Cat's Eye Ukulele

 This is the first ukulele I ever made--the type, not this particular one, and it is still one of my personal favorites.

I like it because it is kind of goofy, the body shaped liked a cat's eye, the headstock like a cat's head.  It's goofy, it's whimsical, it's "fun," whatever you want to call it, but at the same time has a simplicity to it that you could also call graceful or elegant.  I could call that, anyhow.  Am I flattering myself?  You be the judge.

Goofy or graceful or both, this ukulele probably has a limited audience:  Ukulele players who also like cats--cat lovers who also play the ukulele.  Or maybe a grandma like that who wants to give her grand daughter a whimsical gift made by someone with a childish sense of humor.

The top and back are made of Birdseye Maple, a fancy wood that I chose the Cat's Eye uke because I fancy it looks like the texture you see in a cat's eye.  Perhaps sometime I'll take the next step and stain the wood transparent green.  I really think I should do that.
I can make you one like that, if you want.  Just ask.

The Fabulous Texalele

"Here's looking at you, kid."

I guess I was was first attracted to making ukuleles because: 1) I enjoy the process of design--thinking up creative ways of  making things, and then making them:  getting an idea, developing it, bringing it into reality; 2) I like music, and I enjoy playing the ukulele (although I am a rank amateur), and I noticed that ukuleles over time had been made in a quite a variety of alternative shapes beyond the conventional guitar-like form--so designing ukuleles offered the potential of a wide scope for creative design; 3) I decided to jump into that tradition with a vengeance.

But a person can be creative making a variety of things, from pottery to furniture to any sort of art object.  The thing about a musical instrument is:  after you make it, there is music!  There is a special magic to that which is almost as magical as composing music itself.  that's how I feel about it, anyhow.

The Texalele is one of the first ukulele types I made.  Why Texas is a story I won't get into right now.  Just like the Michi-lele, which came a little later, the Texalele was an exercise is pushing the creative possibilities of ukulele design to a limit--you could say, to the point of absurdity, or at least to the point of whimsy.  (I'm not the first person to do this sort of thing:  Google "Aero Uke," for example.)

Anyhow, this is the Texalele.  I made four and have this one left.  It is the special "eyes of Texas" version.  I cut the top from a chunk of cedar, and it just so happened that two knots, looking like a pair of eyes, were there on the piece.  "Eyes of Texas"--it was like fate.

This one still has the original cheap black nylon strings I first put on it.  And it sounds pretty good for a weirdly shaped uke that was among my first efforts.

This is the kind of thing I would sort of like to keep for myself, but I will sell it if a buyer comes along and just has to have an "Eyes of Texas" ukulele, because I do make them to go out into the world.

Chunky Pineapple Ukulele

I make all my ukuleles from reclaimed woods, but this one probably looks like it more than the others because the top and back are made from barn wood pine that has some small bug holes in it (filled with epoxy before finishing).  It's made on the pattern of the famous Pineapple Ukulele introduced by the Kamaka company in the 1920s.  I call this one "chunky" because the body is somewhat larger than usual.

When I found this "buggy" pine, I wanted to use it for a top because of its funky look, plus I wanted to see how the very old and well-seasoned wood would perform as a "tonewood."  I found it works just fine--the uke has good volume and tone.

An Extravagant Uke Pitch

Oaken Shield Tenor

Introducing the mighty "Oaken Shield" ukulele, tenor size, Who makes a ukulele entirely out of oak, which is not supposed to be a "tonewood"? I just did, and it sounds great, IMHO--excellent volume and tone. Play it soft and low or hard and fast--the solidity and heft of this uke make it suitable for that whole range. It's Beauty AND the Beast all rolled into one. --Dave raberdavid@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/2ndchancewood/

Two Michi-leles and a Mod Bell

Latest out of the workshop--a Michi-lele soprano (Spalted Maple top), Michi-lele concert (Flame Box Elder top) and a Mod Bell (Elm top).  I call it a Mod Bell because I started with the idea of a traditional bell shaped ukulele and modified it.  I started out not very fond of this shape, but after making three now, I'm liking it better.  Seems to work well in terms of resonance.

Fat Triangle Tenor Uke

Sierra, a co-worker at 2nd Chance Wood Company, playing one of my Fat Triangle ukuleles.

Ukulele Workbench

Lately I've been working on a few new Michi-leles, plus a Mod Bell type, replenishing  my stock after some sales.  Still have quite a few on hand, though, for sale at 2nd Chance wood company in Durand, MI, and in fact there is a SUMMER SALE going on right now--at least 15% off everything that is out there right now, about a dozen ukuleles of various styles.

It's the Fabulous Wackylele!

I made a ukulele that's "bass-ackwards."  In God's name, WHY?  All I can say is, it felt like a mountain I had to climb.

It's the Wackylele! How did this happen?

Had an idea to make a "bass-ackwards" ukulele, and now I'm in the process.  Have I gone overboard with whimsy factor?  You be the judge.

I thought this was may original idea, but after planning it out I did find an image of one very similar to it on the internet.  I guess some whimsical ideas are arrived at independently by different creators sometimes--just like monumental breakthroughs in science. Oh, well.  I'm going to keep on it until I get the cease-and-desist letter from the the patent holder. ;-)