Ukuleles from the Source

I had been searching for a source of contemporary, handmade Ukuleles that were not built in Asia. I’m not opposed to instruments manufactured overseas, it’s just that there is such a glut of them and the quality is really hit or miss. I didn’t want a huge selection, I wanted a select few of good quality and with a price point that didn’t have folks over-extending themselves.

I found my answer in a line of instruments handmade in Portugal, the birthplace of the Ukulele, or rather the source of the instruments that were later to become the guy we know today. The contemporary instrument was developed in the 1880s as a combination of the Madeiran braguinha and rajão. A braguinha is an instrument similar to a cavaquinho, built in the city of Braga and named after it; the Portuguese cavaquinho is usually tuned in D-G-B-D, a G-major chord. The Madeira rajão is tuned D-G-C-E-A. The D and G strings are both re-entrant, i.e., tuned an octave higher than expected in the normal low-to-high course of strings. The GCEA strings of the rajão are the source of the re-entrant tuning of the modern ukulele.[1.]

Tornavoz Music is a highly respected purveyor of upscale classical guitars but they also represent a forward-thinking young company called Cordoba. The design team at Cordoba are the first in developing a nylon string guitar for steel string players with a neck and action much like that found on a Martin D-28.

They also have developed a line of Solid Koa Ukuleles which are handmade to their design specifications in Portugal. The old adage "what goes around comes around," is pertinent in this situation.

I am carrying their Concert, Tenor and Tenor cut away Ukes with onboard electronics. The workmanship is excellent and of the four Concerts I inspected I only found one small fret burr and of course the solid Koa bodies and necks are a pure delight. I also received an all Koa Six string electric cutaway classical. The amplified sound of this instrument has made it impossible to put down. The Koa Concerts with a really nice canvas gig bags are priced a $269.00. The acoustic Tenor is $309.00. The electric Tenor with single cutaway is $369.00 and Koa Classic is $1000.00 plus having to pry it away from me.

A word here to mention the innovative designers and the founder of Cordoba whose academic and design credits I don’t have the room for in this blog..but briefly: The Founder is Tim Miklaucic who studied classical guitar with Celin Romero while also completing degrees in Chemistry and Philosophy at UCSD ; Kenny Hill is chief designer and production manager of all Iberia and Fusion series guitars: Ted Blochinger a master builder who has worked closely with the Romero Family and handcrafts only 10 instruments a year, he is the designer and overseer of all Espana, Artist and Custom Artist level guitars made in Spain. Look for the fusion series and the La Playa beach guitar coming in the future.

Aloha from the Garden Isle,

Tyler

[1.] Wikipedia

www.guitarskauai.com

" Ah Gee Mr. Wilson, can I keep the pedal..."

I received my order from Wilson Effects this week. There had been a bit of a delay as Kevin was without power and things were a bit chaotic in and about his one man shop. I was really looking forward to getting the effects and putting them on my shop's bench and pedal board.

In this post, I'll concentrate on the two effects pictured above: the Wilson Overdrive and the Wilson Rippah Wah. These are the basic and the most common "go to" pedals for many guitarists. As a result there are many to choose from.

I spoke with Kevin Wilson this week. He is a very direct, no B.S. fellow. He told me he is a guitar player and like many of us discovered small shop pedals and spent the rent trying them out in our ongoing search for the "tone." Kevin started to take his favorites apart to see what makes them tick. After much trial and error, R and D and parts sourcing Kevin built his line of effects.

Here's Kevin's Blurb from the Wilson Effects Website:

The Wilson Effects Overdrive is modeled after the vintage

overdrives of the past. With a warm tube sound, a slightly

deeper range and just a little more overdrive than you standard tube screamer. From the subtle sounds of laid back blues to the ripping sounds of modern rock this pedal is sure to please the pickiest of the tone hunters.
Simple to use and small and compact it's hard to believe such heavenly tones can come out of this little green box. Just 4.7 inches long by 3.7 inches wide by 1.18 inches high(plus rubber feet) it is sure to save some room on your pedal board. With input and output jacks on the back of the pedal eliminating the need for 90 degree plugs therefore saving even more room.
Built with the coveted JRC4558 this pedal is sure to pump out some major tone. Did I mention that the overdrive is also true bypass and won't suck your tone when it is off.
The overdrive comes with a 1 year parts and labor warranty on all manufacturers parts.

