Whereas, a Hawaiian ukulele is probably built for (and by) people who have Hawaiian music roots and like a punchy, woody sound. This might be reflected in a uke with a chimey, bright tone. This is often dictated by the style of music native to the area and the inherent vision of the builder.įor instance, an instrument built in Michigan, USA might be intended for people who have folk and blues music roots. While the build quality between ukuleles from Hawaiʻi and those hand-built elsewhere are often very similar, many times the tonal outcomes are different. Here’s a Kala that’s hand built in Petaluma, CA at a large scale, though many of these international handmade ukes are crafted in small, one-person shops These might include spruce, walnut, cherry, maple, rosewood, zebrawood, and sapele. Internationally hand-crafted ukulele are instruments that are hand-built elsewhere in the world than Hawaiʻi and primarily use local tonewoods. While each ukulele may be assembled at some point by a person, it is often done in an assembly line.īuilding an instrument in this way doesn’t allow for the human touch and attention to detail that so often creates a magical depth or color of an instrument. In contrast to ukulele that are Hawaiian, we can call all other ukulele “non-Hawaiian.” These can be put into two categories– factory-made imports and internationally handmade ukulele.Ī factory-made instrument ( like this) will have the majority of its parts – such as the body, neck, binding, and bracing – cut by machines. Some hand made ukes sound amazing, some sound okay, but a uke that is built with precision technology can split the difference 99% of the time. Building by hand injects human magic by compromising consistency. Technology provides a consistency of build at the cost of tonal character. There are trade offs between machine and hand made instruments. If you’re curious which parts a certain company hand crafts or CNCs, check out some of these videos: The build process of most shops can now be inspected online. What is considered “hand-built” exists on a spectrum and it is rare now to find a production-level instrument that has been 100 percent crafted by hand. Some companies maintain the integrity of the hand-building process by hand sanding the parts after they are laser cut. Machines now enable builders to laser cut the necks, bridges, and other parts, lending a new level of precision that cannot be achieved by handcrafting. Technology has also moved ukulele building away from strict hand-crafting. These woods may not be grown and harvested in Hawaiʻi, but the fact that the instrument has roots in Hawaiian ukulele crafting traditions still means that they are sought-after contemporary variations. These may include spruce for soundboards, mahogany for the bodies, or ebony for fingerboards. The scarcity of Hawaiian woods has forced many builders to use materials from other parts of the world. Ukulele craftsmanship has evolved over the last twenty years. Often referred to as the “Martin Guitars” of ukulele, Kamaka are prized for their adherence to the traditional style of building that began in Hawaiʻi in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. They have been family owned and operated since 1916. Of the four brands, Kamaka is the most well known.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |