Hairy Oak Tenor
A Tenor Ukulele with a scale length of 432mm and 14 Frets to the Body. This Ukulele S/N - UKE-HO-T001 2024
was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides - Hairy Oak (Allocasuarina inophloia)
Usually a shrub or small tree, hairy oak has unique bark that has given rise to several different common names, such as stringybark oak and woolly oak. Despite its name, hairy oak is not a true oak, (Quercus genus) but is part of the unrelated Allocasuarina genus
commonly known as sheoaks.
The grain structure is as unusual as the bark, having red brick brown heartwood with large chocolate medullary rays, no two pieces the same.
Body Construction – High Impedance Double Linings
The joints from Sides to the Soundboard and to the Back are double lined (a Kerfed Lining and an internal Rimband) this increased the rigidity/impedance of the joint which in turn improves the overtones and sound complexity/quality.
Back Bracing – Live Bracing
The Back Bracing is a “Live Bracing Design “which increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made with a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Sound Board - Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
As a tonewood, Western Red Cedar was "discovered" relatively recently. Over the last 30 years Red Cedar has gained tremendous popularity. Initially, it was taken up by Spanish builders building classical guitars, but in recent years guitar makers have expanded production of Western steel string guitars using Red Cedar soundboards. Well quartered Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound.
Soundboard Bracing System - Falcate
The Falcate soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 20ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Falcate (sickle shaped) Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into sickle shapes that are radiused to 20ft. The Bracing tops were profiled. This radiused/curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Fretboard and Bridge - Hairy Oak (Allocasuarina inophloia)
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is bound with Dead Finish with a maple accent purfling. The Bridge is a Gladstone Guitars ‘String Through Design’
Tuners - Tuners - Grover Chrome ‘Sta-tite’
Grover’s very popular guitar style open-gear Ukulele tuners, these are the long string post model to suit the thicker Headstock. They come with a “Lifetime Warranty”.
Headstock (front) - Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula) via Clermont
Most Emu Apple has a plain looking grain structure. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curls. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in central western Queensland
Bindings – Dead Finish (Archidendropsis basaltica) via Clermont
Endemic to Central Queensland where it has quite a wide range, it can be a shrub or tree to 10M, very slow growing. The wood is close/interlocked grain, dense and very hard. Grain is mostly straight, but some pieces have stunning figure.
Neck - Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana)
Perhaps Australian’s Best Tonewood. Highly sought after by Australian Luthiers. Heartwood ranges from yellow to golden or reddish brown, darkening with age. Narrow white sapwood is differentiated from heartwood. The grain is interlocked and sometimes wavy. Texture medium to coarse with a good natural luster. Sometimes referred to as “silkwood” because of its luster. This is a 3-piece neck, Queensland Maple with a Ringed Gidgee Spine with Black/white Maple accent lines. It’s fitted with a double action steel trussrod which is accessible through the soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Rosette – Paua Shell Ring
A white Mother of Pearl Shell ring, with black/white Maple accent lines.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations.
The 3mm saddle is a firm fit into the Bridge but can be removed if needed. It has a line scribed along the soundhole face; this indicates the orientation of the saddle in the bridge. The instruments intonation has been set using the saddle, so it’s important that the saddle goes back with the correct orientation. The Nut has been slotted to suit the as fitted Strings. The Nut is also a firm fit; a small amount of CA glue has been put under it to hold it in place while changing strings.
Strings – Worth Brown Fluorocarbon Low G
Strings are an important part of any instruments sound structure. We have tested numerous different string types on our Tenor Ukuleles and found that the ‘Worth’ Brown Fluorocarbon far outperforms any others, giving a warm/mellow Classical Guitar type sound.
Finish - Hand Polished High Gloss Nitro Cellulous Lacquer
A hardwearing lacquer that is chemical resistant and easily repaired. Approximately 20 coats of Lacquer are applied, after curing the lacquer is hand levelled, cut, and polished to a mirror finish.
