Tasmanian Blackwood Tenor .
Tasmanian Blackwood Tenor
A Tenor Ukulele with a scale length of 432mm and 14 Frets to the Body. This Ukulele
S/N - UKE-TBW-T003 2024 was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides, Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
One of Australia’s best-known Tonewoods, used both nationally and internationally. The curly or fiddle back forms can be visually stunning. 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 Luthiers building classical guitars, but in recent years makers have expanded production of Western steel string guitars using Red Cedar soundboards. Quarter sawn Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound. This WRC reclaimed from the Gladstone RSL Club building where it was part of a feature ceiling.
Soundboard Bracing System - Falcate
The Falcate soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 40ft 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.
Headstock (front), and Bridge – Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
The bridge is a string through design.
Headstock rear – Birdseye Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii)
Famous for its durability and extensively used for boat building in Tasmania.The Birds Eye variation is quite rare and while not suitable for structural use it is highly sort after for its aesthetic appeal. It is critically endangered and no longer harvested.
Fretboard - Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is fitted with a double action steel trussrod which is accessible through the soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Neck - Silver Ash (Flindersia bourjotiana)
A rare Queensland timber. perfect for steam bending. As Silver Ash is a durable silver-white to pale yellow timber, with open mostly straight Grain. it is suitable for boat building, Gun Stocks, Cricket Stumps, and Instrument Necks. This is a 3-piece neck, Silver Ash with a Curly Emu Apple Spine.
Bindings - Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula)
Most Emu Apple is a plain looking. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curl or fiddleback. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in Western Queensland.
Rosette – Solid Ring Design
A Ring of Gold Pearl with three asymmetrically positioned. bold Gold Pearl dots spaced 90° apart.
Tuners - Tuners - Grover Gold ‘Sta-tite’
Exceptional High-quality tuners and recognized as such around the world.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations. The 6mm 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-TBW-T003 2024 was built by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides, Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
One of Australia’s best-known Tonewoods, used both nationally and internationally. The curly or fiddle back forms can be visually stunning. 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 Luthiers building classical guitars, but in recent years makers have expanded production of Western steel string guitars using Red Cedar soundboards. Quarter sawn Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound. This WRC reclaimed from the Gladstone RSL Club building where it was part of a feature ceiling.
Soundboard Bracing System - Falcate
The Falcate soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 40ft 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.
Headstock (front), and Bridge – Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
The bridge is a string through design.
Headstock rear – Birdseye Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii)
Famous for its durability and extensively used for boat building in Tasmania.The Birds Eye variation is quite rare and while not suitable for structural use it is highly sort after for its aesthetic appeal. It is critically endangered and no longer harvested.
Fretboard - Ebony (Diospyros spp.)
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is fitted with a double action steel trussrod which is accessible through the soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Neck - Silver Ash (Flindersia bourjotiana)
A rare Queensland timber. perfect for steam bending. As Silver Ash is a durable silver-white to pale yellow timber, with open mostly straight Grain. it is suitable for boat building, Gun Stocks, Cricket Stumps, and Instrument Necks. This is a 3-piece neck, Silver Ash with a Curly Emu Apple Spine.
Bindings - Curly Emu Apple (Owenia acidula)
Most Emu Apple is a plain looking. But this tree is one in a thousand, all the timber from it has tight curl or fiddleback. The tree was removed during fencing from a property in Western Queensland.
Rosette – Solid Ring Design
A Ring of Gold Pearl with three asymmetrically positioned. bold Gold Pearl dots spaced 90° apart.
Tuners - Tuners - Grover Gold ‘Sta-tite’
Exceptional High-quality tuners and recognized as such around the world.
Nut and Saddle - Northern Territory Water Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The Nut and Saddle are handmade and fitted into their respective locations. The 6mm 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.