Official Luthiers Forum!

I had a great visit at the Texas Ukefest in San Antonio, TX last week. As promised I took a few photos to share.

It's a very small event, but attracts some really attracts some great folks. I was the only builder this year. I took a great order and found a buyer for an unfinished uke that's been mouldering in the corner of my shop.

The event benefits kids and seniors uke programs in and around SA.



Mark Guttierez, of Omaha, plays a Ko'aloha Pineapple Sundae. The Pineapple Sundae had great toen and incredible projection. Action was like velvet. I didn't care for the heavy finish...including on the fingerboard.



Another view of the Sundae.



Pops Bayless of Shorty Long (and founding member of the Asylum Street Spankers) fiddles with one of mine. ("It's a killer!") Pops endorses Mike DaSilva's ukes. Mike made him a really great uke. I'll post photos later.

This is my personal uke. I played through the first top (a la Willy Nelson) and have recently replaced it. I fit it with a small maple "pickguard" with a rope binding. I could have sold a half dozen. I took orders!



My very modest table. Mine are on the right. A dealers ukes on the left...mostly Bushman Jenny's and Ko'alohas. I had the computer scrolling workshop photos and with uke audio.



The other end of the table.



Dinner with Mysterious John (another Spanker alumn), Michelle Kiba of Santa Cruz and Pops Bayless. We were also joined by Mark Gutierrez and Bob Guz of Shorty Long. these folks have some killer chops (as does the roadhouse).



Mark Gutierrez was raised taking mariachi lessons and wanted to take me to
The Mariachi Connection to see guitars. What a great experience. This is the back of a Vihuela. If I'm remebering correctly it has 3 or 4 gut frets.




The front.

These are interesting. Mexican instruments have an entirely different aesthetic than many of ours. Great shellwork!. These instruments weighed much less than expected and had great tone and intonation. A very interesting visit!



Some authentic Mariachis! We had to be told that our hats were on backwards!

Fun on the OLF with your pics and byelines. Thanks Geoff, that was neat. Glad you had a good time and sold some little guitars.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Wow! Thanks for the great write up. Wish I coulda been there. The vihuela is an interesting instrument. There may be one in my future.

D..

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D..

Very nice Geoff. thanks for the pictures. Love that mariachi.

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Geoff, that looks like fun.
Any idea what the Vihuela was made of?
That looks a challenging instrument!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I'm not sure what the tops are. I asked and the wood was unfamiliar. It was white and open grained. The website says that the guitarrone has a tacote top. The backs and sides (and neck?) are cedar. It looks to aromatic. An all red cedar uke might be an interesting experiment.

What really struck me was the weight. These instruments were virtually weightless. They had no back bracing, but relied on the extreme belly for strength.

The gentleman, at the store, explained tunings and demonstrated each instrument's role in the mariachi band. The guitarrone actually plays chords, in octaves.

This was all new territory for me and I wish I had absorbed more.

Looks like you had a fun time. Thanks for the report.