I have been building Michi-leles since 2007, soon after I started making ukes, and this type has been my most popular model among the many different types I build (all of them "alternative" ukuleles that do not look like miniature guitars).
Anyone who lives in the Great Lakes State, like me, will immediately recognize that the body of the uke is shaped like the state's Lower Peninsula (the Mitten); and in order to not leave out an essential part of the state, the head stock is shaped like our Upper Peninsula (as viewed with the neck held horizontal). It took a bit of finagling, but I managed to work out the peg positions so the strings and knob positions would work out.
I've sold about three dozen Michi-leles, a few to collectors who have more than one or two ukes, but I believe most were bought players who play their Michi-leles on a regular basis. I'm glad to add a Michi-lele to anyone's collection, but I have to emphasize that it is not meant to be merely a display item or conversation piece, it is meant to be played--and happily, as it turns out, the lower Michigan mitten shape makes for an effective sound box. The Michi-lele sounds good.
A few weeks ago Amy, a dedicated uke player--belonging to a large and active ukulele group in Colorado--contacted me by email about a custom-made tenor ukulele, tuned to low-G. I sell thru Etsy and at a retail set-up in my town of Ovid, MI, and I also sell directly to customers led to me thru social media or otherwise. Amy and I had a back-and-forth about the types of wood I had available for her uke (I build with 100% reclaimed wood), I sent her the specs we agreed on via email, and we were off to the races.
The following pix show the building process for Amy's Michi-lele
The main parts before cutting, including the blocks for the body glued up and clamped before the sides are cut out on the band saw..
The body sides cut to shape, the back and front cut out rough, the block for the neck and the blank for the fret board.
The parts all put together, including the fret board with frets, ready for final sanding clean-up as the prep for finishing.
And here is the finished uke--Cherry top and head stock veneer, Oak fret board and saddle--characteristic Michigan woods, for sure.
Right now I have one concert size Michi-lele in stock, I am building a custom one for a local customer, and another stock one, soprano size, will be coming soon.
I never get tired of making Michi-leles because to me it is a great example of a "novelty" uke, and at the same time a good quality instrument musically, and well-built. It currently sells for around $400 or less, according to size