In my examination of the unit I found tidy construction and solid finishing in and out. The jacks, pots and switch are good quality and not plastic. The unit is solid and strong and will withstand the rigors of the lead-footed gigging player.

The sound is warm, even and accentuates the harmonics we have come to associate with overdrives of merit past and present. This unit is quiet and co-existed with all the pedals I used it with. The closest point of reference that comes to mind is the TS 808 only The Wilson is more powerful and expansive. This pedal loved the P90s on my LP it also loved my Strat and the Duncan humbuckers on my Jackson Soloist.

All in all a simple to use solidly hand crafted OD at a price point that makes ownership a no-brainer.

The Rippah Wah shares all of the construction keynotes as the OD as well as the social characteristics. It get along well with all the pedals I threw at it and performed equally well with the three pickup types I fed it. Right out of the box with no knob tweaking, it had the tastiest sweep of any wah I've played. We're going steady right now. Here's Kevin's blurb:

The Rippah Wah is also a vintage style wah. With deep lows and a very musical sweep this pedal gives new meaning to smooth. Originally meant to be played with a guitar equipped with single coil pickups we have made modifications so that even guitarists who prefer humbuckers can enjoy the sounds of this pedal. With an adjustable trimmer inside the pedal it can be set up to play with either style pickup configuration. The unique thing about this pedal is that if you leave it in the toe down position it seems to be in a bypassed state. No harsh treble just a smooth musical sweep that rivals the sounds of any vintage wah. The Rippah Wah also comes with the standard output buffer with volume control so you can use it in front of fuzz and tweek it to give you just the right amount of boost for those sweet cut through the mix solos. Every pedal also comes standard with;

Heavy duty metal enclosure
True Bypass switching
Replica Halo Inductor
Italian style tapered pot
Factory installed output buffer with volume control
Switchcraft enclosed jacks
Adjustable trimmer for pickup tuning
1 year warranty on parts and labor
Boss style 2.1mm power jack or 9v battery powered
Easy adjustable rocker tensioning
And nothing but the highest quality parts and craftsmanship available today.

Did I say that this pedal is quiet? No irritating noise from this unit and the knobs are intuitive so tweaking is simple. Again, the price point rocks, this is exceptional design and quality USA construction at a modest ticket. As Dennis aka The Menance might have whined were he a guitar player, "...gee Mr. Wilson can I keep the pedal..."

To order or for more info email at: info@guitarskauai.com

Aloha nui,

Tyler J. Barnes aka T.Dogg
Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii

The Premiere E-Zine of Low End Gear

The reality of making music and being compensated for doing it is an issue all players must grapple with. Stars make the big bucks; musicians make a living if they are fortunate, diligent and flexible. Week end warriors have day jobs to help offset the rising costs of acquiring and maintaining gear and subsidize skyrocketing transportation expenses. What about students and accomplished no-label bands just striking out on the endless road?

All players have at one time or another struggled with the money issues of purchasing gear. Public schools, once a proud supporter of music and arts have had many if not all of their programs severely restricted or eliminated by budget cuts over the last ten years.

This has cut off access to inexpensive rental and purchase programs and the associations and networks gained by music instructors and their years of work.

At the same time overseas production of low end instruments has improved tremendously as the Far East churns out more and more instruments. There is a cost to this of course. Cheap labor and less stringent environmental regulations cause human suffering and further planetary damage. With the glut of inexpensive overseas product, how does one find the gems among the mediocre and the poor?

