#533- Spruce and Walnut Baritone Ukulele

Spruce and walnut is what I have on my personal baritone ukulele and I love the combo. Bright enough to sparkle but still lots of warmth and sustain. I tried something new on this one: a walnut and maple neck. It flows nicely into the walnut sides with maple binding and it’s not as heavy as I expected. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California orchards. The spruce is from my 1960’s dulcimer maker stash. The walnut is from the shorts bin at Goby in Portland.

“Your workmanship is superb, the feel of the instrument is very comfortable and I’m happy with the result.
- B. S. ”

#532- Walnut and Pistachio Five String Banjo

This banjo is a close copy of the instrument I built for Steve Varney. His specs have proved popular with customers and I’m grateful for the attention he has brought to us! It’s made of all walnut and pistachio, with an 11” rim and 25.5” scale. He chose a Fiberskyn head, brass tone ring, Hawktail tailpiece and a magnetic pickup. In my hands it feels rich and vibrant and has a nice voice without being too loud. The walnut is from Vashon Island from my friend Cath, the pistachio is from California orchards and the hooks and nuts are from Brooks Masten in Portland.

“Got the banjo today, its a joy to play! Feels so small and light without a resonator which I love. It also has the softer sweeter tone I was looking for.
- M. J. ”

#537- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Grafted Walnut Baritone Ukulele

Not every picture needs a frame. Without binding and rosette, the tonewood is really the focus on this ukulele. Curly Port Orford Cedar for the top from the Oregon coast. Grafted walnut back and sides and grafted pistachio fretboard from California orchards. I finished it off with a mahogany and maple neck, salvaged from the scrap pile at the Carpenter Ant stash. It has a rich sound but still has volume and sparkle, a true pleasure to play.

“Hello Keim family, I love #537! I love the sound, the look, and even the feel of it. I see it as a metaphor for retirement. Rather than being discarded after it’s original useful life it has been repurposed into something that simply gives joy. How cool is that? Thanks again and have a healthy, happy holiday.
- D. C.”

#536- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Pistachio Baritone Ukulele

This ukulele is for Ian, who picked wood from my most loyal supplier, woodfromthewest.com. The curly port Orford Cedar top is from the Oregon coast and the pistachio back, sides, fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California orchards. I paired it with a fir neck made from a Portland floor joist that my fried Chris saved from a dumpster. It has a single nail hole in the end of the headstock. The bird’s foot purfling from Gurian adds a dark streak that contrasts well with the curly maple binding. It sounds big, looks unique and is lively to play.

#535- Spruce and Mastergrade Walnut Tenor Ukulele

Over many years of building instruments I’ve learned that it can be hard for a customer to decide what kind of wood they want on their ukulele. I really like it when they just tell me what sound they want, if they have any specific concerns and then just let me pick. It’s like sitting at the chef’s table and letting the dishes come as they are. For this uke we went with a tried and true combination of spruce and walnut. It always sounds good, is light weight and easy to work with. In this case, the back and sides are upgraded to a beautiful California Claro walnut set I’ve been wanting to use for a long time. The top is my favorite dulcimer spruce with a tiny knot included as a beauty mark. The neck is salvaged hemlock from a barn in The Dalles and the fretboard, headplate and bridge are pistachio from California orchards.

“..I received the ukulele today in excellent condition.
The woods are lovely. Nice and loud and easy action. The side fret markers are very easy to see. Just what I wanted. Thank you!
-C.B.

Update: I am enjoying my new Beansprout #535 very much. It is beautiful and fun to play. It is lovely for fingerpicking too!”

#531- Maple, Mahogany and Cherry Five String Banjo

Based off of my own banjo, a simple design with minimal brass hardware, using humble woods that are on hand, featuring stiff but lightweight construction. It leads to a vibrant sound and an understated folk art look and is one of my favorite models to build. The 11” rim is a maple block rim made from Henry’s dance floor maple. The neck is salvaged mahogany from a furniture maker. The fretboard is cherry from the Carpenter Ant stash. Everything is stained and polished with five coats of finish that will show a patina with use and wear. Brass hardware from Balsam Banjo works.

