Luthiers for a Cause “ The Voice of the Luthier ”

These six custom tenor ukuleles were made for a charity project organized by Luthiers for a Cause. Some of the world’s finest custom builders each built a tenor ukulele from nearly identical woods sourced from two legendary trees to help demonstrate “The Voice of the Luthier.” Originally intended to be auctioned one at a time, all proceeds from the sale of the instruments were to benefit The Ukulele Kids Club, a charity which helps support music therapy in pediatric hospitals. Through its growing network of nearly 200 participating hospitals, UKC has donated more than 4,700 ukuleles to children enduring serious medical conditions and has set a goal of donating 10,000 ukuleles by year-end 2019.

At the unveiling of the instruments, Luthiers for a Cause was approached to sell the ukes as a set for $100,000.

The back and sides from these special ukes are from “The Tree” , a one-of-a-kind Honduran mahogany tree that stood over 100 feet tall and was 10 feet around. When it was felled in the 60’s, this giant unexpectedly landed in a ravine and remained there for almost 20 years before it was rediscovered. Its unique figuring originally saw it used in custom furniture. Another Honduran mahogany tree with this unusual figuring has never been found. In the 1970’s, a few luthiers began to experiment with making instruments from it. Sounding more like a rosewood than mahogany, its tone also proved entirely unique among Honduran mahogany trees.

The soundboard is from Lucky Strike redwood. When this storm-felled giant landed, a 60-foot section of the tree laid over a small ravine and air dried over many years. The redwood from this section of the tree exhibits a much higher strength-to-weight ratio than is typically found in redwood. Asa result, this redwood is often said to exhibit the best tonal attributes of both redwood and spruce.

Each of the six ukuleles has the Luthiers for a Cause logo expertly inlayed on the fretboard by world-renowned inlay artist Harvey Leach. Rodgers Tuners provided their beautiful custom, made-to-order tuners for all of the ukes except the Kinnard, whose unique headstock design required different tuners. Each instrument is protected by a beautiful leather-covered fiberglass Oahu Case. (Best cases! :D)

Steve Grimes has offered an asymmetrical design in his world-famous archtop guitars for years. He has long wanted to do an asymmetrical design in an ukulele and brought his vision to reality in this wonderful tenor uke with a cutaway. Steve provided a rosette of ivoroid surrounded by rope purfling and lines of black and white. The body is bound with bloodwood, with the same rope purfling. The ebony fingerboard also has bloodwood binding. The bridge features bloodwood and holly veneers. This ukulele also features a slotted headstock with custom Rodgers Tuning Machines.

Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ……………….. Three-fan with diagonal transverse; Carpathian spruce bridge plate
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound), 24” radius
Faceplate:……………. Ebony
Endgraft: …………….. Bloodwood
Binding: ……………… Bloodwood
Purfling: ……………… Rope
Rosette: ……………… Rope, ivoroid
Nut, Saddle: ………… Bone
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony
Markers: ………………Mother of Pearl
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 17”
Nut Width: …………… 1.40″, string spacing at bridge: 1.6″
Tuners: ……………….. Custom Rodgers Tuning Machines
Strings: ……………….. GHS TU with low G

This Hive Ukulele features a Zebrawood inlay on the bridge. The Ebony binding and black/maple/black purfling add contrast to the back and top woods. An Ebony faceplate and backstrap adorn Jake’s elegant headstock design. As is standard for Hive Ukuleles, the neck joins the body at the 12-fret. This ukulele features custom Rodgers tuning machines.

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Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ……………….. Three-fan
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound)
Faceplate:……………. Ebony
Endgraft: …………….. Ebony
Binding: ……………… Ebony
Purfling: ……………… Black-maple-black
Rosette: ……………… Zebrawood with ebony inner ring
Nut, Saddle: ………… Bone
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony with Zebrawood inlay
Markers: ……………… Aluminum dot side markers
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 17”
Nut Width: …………… 1.40″, string spacing at bridge: 1.6″
Tuners: ……………….. Custom Rodgers Tuning Machines
Strings: ……………….. Oasis Bright low G #8001

The Beau Hannam showcases a number of his elegant designs, including his original fading purfling on the headstock, the sculpted heel on the neck, and the tiered fretboard. The custom rosette features mostly The Tree with buckeye burl and ebony details. The body hasan ebony arm bevel for added comfort. Everything (binding, rosette, sideport, armbevel, fingerboard, headstock) has BWB purfling and ebony binding. This ukulele also features custom Rodgers Tuning Machines, which complements the many exquisite features.

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Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ……………….. Three-fan; unidirectional carbon fiber bridge plate
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound)
Faceplate:……………. Ebony
Endgraft: …………….. Ebony with MOP
Binding: ……………… Ebony
Purfling: ……………… Black-white-black
Rosette: ……………… Custom mosaic with The Tree, buckeye burl and ebony
Nut, Saddle: ………… Polished bone/TUSQ
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony
Markers: ………………Mother of Pearl side dots
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 17”
Nut Width: …………… 36mm
Tuners: ……………….. Custom Rodgers Tuning Machines
Strings: ……………….. Oasis Bright with Fremont Low G

The Jay Lichty tenor hasa 19” scale, which provides a bit more room than a standard tenor. The fretboard has a radius and is bound. For added comfort, Jay added an arm bevel. The rosette is from The Tree and highlighted by b/w/b lines. Jay provided ornate fret markers in Mother of Pearl. This ukulele also features a slotted headstock with custom Rodgers Tuning Machines and a K&K Aloha Twin Spot pickup.

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Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ……………….. Five-fan with ebony-reinforced spruce bridge patch
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound with koa) with radius
Faceplate:……………. The Tree
Endgraft: …………….. Koa
Binding: ……………… Koa
Purfling: ……………… Black-white-black
Rosette: ……………… The Tree
Nut, Saddle: ………… Bone
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony
Markers: ………………Martin “Mystic” pattern in Mother of Pearl
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 19”
Nut Width: …………… 1.5”
Tuners: ……………….. Custom Rodgers Tuning Machines
Strings: ……………….. Aquila Carbonblack Low G

Joji Yoshida builds entirely by hand. He uses hide glue joint bracings and uses a French polish finish. Joji used a simple black/white purfling to showcase the stellar woods. The rosette is from The Tree, with two accent lines of abalone shell. His bound fret board has a compound radius.
This ukulele also features a slotted head stock with custom Rodgers Tuning Machines.

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Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ……………….. Three-fan with torrefied birdseye maple bridge plate
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound) with compound radius; Jescar EVO Gold fretwire
Faceplate:……………. Ebony
Endgraft: …………….. Honduran mahogany
Binding: ……………… Ebony
Purfling: ……………… Black-white
Rosette: ……………… The Tree with abalone strips
Nut, Saddle: ………… Bone
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony
Markers: ………………Mother of Pearl side dots
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 17”
Nut Width: …………… 45mm
Tuners: ……………….. Custom Rodgers Tuning Machines
Strings: ……………….. Aquila Carbonblack Low G

The John S. Kinnard tenor is based on his Series 3 specifications and features the unique Z recessed headstock with a front plate that is made from the Tree and ebony and a back plate from The Tree. The tuners are Gotoh UPT’s. The drop-necklace rosette is made from The Tree and blue Pau abalone. The back of the neck has a coordinating floating inlay and a heel cap from The Tree. The bound fret board has a compound radius. This ukulele also includes a removable ebony armrest, with an etched Luthiers for a Cause logo.

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Top: ……………………. Lucky Strike redwood
Sides, back: …………. The Tree (quilted Honduran mahogany)
Bracing ………………..Modified three-fan; maple bridge plate
Neck: ………………….. Honduran mahogany
Fingerboard: ………… Ebony (bound) with compound radius
Faceplate:……………. The Tree
Endgraft: …………….. The Tree
Binding: ……………… The Tree
Purfling: ……………… Black-white-black
Rosette: ……………… Series 3 Drop Necklace using blue Pau abalone and The Tree
Nut, Saddle: ………… Bone
Bridge: ……………….. Ebony
Markers: ……………… Side dots in Mother of Pearl
Inlay: ………………….. Luthiers for a Cause logo in Mother of Pearl by Harvey Leach
Scale Length: ………. 17”
Nut Width: …………… 1 3/8”
Tuners: ……………….. Gotoh UPT
Strings: ……………….. Southcoast Medium Low G Smooth Wound