constructed with hot hide glue and finished with shellac and wax. I hope in the future to build more instruments inspired by this design for customers. It has been fun, interesting, challenging and humbling to learn about this subject and I can’t wait to do keep going. Thanks to Mortise & Tenon, Shawn from the Honoka’upu collection and the Bishop Museum for their support.

#845- Cedar, Fir and Maple Baritone Ukulele

This instrument is for Evan, who has been sending me boards of salvaged Western Red Cedar for a few years now. This is the water tank cedar from Vashon Island that many of you are familiar with. The second wood is some old Douglas Fir, also from Vashon Island that I used for back, sides and neck. The rest is maple, with a little amber stain to make it look old and glow a bit. Every Cedar top I have used from this stash has sounded great and this one is no exception. The whole instrument growls and purrs in my lap, with a loud attack and warm sustain.

#847- Curly Maple and Pistachio Tenor Banjo Ukulele

Maple is the first wood I ever built banjo ukes from and I still love the sound. Bright and loud but also precise and sweet. This extra curly western big leaf Maple is from the estate of luthier John Sullivan. The small pieces passed through a few different hands till they got to me, perfect for these little banjos, The gray/green Pistachio is from California orchards and presents a nice contrast to the Maple. Big leaf Maple is softer than eastern Maple, which I think makes a softer and more balanced tone.

#849- Cedar and Cherry Tenor Ukulele

Wow- this one really has autumn vibes. Break out the decorative gourds! The top is a single piece of salvaged Western Red Cedar and the back is some Cherry from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. Both have little marks and natural flaws that give them character. The neck is some Douglas Fir, salvaged from a floor joist. The fretboard/headplate/bridge are Jatoba, a South American wood I salvage from old flooring scraps. Some bright maple binding and a Santo style headstock add some visual flare. It sounds nice too, rich and warm with a dusty texture. I think I’ll go rake some leaves and put a sweater on.

“Dear, Aaron, Nicole, and Henry,
The Ukulele arrived a week ago, and I’ve spent time with it every day.

I am someone who never should be trusted at a buffet, and, having worked my way through the various ukes in the gallery I was overwhelmed with the choices. I put myself on a ‘diet’ and only requested a cherry back and sides and simple binding; Aaron knows more about ukes and woods than I ever will, so I trusted his judgment on the rest. I could not be more pleased. Each of the woods is a rich color that melds perfectly with the others. Every wood has its own distinct character, but they all come together. The maple binding has an alternating pattern of light and “not so light” that gives the impression of a very subtle rope binding.

The action is light and quick. My 70-year-old hands find barre chords easy to play. The tone is true and rich and goes quite well with my baritone voice. I look forward to getting to know this instrument and hearing how it matures.

I played in a 3 uke session yesterday and this one held its own, singing out on solos, but giving up nothing as part of the group.

Finally, Aaron’s shop must smell wonderful. As I play, there is an incredible perfume that comes out of the sound hole.

Thank you for the care you’ve put in this instrument.

- R. E. ”

#846- Bearclaw Spruce and Curly Koa Alto Ukulele

This is an instrument for a friend and patron of ours who already has an alto ukulele made of Sycamore. This time she wanted a brighter sound, so we chose Spruce and Koa for the main woods. She also asked for a quilt square inlay, which was a fun challenge to piece together. I looked at quilts and barn hexes from the part of Pennsylvania that the Keim family first settled for inspiration. We chose Jatoba for the fretboard/headplate/bridge, which is a dense wood salvaged from flooring scraps. Some curly Maple binding ties it together. The Koa is from our friend Bart’s mill in Hawaii. We will donate to plant more native Hawaiian trees here.

#844- Mango Tenor Ukulele

As many of you know, I don’t use much tropical wood. When I do, it’s either salvaged wood or wood from a trusted sustainable source. Even though Mango is a common ukulele wood and we used it a lot at Mya-Moe, it just hasn’t been available under the above conditions to me. This summer, Perry and Dani brought me some end tables that were basically blocks of mango wood made from tree trunks. I split them, sawed them and found many ukulele sets and some neck blanks. I figured I should do a test and remind myself what it sounds like. I think it’s warmer than Myrtle but brighter than Koa, with a sweet and traditional voice that sounds familiar to me. I paired it with a Pistachio fretboard, headplate, bridge and rosette. Some curly Maple binding wraps it up. I have plenty of this, including curly, spalted and Mastergrade sets, so drop me a line if you want it on your next uke. This is a stock instrument, available for $1900 in a hard shell case plus shipping. I can switch it to low g or add a pickup if you are interested. Click here to purchase.