Posted by Truman Wold on January 9, 2014 at 3:01pm
I made a pair of concert sized cigar box ukuleles for my sister and brother for Christmas. Mango neck, CBGitty rosewood fretboard, custom made mahogany plywood box and ohia wood bridge. I live in Hawaii and wanted to use local wood, hence the mango and ohia.
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William, if you absolutely HAVE to get your hands on mango wood or koa, and you don't mind paying for shipping, there's a dealer here on the Big Island that will take your money. The place is called Aloha Woods and they are great people. http://www.alohawoods.com/
My problem is opposite of yours...the cost of regular old oak is obscene for me here in Hawaii because it has to be shipped in!
Thanks Randy and Delvero. After making these first instruments I am afraid I am hooked! Good to be a part of the Cigar Box Nation.
Randy, mango is actually pretty soft. It is beautiful with a lot of swirl and color variation in it, mostly yellow and gray. This piece is spalted with all those black veins, making it particularly striking. I couldn't bear to cover it up inside the box, so I came up with the spliced top design you see.
The other Hawaiian wood I used in these ukes was ohia for the bridge. It is very hard and chocolate brown, sometimes with a purplish sheen. When I graduate to making my own fretboards that is what I will use.
Really like the look of that Mango wood. Is it a really hard ? I make custom bone slides with wood tops, I`m going to have to check that wood out....and awesome uke builds...really like the design. thx
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Those are a couple of the prettiest things I've ever seen!!!
William, if you absolutely HAVE to get your hands on mango wood or koa, and you don't mind paying for shipping, there's a dealer here on the Big Island that will take your money. The place is called Aloha Woods and they are great people. http://www.alohawoods.com/
My problem is opposite of yours...the cost of regular old oak is obscene for me here in Hawaii because it has to be shipped in!
can't find mango in NM
great looking builds
Thanks Randy and Delvero. After making these first instruments I am afraid I am hooked! Good to be a part of the Cigar Box Nation.
Randy, mango is actually pretty soft. It is beautiful with a lot of swirl and color variation in it, mostly yellow and gray. This piece is spalted with all those black veins, making it particularly striking. I couldn't bear to cover it up inside the box, so I came up with the spliced top design you see.
The other Hawaiian wood I used in these ukes was ohia for the bridge. It is very hard and chocolate brown, sometimes with a purplish sheen. When I graduate to making my own fretboards that is what I will use.
Really like the look of that Mango wood. Is it a really hard ? I make custom bone slides with wood tops, I`m going to have to check that wood out....and awesome uke builds...really like the design. thx
Nicely done Truman! I like these.