“I would like to thank you for building me such a wonderful instrument.
It’s really fun to play and I try to improve my Clawhammer technique every day.

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2021,
- M. W. ”

#530- Walnut and Pistachio Tenor Banjo Ukulele

A couple of years ago my friend Cath sold me some wood from her stash on Vashon island. She had saved it to build furniture and I am blessed to have it for instruments. The black walnut she has stashed away is simple, straight grained, easy to work and sounds great. This one also includes a shop made brass tension hoop in a historic style that I saw on one of Pete Ross’ banjos. It uses a lap joint and two brass pins and is very strong. Check out that amazing goat skin head and give thanks for the animal who used to wear it! The organic tone it produces is a great match for the rich sound of the walnut. The pistachio is from California orchards.

#534- Bearclaw Spruce and Curly Oak Tenor Ukulele

When it comes to using non-traditional ukulele woods, I always have a plan. I just have to know the basic roles of all the different parts of the instrument, then I can substitute with woods I have on hand that will perform similarly. Top? Soft but stiff. Back and sides? Hard and stiff. Neck? Medium density but not too heavy. Fretboard? Dense and durable. In this case, oak for the back and sides and cherry for the neck are not traditional, but they look great, sound great, are easy to get and relatively sustainable compared to tropical wood. I’m really pleased with it and can’t wait to make more like it!

The Bearclaw spruce top is old growth salvaged in Alaska. The oak and cherry are from The Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. The pistachio is from California orchards. The bird’s foot purfling is made by Gurian in Seattle.

“What a beautiful ukulele! Impressed by your work!
So nice to play, looking forward to get to know it!
All the best!
- F. T. ”

#520- Walnut and Pistachio Four String Banjo For Lil Rev

I have known Lil Rev for many years and have built several instruments for him in the past. He is a hard working folk musician, a talented multi instrumentalist, a prolific author and an A+ human. He also is the first person I ever saw play an ukulele!

He has been playing baritone ukulele a lot lately and asked for a banjo with the same scale and strings. We chose an 11” walnut block rim and a walnut and pistachio neck with my custom string set. He also suggested darkening the brass hardware, which was a fun project that I hope to use again in the future. He asked for a wooden arm rest, just as one of our suppliers, Balsam Banjo Works, released their new model. I was happy to use hooks, nuts and rim bolts from my friend Brooks Masten, whose elegant hardware is always a joy to use. This instrument is dark and rich, but very loud and resonant. I can’t wait to hear it in Rev’s hands! The walnut is from my friend Cath on Vashon island and the pistachio is from California orchards.

#539- Curly Maple and Pistachio Five String Banjo

A few years ago I bought a lathe from Mark from Wildwood Banjos as he retired. He also sold me some curly maple and this is my first time using it. It is quite hard, looks amazing and rings like a bell. I think the amber stain really makes the curl pop and offers a nice contrast to the grafted pistachio fretboard. The goat skin head and non steel strings make for a sweet but powerful sound. This one goes to Christie, I hope she likes it!

“Hi Aaron,
I received my banjo just now. It looks and sounds FABULOUS!
It is just beautiful. I love the “imperfections” (strips of dark) in the wood, the fretboard with the graft, the head, everything you chose. I appreciate your time and your work.
As you say.. Cheers!
C. M. ”

#538- Cherry, maple and pistachio concert banjo ukulele

Learning a new skill is a transformative experience. The growth and knowledge that comes from trying something new is a major part of a crafts person’s journey. In this case, my new skills were also transformative to my materials, changing their look or function. First of all, I have been learning how to make my own brass tension hoops and tone rings. This means rolling, soldering, grinding, notching and polishing. I don’t mind if they look handmade, but they can’t be sloppy and need to be strong.

