Watching Mike DaSilva’s video, is very inspiring. Unfortunately, after a rather spectacular woodwork lesson at school where my clumsiness left a number of class mates significantly short on limbs, I have an ASBO barring me from moving within 6 feet of tools. The solution offered to people like me is ukulele kits which require nothing more than gluing and decorating.
It has to be said, they’re not particularly inspiring. This soprano ukulele kit looks like it’s aimed at kids who want something to paint. This mahogany soprano kit is a bit more advanced with some binding to tackle. The next step up is a kit which requires a great deal more work. At the moment there’s mahogany baritone ukulele kit and a tenor ukulele kit up for sale. Rather ambitiously, they both come with full scale blue-prints of a vintage Martin ukuleles.
I’m sure these kits are instructive for people who are starting off with luthiery, but it does seem to take the fun out of it. What does excite me is the look of koa wood, but my technical expertise would limit me to nailing a lump of it to the wall.
So I’ll have to stick to ukuleles made by people who know what they’re doing. Speaking of which, the new Kala Translucent Red Mahogany Tenor Ukulele looks very nice indeed.
Here’s another Kala that I am thinking about. First I’d like to hold one before I get too carried away. Definitely a unique design for a ukulele.
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