A Tenor Ukulele with a scale length of 432mm and 14 Frets to the Body. This Ukulele S/N - UKE-HO-T001 2024
was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides - Hairy Oak (Allocasuarina inophloia)
Usually a shrub or small tree, hairy oak has unique bark that has given rise to several different common names, such as stringybark oak and woolly oak. Despite its name, hairy oak is not a true oak, (Quercus genus) but is part of the unrelated Allocasuarina genus
commonly known as sheoaks.
The grain structure is as unusual as the bark, having red brick brown heartwood with large chocolate medullary rays, no two pieces the same.
Body Construction – High Impedance Double Linings
The joints from Sides to the Soundboard and to the Back are double lined (a Kerfed Lining and an internal Rimband) this increased the rigidity/impedance of the joint which in turn improves the overtones and sound complexity/quality.
Back Bracing – Live Bracing
The Back Bracing is a “Live Bracing Design “which increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made with a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Sound Board - Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
As a tonewood, Western Red Cedar was "discovered" relatively recently. Over the last 30 years Red Cedar has gained tremendous popularity. Initially, it was taken up by Spanish builders building classical guitars, but in recent years guitar makers have expanded production of Western steel string guitars using Red Cedar soundboards. Well quartered Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound.
Soundboard Bracing System - Falcate
The Falcate soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 20ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Falcate (sickle shaped) Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into sickle shapes that are radiused to 20ft. The Bracing tops were profiled. This radiused/curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Fretboard and Bridge - Hairy Oak (Allocasuarina inophloia)
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is bound with Dead Finish with a maple accent purfling. The Bridge is a Gladstone Guitars ‘String Through Design’
Tuners - Tuners - Grover Chrome ‘Sta-tite’
Grover’s very popular guitar style open-gear Ukulele tuners, these are the long string post model to suit the thicker Headstock. They come with a “Lifetime Warranty”.
Headstock (front) - Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula) via Clermont
Most Emu Apple has a plain looking grain structure. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curls. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in central western Queensland
Bindings – Dead Finish (Archidendropsis basaltica) via Clermont
Endemic to Central Queensland where it has quite a wide range, it can be a shrub or tree to 10M, very slow growing. The wood is close/interlocked grain, dense and very hard. Grain is mostly straight, but some pieces have stunning figure.
Neck - Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana)
Perhaps Australian’s Best Tonewood. Highly sought after by Australian Luthiers. Heartwood ranges from yellow to golden or reddish brown, darkening with age. Narrow white sapwood is differentiated from heartwood. The grain is interlocked and sometimes wavy. Texture medium to coarse with a good natural luster. Sometimes referred to as “silkwood” because of its luster. This is a 3-piece neck, Queensland Maple with a Ringed Gidgee Spine with Black/white Maple accent lines. It’s fitted with a double action steel trussrod which is accessible through the soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Rosette – Paua Shell Ring
A white Mother of Pearl Shell ring, with black/white Maple accent lines.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations.
The 3mm saddle is a firm fit into the Bridge but can be removed if needed. It has a line scribed along the soundhole face; this indicates the orientation of the saddle in the bridge. The instruments intonation has been set using the saddle, so it’s important that the saddle goes back with the correct orientation. The Nut has been slotted to suit the as fitted Strings. The Nut is also a firm fit; a small amount of CA glue has been put under it to hold it in place while changing strings.
Strings – Worth Brown Fluorocarbon Low G
Strings are an important part of any instruments sound structure. We have tested numerous different string types on our Tenor Ukuleles and found that the ‘Worth’ Brown Fluorocarbon far outperforms any others, giving a warm/mellow Classical Guitar type sound.
Finish - Hand Polished High Gloss Nitro Cellulous Lacquer
A hardwearing lacquer that is chemical resistant and easily repaired. Approximately 20 coats of Lacquer are applied, after curing the lacquer is hand levelled, cut, and polished to a mirror finish.