Second, I needed to learn how to darken the brass parts using an acid solution to create a different patina. Pretty easy and I like the look.

Third, my son and I made a natural stain/dye from the walnut shells in our yard, a common practice in folk art tradition. I used it to stain the goat skin head.

Lastly, I’ve been meaning to try a thin laminated rim with a brass tone ring instead of my normal block rim. Sound wise, I think this makes for a brighter, more traditional banjo uke sound. A little less sustain and a more percussive edge. I stained the rim and bridge black and used black laminates and accents on the cherry and pistachio neck to tie it all together. I think I’ll keep this one, but drop me a line if you want something similar.

#529 Cherry and Pistachio Concert Banjo Ukulele

Cherry is a favorite of mine and I think I need to do more to publicize it to customers. It is inexpensive, easy to use, readily available, relatively sustainable, looks great and sounds great. It also darkens and changes over time, offering a unique patina with use. The cherry for this one comes from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland and was originally cut for grandfather clocks. The pistachio comes from California orchards.

“This beautiful cherry and pistachio banjo uke arrived today. It’s in great shape, and I love the case too. Thank you so much. What a treat.
- C. V. ”

#523- Spruce and Walnut Scout Ukulele

This one is a winner, with easy playability, charming tone and a classic look. One piece spruce top, one piece walnut back, rope binding, old growth hemlock neck and walnut fretboard, headplate and bridge. All made from cutoffs and shop scraps. I predict I’ll be able to get to one scout per month for the foreseeable future, so send me an email if you want to get on the waitlist. Info@thebeansprout.com

#528- Curly Walnut Tenor Banjo Ukulele

Walnut for a banjo uke is a great choice. It’s dense enough to have good volume, but has a dark, chocolate tone to mellow it out a bit. This one has a potpourri of walnut, with the rim made from Oregon walnut, cut here in Hood River and some curly and colorful Claro walnut from California. I used pistachio from California orchards for the fretboard, headplate and rim cap, tying it all together. I had a great time playing it today, preparing it for its trip to Idaho in time to strum some tunes with Tiffany’s family.

#526- Port Orford Cedar and Walnut Tenor Ukulele

I love that I get to take the same collection of materials again and again, but make an ukulele that looks completely different than the one before it. This variability is one of the best parts of working with wood compared to more uniform materials. This Port Orford Cedar top is a great example. It is one wide piece, not book matched, and includes some off center natural brown stripes. It sounds as good as all the other POC tops, but looks unique. The top is from the Oregon coast, the walnut is urban salvage from Goby in Portland, the pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California orchards and the hemlock neck is salvaged from a barn in The Dalles, OR.

#527- Port Orford Cedar and Mastergrade Myrtle Alto Ukulele

I admit it. I’ve had a hard couple of months. Malfunctioning shop equipment, a few uncooperative instruments on the bench and some imperfect customer communications have taken a mental toll on me. (Oh yeah. Wildfires, COVID 19 and the election too.)

I found myself wishing that I didn’t have these distractions so I could just focus on the task at hand. But then I remembered this: doing the job, even when you feel bad and things are not ideal, IS THE JOB. There is no ideal moment except this one.

So today I got up, chopped wood and carried water. I strung this uke up and gave my best for its final day in the shop. And today at least, I won.

The top is blue stained Port Orford Cedar from the Oregon coast, which has a crisp and cheery sound. The back and sides are Mastergrade Myrtle from the same board as my wife Nicole’s ukulele, which we found in Manzanita on her birthday last year. The Pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California orchards. The old growth fir neck is salvaged from a floor joist in Portland, complete with nail holes plugged with walnut. It has the muted color palette, the wild grain and the tiny natural flaws that embody the wabi-sabi ideal. It is a useful object that is also beautiful, hopefully destined to take someone else’s mind off of whatever is bothering them.

“The novice says to the master, ‘What does one do before enlightenment?’
‘Chop wood. Carry water,’ replies the master.
The novice asks, ‘What, then, does one do after enlightenment?’
‘Chop wood. Carry water.'”

