Macadamia Tenor
Macadamia Tenor
A Tenor Ukulele (Scale Length of 432mm) with 14 Frets to the Body and 36mm at the nut, and is fitted with an adjustable double action steel trussrod, has a compound radiused fretboard, with Evo Gold fret wire, and a string through bridge. The side to back and side to soundboard joints are doubled up, a Kerfed lining with rimband over that. This Ukulele S/N - UKE-Mac-T002 was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Fitted with a MiSi Battery-less Pickup c/w LR Baggs Piezo under-saddle element
Back and Sides – Macadamia/Queensland Nut/Bauple Nut (Macadamia integrifolia)
Both literally and figuratively, this hardwood perhaps lives under the shadow of its nut-bearing branches, with Macadamia being a name associated with food, and not timber. However, the Oak-like timber that the tree yields is highly decorative, and perfectly suited for smaller specialty projects. Macadamia Nut is in the Proteaceae family, making it a true lacewood relative, which also includes Silky Oak and Leopardwood. The tree this timber came from grew at Boreen Point, Queensland.
Back Bracing – Live Bracing Design
The Back Bracing is a “Live Bracing Design” which is tuned and increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made within a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Sound Board - Adirondack Spruce (Picea rubens)
Adirondack or Red spruce is considered by many to be The Holy Grail of Soundboards. With too many desirable qualities to list all here. To mention a few, It’s louder with a higher ceiling volume, and more dynamic than Sitka Spruce and has less distortion when played aggressively.
Soundboard Bracing - Falcate
The soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled on the soundboard in a 20ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into Falcate (sickle) shapes, the gluing edges are profiled to fit into the 20ft radius. The tops of the braces have been profiled/tuned. This radiused and curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Headstock and Bindings – Black Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Gidgee is perhaps Australia's hardest wood. This is the same species as Ringed Gidgee except it is much darker, nearly black. It came from Central Western Queensland near Isisford.
Headstock Rear – Birdseye Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii)
Fretboard and Bridge - Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
Rosette- Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula)
Most Emu Apple is straight grained. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curl. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in central western Queensland.
Tuners – Grover ‘Statite’ in Gold
High-quality open gear tuners. Well-known and respected in the Luthier world.
Fretwire – Jescar Evo-Gold
EVO Gold wire is a harder alloy material than traditional 18% nickel silver though not as hard as stainless steel. It has excellent working properties and provides the player with increased fret life and a more Stainless Steel-like feel.
Neck – African Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis)
The timber is highly valued, it is used in boat building, flooring, furniture, veneer, decorative work, cabinetry, and musical instruments. This African Mahogany was grown is Australian. Like many of us, it too migrated to Australia.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations. The 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 instrument’s 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 (Scale Length of 432mm) with 14 Frets to the Body and 36mm at the nut, and is fitted with an adjustable double action steel trussrod, has a compound radiused fretboard, with Evo Gold fret wire, and a string through bridge. The side to back and side to soundboard joints are doubled up, a Kerfed lining with rimband over that. This Ukulele S/N - UKE-Mac-T002 was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Fitted with a MiSi Battery-less Pickup c/w LR Baggs Piezo under-saddle element
Back and Sides – Macadamia/Queensland Nut/Bauple Nut (Macadamia integrifolia)
Both literally and figuratively, this hardwood perhaps lives under the shadow of its nut-bearing branches, with Macadamia being a name associated with food, and not timber. However, the Oak-like timber that the tree yields is highly decorative, and perfectly suited for smaller specialty projects. Macadamia Nut is in the Proteaceae family, making it a true lacewood relative, which also includes Silky Oak and Leopardwood. The tree this timber came from grew at Boreen Point, Queensland.
Back Bracing – Live Bracing Design
The Back Bracing is a “Live Bracing Design” which is tuned and increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made within a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Sound Board - Adirondack Spruce (Picea rubens)
Adirondack or Red spruce is considered by many to be The Holy Grail of Soundboards. With too many desirable qualities to list all here. To mention a few, It’s louder with a higher ceiling volume, and more dynamic than Sitka Spruce and has less distortion when played aggressively.
Soundboard Bracing - Falcate
The soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled on the soundboard in a 20ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into Falcate (sickle) shapes, the gluing edges are profiled to fit into the 20ft radius. The tops of the braces have been profiled/tuned. This radiused and curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Headstock and Bindings – Black Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Gidgee is perhaps Australia's hardest wood. This is the same species as Ringed Gidgee except it is much darker, nearly black. It came from Central Western Queensland near Isisford.
Headstock Rear – Birdseye Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii)
Fretboard and Bridge - Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
Rosette- Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula)
Most Emu Apple is straight grained. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curl. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in central western Queensland.
Tuners – Grover ‘Statite’ in Gold
High-quality open gear tuners. Well-known and respected in the Luthier world.
Fretwire – Jescar Evo-Gold
EVO Gold wire is a harder alloy material than traditional 18% nickel silver though not as hard as stainless steel. It has excellent working properties and provides the player with increased fret life and a more Stainless Steel-like feel.
Neck – African Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis)
The timber is highly valued, it is used in boat building, flooring, furniture, veneer, decorative work, cabinetry, and musical instruments. This African Mahogany was grown is Australian. Like many of us, it too migrated to Australia.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations. The 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 instrument’s 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.