Official Luthiers Forum!

I`ve been in Kauai for the last twelve days.While there I met a guy in a shop in a town called Hanapepe who made furniture out of local Koa.It was spectacular and very pricey.I asked him where he got his wood and he told me,he got it from Jamie Stadig,and he gave me his phone number.I contacted him and went up a huge hill where he and his family lives ,with a fabulous view of the Pacific Ocean and the mountains of Kauai.It turns out that he supplies Todd at Allied and thru Todd to Lmi.I picked up a couple of Uke sets ,in the tradition of the Islands, at a tremendous savings.One set for the grandbaby and one set for me.He also had some very nice guitar sets for a great price.Too bad I was about broke by this time.His website is[url]koaguitarwood.com[/url] Don`t be scared by the prices on his site.He has a huge log he is getting ready to process.I would suggest contacting him at his phone number on his site.He was a super cool guy to meet, and gave me a great deal.This was real special for me to meet Jamie and to get some Koa native to the Island of Kauai.
James W B
I just want to mention that the Ukelele is so simple to play ,I think even Hesh can play it.
Skin

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Hey! Don't give me that much credit bro - it took me 35 years to learn to play Smoke On the Water.....

It sounds like you had a great vacation in paradise. It's always cool to mix travel with guitar building too - good going.

So when do we get to see some pictures of you surfing......

I always wanted to learn the uke! That sounds like a sweet vaca you went on. By the way, where is Kauai?

Means almost anyone (Hesh excluded, 35y...for crying out...) can be better than Jake Shimabukuro in a couple months of practice? :D

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Build log

Hawai'ian Islands! Land of Don Ho!

He's just tryin' to make us all jealous......

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Hesh, you know I`m just messin`with ya.I`m just dying to hear smoke on the water on the Uke.I figured you was the man to do it.Really though it`s a really fun instrument to play.The little grandbaby got a big kick out of it when I penned a song in her honor,called Hula Baby,and played it for her.Jamie Stadig, the Koa supplier also worked for Gibson here in Nashville and builds electrics.Small world.If anyone out there has some advice for building Uke`s,I`d appreciate it.I`m probably going to need it.
James W B
Hesh I know that this will make you laugh,but when I was a kid I did surf being raised in San Diego California.At my age now.Not a chance.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James,
Congrats on that find! What a huge score. Koa is my all time favorite wood for building. I've built a little concert sized Uke for a friend of mine, and it turned out great. I think if I had to do it over, I would have gone thinner on the top. I was using some plans that I got from a friend, which was from a 1929 Martin 5K Concert. It called for a top thickness around 2.2mm to 2.4mm. But I think the plans from Elderly will be just fine. I used a bolt on butt jointed neck with only 1 bolt. Works just fine. Other than that, I just built it like I build a guitar. Good luck!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com