#582 and #583: A matched pair of Walnut and Pistachio Banjos

Working on a pair of instruments offers an extra set of challenges into the shop schedule. As I work on an instrument, I often let the wood, the shop flow and any happy accidents steer me to make design decisions along the way. But with two instruments, I had to keep it really tight and make sure they truly belonged together. This set also included a few small design requests from the customer: brass fret dots, raw brass and cream tuners and translucent goat skin heads. I chose old, air dried black walnut from Vashon Island for the bodies and Pistachio from California orchards for the rest. I made the brass tension hoops and my friend Brooks Masten made the rest of the hardware. The big four string banjo is 11” rim and 20” scale, tuned dGbd. The concert banjo uke is an 8” rim and 14.7” scale, tuned gCea.

“Aaron and Nicole,

I am so pleased with the pair of banjos. I have been following your work for many years. The quality has always been apparent through your videos, but holding them in my hands has really exceeded my expectations. The aesthetics, tone, and playability are excellent. I look forward to using them on many projects ahead.

Thank you for your passion in creating these instruments. I always look forward to seeing what you create.

Have a great day,
- C. P. ”

#579- Spruce and Walnut Scout Ukulele

A small but challenging project for me, I love building these Scout ukuleles. I’m often surprised by how big the sound is for such a small uke. Oregon spruce top, curly walnut back and sides, hemlock neck and pistachio fretboard/headplate/bridge. All the wood are shop scraps and cut offs from other projects.

#575- Port Orford Cedar and Curly Walnut Alto Ukulele

This instrument just feels like spring to me. The smell of dirt, the bite of the last frost, the struggle to sprout, the feel of compost in my hands, the promise of a new thing grown from last years refuse. It sounds/looks funky, rich and sunshine bright, all at the same time. I’ve had a hard winter and sometimes it’s been hard to keep the pace I’ve set for myself. This one helped me transition to spring and the chance to make a few small changes for the better.

The Port Orford Cedar top is from the Oregon coast and has some dark mineral staining from its years sitting as a stump before it was salvaged. The curly walnut back and sides are from Goby Walnut in Portland. The fir neck is a salvaged floor joist. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California Orchards.

“Aaron and family,
I’ve been playing #575 for a few days now. It is stunningly beautiful. I feel very privileged because you made me the most beautiful instrument in your entire gallery. I’d bet that most of your customers feel that way about their own instruments!

When I first played it, I thought it sounded quiet and a little thin. In the days since, it seems like I can hear a change in tone and resonance. I’m not sure if it’s the wood settling or the strings stretching or my playing technique. I suspect it could be all of the above. This feels like an instrument that will change and grow with me as we get to know each other.

Each time I play it I find a new detail to admire. I especially appreciate how the neck is tapered at the fingers and more square for the thumb. It is very comfortable to hold and play.

Your instructional videos and instrument demos on YouTube have been a daily part of my life for years now. I really loved the personalized video you made for #575. I must have watched it 10 times!

Thank you for the beautiful and unique ukulele.
- J. H. ”

— Quote Source

#573- Spruce and Curly Walnut Alto Ukulele

This is my first time using Engelmann spruce instead of Sitka. Engelmann is an inland alpine species and the best boards have this tight grain and tiny ray figure in it. I think it has a big, cheerful voice and look forward to using it more. I got a stack of it from another luthier, Jayson Bowerman, so stay tuned for more ukes with these tops. The back and sides are curly Claro walnut salvaged from a gunstock blank. The neck is hemlock and walnut left over from the yurt we built in the back yard. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge are from California orchards. Over all, this is a simple build with some beautiful wood grains, easy playability and good dynamic range. I’m very happy with it.