Enter one very cool online magazine: The Frugal Guitarist. Premiering in Feb.-March of this year the magazine’s Editor in Chief, Will Chen has covered an ambitious range in his well-written explorations of low cost, alternative and highly playable guitars. Let’s face it, not everyone can afford a “dream instrument.” In addition to this economic fact, not everyone who has done any internal reflection thinks the sandbox snobbery that still permeates our crazed consumer-driven culture is a true, good or necessary thing. Playing and creating music, okay and getting noticed by other human beings, specifically of the opposite gender if you are a heterosexual are the real motivators here. Easy to forget this sometimes when one is constantly bombarded by bigger, better, more expensive, more prestigious-governed advertising.

Three cheers to Mr. Chen and his Band of Merry Men for helping us to tell the forest from the trees.

Hawaii Kamaina please sign up for your discount code at www.GuitarsKauai.com as gear is arriving daily. Until next time,

Tyle "T.Dogg J. Barnes

Guitar Heroes and a Major Innovation in Guitar Straps

I got off the phone with Doug Fairweather of Lock-It Guitar Straps last week feeling excited and a bit envious. I was checking on some details regarding delivery of Lock- It Straps to Guitars Kauai. Doug was preparing for a trip to Austin. His destination: Willie Nelson’s recording studio for a session with superb guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes of Government Mule and Allman Brothers Band. He mentioned a slew of fine players currently hanging out in Austin and also a potential hook up with the Black Crowes who were interested in his straps.

The woes of a mainland ex-patriot are small when compared with the pace and life style of everyday living on the beautiful Garden Island. Never the less, isolation and periodic outbreaks of subsequent "Rock Fever" are nagging and persistent.

In our relatively short conversation, Doug mentioned potential in-the-flesh contact with five of my favorite contemporary player/outfits, which is not a day to day occurrence on Kauai.

Besides Willie, Warren Haynes and the Crowes, Steve Earle, and members of Seattle’s Mudhoney were all names mentioned by Doug in our talk. This is quite an A-List of players catching the Buzz about Doug’s straps. The fact that I am a fan of all these folks is the itch of isolation I can’t scratch.

I haven’t gotten back to Doug about how things went, but I look forward to hearing the details. Also cool will be hearing what Warren Haynes captured from his recent efforts.

Meanwhile I am content knowing that at least for now, Guitars Kauai is the exclusive and 1^st dealer of Lock-It Guitar Straps in the State/Sovereign Kingdom of Hawaii.

We will begin with two basic designs and add more as they become available. We will have the basic black poly at $24.95 and comfy, earth-friendly, natural hemp at $39.95.

Doug’s straps are truly “a better mouse strap!”

.

Update!

The straps arrived yesterday, email info@GuitarsKauai.com and we'll get you strapped!

Resurrecting A Pineapple

Last year I worked several hospice cases. One of my clients was a great Hawaiian lady who was confined to her bed and a wheelchair as the result of a major stroke. She had also lost the ability to speak conversationally, but she could still sing and did so whenever the mood struck her. She was limited by her disability but was able to convey warmth and affection through her beautiful eyes and winning smile.

The family had an old Koa Kamaka Pineapple Ukulele on top of a display case in the living room. It was dusty, cracked and had come apart at the joints. I asked the family if they had considered restoring the instrument. After a bit of conversation, Guitars Kauai got the project.

This vintage piece was just the kind of challenge that Tero loves. The neck was intact and there was still enough wood to stand up to the sand that follows the joinery. Tero dove in and was soon completely immersed in the revival.

My client passed away during the holiday season of that year. Before her passing I was able to show her her restored ukulele and to play a couple of tunes for her. Her smile and eyes told me she was pleased with the work and the family now had an heirloom they could not only proudly display, but play as well! Tero’s skill had preserved a tuneful treasure for a generation to come.

Hawaii Kamaina please sign up for your discount code at www.GuitarsKauai.com as gear is arriving daily. Until next time,

Tyler "T.Dogg" J. Barnes