“I got to see and play my Uke yesterday, and it is gorgeous both aesthetically and in sound. Thank you so much!
- C. C. ”

#525- Mastergrade Myrtle Alto Ukulele

This uke is about as fancy as I get, with Mastergrade wood and the special “bird’s foot” purfling. But, it still feels natural and organic to me, like I didn’t need to work too hard to make it look fancy, I just needed to let each piece of wood speak for itself. The Myrtle is from a furniture maker who traded this wood in when they ordered an ukulele. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge come from California orchards. The old growth hemlock neck comes from a barn in The Dalles, OR. It plays easy and has a classic ukulele sound, with a good mix of volume and sustain.

“All I can say is, what a gem! Seriously so much more than I could have imagined and will certainly be treasured. Thank you for the work you do adding beautiful instruments and music to this world.
- R. W. ”

#524- Douglas Fir and Curly White Oak Alto Ukulele

When I restarted Beansprout, I drew a pretty hard line in the sand about sustainability and wood sourcing. Some people told me that I was crazy to limit myself by not using some of the typical rare, tropical woods that luthiers traditionally use. But, I have found the opposite to be true. The available number of domestic, sustainable woods open to me are far greater than the handful of choices a luthier is usually presented with. Today’s uke is a good example. The curly white oak is rather common in Oregon and I have almost a lifetime of it available, salvaged from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. In instruments, it sounds loud and lively, with a rustic, dusty vibe to it. This amazing old growth Douglas Fir top is likely an off cut or scrap from a long forgotten project, also from the Carpenter Ant stash. The mahogany neck is a leftover from the scrap pile when I worked at Mya-Moe. The pistachio fretboard, bridge and headplate are harvested as a by product of California orchards. It takes a curious nature, an antique picker’s persistence and hard work to source wood this way, but for me it’s the right thing to do. Also, it makes for instruments that have a slightly unique look, texture and sound to them, as woods are combined in new ways.

“Aaron, it looks incredible. Honestly, its workmanship is such a testament to your talents and love of your craft. And I’ve never seen rope binding look this good. Mean. it. My instrument sings with a beautiful strength and clarity. The love of the luthier remains in the wood.
Best to you and Nicole and much gratitude!
- L.O.”

#522- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Clockmaker’s Koa Scout Ukulele

These Scout ukuleles are my only soprano scale instrument, based on the Lyon and Healy Camp ukulele from the 1920’s. I use shop scraps for these and only make them when I have the extra time. This one has curly Port Orford Cedar from the Oregon coast courtesy of woodfromthewest.com, Clockmaker’s Koa from the Carpenter ant stash, a hemlock neck from Camp Westwind and walnut headstock, fretboard and bridge. A humble musical companion is ready for the world!

“This is one fun instrument. I love playing it every day. Great sound for such a little instrument!! Thank you so much.
Thanks again,
- E. F.
”

#518- Blue Stained Port Orford Cedar and Mastergrade Myrtle Alto Ukulele

The fourth alto ukulele in a row this month! This one has some really unique features and I’m excited to get it to its final home. First up is the blue stained Port Orford Cedar. It occurs naturally in this log, I don’t do anything to it to get those blue streaks. Next, the Mastergrade Myrtle back and sides are also unique, as the back is one wide piece of Myrtle with an asymmetrical look. I chose a grafted pistachio fretboard, an old growth fir neck and curly maple binding to wrap it up. It is lightweight, resonant and easy to play, I’m really pleased with it! The Myrtle and Port Orford Cedar are from the Oregon coast, the pistachio is from California orchards (all from www.woodfromthewest.com) and the fir is salvaged from an old floor joist.

“Just wanted to drop a line saying that the uke arrived yesterday and it’s really exceeded my expectations. It’s so easy to play and the tone is amazing. I’ve had a number of nice sopranos and concerts but this one really captures what I like about both sizes.
- A. S. ”