“It is a joy to play an ukulele built especially for me! Part of the experience was having updates on the build with pictures and hearing stories of where and how the wood was acquired. And I love showing the YouTube of “Completed work #573” to my friends. I asked Aaron for a spruce top with curly walnut back and sides, and a pistachio fretboard with green stripes and he found the perfect, most beautiful pieces of wood. This instrument plays so easily and sounds bright and full. I cannot stop playing it! It is truly an exquisite piece of artwork! Thank you!
- K. B. ”

#577- Curly Walnut and Pistachio Tenor Banjo Ukulele

The combination of goat skin, dark brass hardware and curly walnut really worked out well on this one. The customer asked for a fretboard that looked like his view of a mountain range and a goat skin that resembled a full moon, which was a little challenging but turned out great! The pistachio is from California orchards and the walnut is urban salvage from Goby in Portland.

“I love it!!

It came out better than what I envisioned and it sounds amazing. I really don’t think I could have asked for anything more.

Thanks again for all your hardworking and your amazing craftsmanship I really appreciate it and look forward to ordering from Beansprout again in the future.
- C. C.”

— Quote Source

#572- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Mastergrade Myrtle Tenor Ukulele

This ukulele is for my friend Chris Dean, a talented teacher, musician and banjo builder who lives in Seattle. We chose curly Port Orford Cedar and Mastergrade Myrtle for a balanced tone and to focus on wood from the NW. The walnut neck and knitting needle fret markers are a nod to Chris’ instruments and the instruments of WV builder Jenes Cottrell, who is an influence on Chris’ work. It is a visually stunning uke, is easy to play and has a vibrant, balanced sound. I am excited to get it to him and see what he comes up with! The cedar and myrtle are from the Oregon coast and the pistachio is from California orchards, all courtesy of woodfromthewest.com. The walnut is urban salvage from Goby in Portland.

#571- Bearclaw Spruce and Spalted Maple Baritone Ukulele

I find that some of my best instruments are the ones where I take the wood’s natural tonal characteristics and find a way to enhance them, but not take it too far. In this case, I knew that spruce and maple will be naturally bright, which is good, but I also want to brace and carve the top so that it is still rich and warm. This time it really worked out! The Bearclaw figure spruce is old growth salvage from Alaska, the Spalted maple back and sides are from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland, the fir neck is salvaged from a floor joist and the Pistachio is from California orchards.

“Dear Keim family,
This is just a quick note to let you know that #571 arrived safely, I’ve been playing it all day, and I’m very pleased. The sound is lovely and the craftsmanship is all I hoped for. I’m most impressed with the unique signature that you’ve brought to the design of your instruments - holding one just feels distinctive and special. I recently moved to the east coast after 20 years in the Pacific Northwest. This instrument exudes the woodsy flavor of the PNW that I fell in love with all those years ago. Thanks to you I’ll have a daily reminder of those days. Thank you!
- D. W. ”

#576- Walnut and Pistachio Concert Banjo Ukulele

Walnut and pistachio is a customer favorite and it’s not hard to see why. The variable look of the pistachio and the deep, rich walnut color always pair well together. In this case, the un-plated brass and natural goat skin add to the look. The sound is a winner too, balanced and rich with a loud voice. The walnut for this build came from my friend Cath’s shop on Vashon Island and the pistachio is from California orchards.

#570- Curly Koa Soprano Ukulele

This is the first of our new soprano ukuleles built for a customer. I am inspired by classic instruments from the early 20th century and this one strikes a good balance for me between old and new. I still want modern playability and a balanced tone, but I like the special sparkle of the older ukes. I also think this one strikes the right balance between classic elegance and handmade folk art, just like the older instruments did.

I inherited the curly Koa from Char when she retired from Mya-Moe, the walnut is urban salvage from Goby in Portland and the fir and cedar for the neck are from the carpenter ant stash.

#574- Curly Maple and Pistachio Concert Banjo Ukulele

After all these years building banjo ukes, you would think I can predict everything about how an instrument will turn out. Yes, I know that maple will be plenty loud, but I was shocked by how sweet this one is! That’s just the perfect word for its tone and playability: sweet.

The beautiful curly maple is from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland, originally cut for grandfather clock cases. The pistachio is sustainably harvested from California orchards.

