Tasmanian Blackwood Tenor
full description below the gallery
Tasmanian Blackwood Tenor
A Tenor Ukulele with a scale length of 432mm and 14 Frets to the Body. This Ukulele
S/N - UKE-TBW-T005 2026 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. This Back and Side Set is an excellent example of the deep Fiddle back figure that this species is renowned for.
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 increases 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 - Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii)
Engelmann is valued for its colour, tight grain, and light weight. Rarer than Sitka Spruce, often used in high end instruments.
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.
Neck - American Curly Maple (Acer spp.)
One of the most popular woods for stringed instruments. It is very stable and can be visually stunning.
This is a 3-piece neck, all Curly Maple with Black/white Maple accent lines. The Neck has a double Carbon Fibre Trussrod.
Headstock, Fretboard, Bridge and Bindings - Indian Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is bound with maple purfling and Ebony. The Bridge is a Gladstone Ukuleles ‘String Through Design’.
Headstock (rear) – Black, Ringed Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Australia's hardest wood. It has tight interlocking grain making it ideal for these applications. “Ringed” Gidgee is the curly grain form, it can be visually stunning and is considerably rarer.
Rosette - Open Design using Rare Timber Segments
Seven Segments of Rare Timbers, Black Gidgee, Birdseye Huon Pine, Conkerberry, New Guinea Rosewood Burl and Ringed Gidgee, arranged over 2 rings of different diameters. With some Black Maple accent lines.
Tuners - Gotoh Baby 510, in Black with Ziricote Buttons
Exceptional High-quality tuners, consistently ranked at the top of the industry by musical instrument makers. Manufacturer in Japan and distributed worldwide GOTOH GUT Co., Ltd. began manufacturing stringed instrument parts in 1960. The SG510 Baby series Tuners are the smallest closed gear tuners on the market and have quickly become one of their Flagship models. These high tech, precision cut, Sealed Gear type tuners are lubricated for life with an 18:1 ratio giving the player a positive confident feel.
Nut and Saddle - NT Buffalo Horn
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 others, giving a warm/mellow Classical Guitar type sound.
Finish - Hand Polished High Gloss Pre-Catalyzed 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.
Pickup – This Ukulele is Pickup Ready
An output Jack compensation block has been fitted in the lowerbout, and the bridge saddle slot has the required holes drilled in it for an undersaddle Piezo Element.
A Tenor Ukulele with a scale length of 432mm and 14 Frets to the Body. This Ukulele
S/N - UKE-TBW-T005 2026 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. This Back and Side Set is an excellent example of the deep Fiddle back figure that this species is renowned for.
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 increases 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 - Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii)
Engelmann is valued for its colour, tight grain, and light weight. Rarer than Sitka Spruce, often used in high end instruments.
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.
Neck - American Curly Maple (Acer spp.)
One of the most popular woods for stringed instruments. It is very stable and can be visually stunning.
This is a 3-piece neck, all Curly Maple with Black/white Maple accent lines. The Neck has a double Carbon Fibre Trussrod.
Headstock, Fretboard, Bridge and Bindings - Indian Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)
Jet black, hard-wearing with a tight interlocking grain make this species ideal for these applications.
The fretboard has a Zero Fret, Compound Radius and is bound with maple purfling and Ebony. The Bridge is a Gladstone Ukuleles ‘String Through Design’.
Headstock (rear) – Black, Ringed Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Australia's hardest wood. It has tight interlocking grain making it ideal for these applications. “Ringed” Gidgee is the curly grain form, it can be visually stunning and is considerably rarer.
Rosette - Open Design using Rare Timber Segments
Seven Segments of Rare Timbers, Black Gidgee, Birdseye Huon Pine, Conkerberry, New Guinea Rosewood Burl and Ringed Gidgee, arranged over 2 rings of different diameters. With some Black Maple accent lines.
Tuners - Gotoh Baby 510, in Black with Ziricote Buttons
Exceptional High-quality tuners, consistently ranked at the top of the industry by musical instrument makers. Manufacturer in Japan and distributed worldwide GOTOH GUT Co., Ltd. began manufacturing stringed instrument parts in 1960. The SG510 Baby series Tuners are the smallest closed gear tuners on the market and have quickly become one of their Flagship models. These high tech, precision cut, Sealed Gear type tuners are lubricated for life with an 18:1 ratio giving the player a positive confident feel.
Nut and Saddle - NT Buffalo Horn
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 others, giving a warm/mellow Classical Guitar type sound.
Finish - Hand Polished High Gloss Pre-Catalyzed 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.
Pickup – This Ukulele is Pickup Ready
An output Jack compensation block has been fitted in the lowerbout, and the bridge saddle slot has the required holes drilled in it for an undersaddle Piezo Element.