Comment

Comment by Bluesheart on January 11, 2014 at 6:21am

Those are a couple of the prettiest things I've ever seen!!!

Comment by Truman Wold on January 10, 2014 at 1:45pm

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!

Comment by William Scott on January 10, 2014 at 11:28am

can't find mango in NM

Comment by William Scott on January 10, 2014 at 11:27am

great looking builds

 

Comment by Truman Wold on January 10, 2014 at 7:15am

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.

Comment by Randy S. Bretz on January 9, 2014 at 11:02pm

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

Comment by Delvero on January 9, 2014 at 12:18pm

Nicely done Truman! I like these.