To make ukuleles; using nature’s shady arms

How to make ukuleles is a question I am sure a lot of people out there would ask when they have experienced the musical sounds from a ukulele and wonder, how do you create an instrument that can charm the wings off angels, which can give you a feeling of joy beyond compare? The alluring sounds of a Polynesian ukulele will put you under a spell and only it can release you when it is ready to.

Ukuleles have over the centuries evolved from a guitar shape traditional Hawaiian ”Kamaka” to that of the carved Tahitian style uke, with Polynesian designs engraved on the instrument for decoration. In some cases these particular wooden marvels have up to eight strings, double your standard four strings on your most common ukuleles. The traditional model of a ukulele is that of a very small guitar shape with only four strings.

Ukulele

To make ukuleles in this fashion has be done for years, the concept is a simple one because of the ease that a guitar can be produced. Making the smaller, smaller version is quicker and not so time consuming. As for the carved Tahitian ukulele, the carver has to find that special piece of timber that when he looks at it, he can hear the sounds of the ukulele he is about to create. Normally this type of ukulele is made out of one piece of wood that is hand crafted with the skills of a surgeon.

The amount of handwork that goes into this form of building an implement that when completed would ” WOW” even the most experience wooden instrument maker is unbelievable to say the least. You would think that this ukulele design style would need two to three people to achieve the finished product; I mean even the purist ukulele or musical enthusiast who did not know the beginnings of this type of uke, would probably not realise that this harmonious piece of brilliance was carved from a single piece of timber by one carver with that passion to share his gift.

So when you pick up or purchase a ukulele whether it is a very small guitar style or the carved Polynesian version, just take the time to hold it and feel the music that will eventually come from it.

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