“Hello, Aaron, Nicole & Henry!
The stunningly beautiful Curly Maple & Pistachio Concert Banjo Uke #574 that Aaron made for me, arrived this morning. Thank you so very much! I will enjoy getting to know my “Strad” and you can be sure, despite the fact that I have promised he can rent it, my husband is quite jealous!
- S.S. ”

#538- Mesquite, Cherry and Pistachio Concert Banjo Ukulele

Every couple of years, I sell my instruments and build new ones. It allows me to keep the current designs in my hands and on stage so I can get honest feedback. For this instrument, I am trying out a new wood for the rim: mesquite. I recently bought out the stock of rim and neck material from a retiring luthier. It features a lot of this North American wood, normally found in desert climates. I thought I should try it out before offering it to customers. I paired it with a cherry and pistachio neck, dark brass hardware and an ebonized oak bridge. Overall, a striking instrument that is easy to play and sounds good. Maybe we will even get to play concerts this year!

#553- Builder's Choice: Red Cedar and Curly Walnut Alto Ukulele

This is the first in my Builder’s Choice series, where I give myself the space to try new things and build as I please. Hopefully it will also produce instruments that find a home with the perfect player/owner. The cedar for this was harvested near Bend, OR by luthier Jayson Bowerman. It is some of the stiffest cedar I have ever used and behaves more like spruce, in my opinion. The curly walnut also comes from Jayson as the pieces are too small for his guitars. I bound it with maple binding and some beautiful hombre purfling, with multiple brown shades in it. The curly walnut fretboard, headplate, bridge and pickguard are from the scrap bin at Goby Walnut in Portland. The old growth fir neck is from a salvaged floor joist. It sounds sweet but serious and is a joy to play.

“Thanks Nicole and Aaron,
I am throughly enjoying the Builder’s Choice. It reminds me of the Oregon I knew decades ago. I am not trained musician, and I just go by the sound of the instrument. The “Red” plays beautifully to me. Enjoying the smell of the wood when I bring Red out to play too.

I hope Aaron gets inspired again by a new wood find, or combination of old growth, old stash, and new ideas.
Best to you all
- A. F.
”

#544- Quilted Koa Soprano Ukulele

The first soprano ukulele I have made in several years! Inspired by classic island and mainland designs but with some modern updates for sound and playability. The quilted Koa was given to me by Char from Mya-Moe before she retired. The Curly claro walnut fretboard and headplate is from a gunstock blank. The fir neck is salvaged from a floor joist in Portland.

“I have really been enjoying the soprano. I tend to favor the tenor size for space on the fret board, but I find that this one is very comfortable and so well made that it actually sounds good played up the neck. I’ve also never owned a Koa instrument and I really like the “classic” ukulele sound. It also helps it looks great next to my Beansprout Tenor and Beansprout Mini 5-string Banjo...pretty soon I am going to need a bigger rack!
- J. P. ”

#566- Cedar and Mastergrade Walnut Baritone Ukulele

This baritone is tuned gcea, which takes a special string set. The larger body and longer scale length add some depth and power to the tone, but the higher tuning adds some sparkle. It helps that this old cedar top sounds so good, crisp and warm at the same time. The cedar is from a snag in Washington that I mean to seek out this summer to get some more of this stuff. It’s at least 200 years old. The Mastergrade walnut back and sides is Claro walnut from California. The fir neck is from a salvaged floor joist from Portland. The pistachio fretboard, headplate and bridge is from California orchards. Maple binding and bird’s foot purfling wrap it up in style!

“I am madly in love with my new Uke!
I cannot express how happy I am with every aspect of my uke. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but the sound is down right amazing. The tone is so balanced and it resonates like a bell. Aaron’s mastery of his art is so evident every time I pick my baritone up to play. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure can buy a Beansprout Uke that will bring many years of happiness.
- J. W. ”

#569- Port Orford Cedar and Pistachio Baritone Ukulele

Grafted wood really makes a big visual statement and this uke is no exception. The back and sides are some amazing grafted pistachio from California Orchards. The top is an asymmetrical piece of Port Orford Cedar with brown streaks in the grain. I used some mahogany that I got as scrap from a furniture maker for the neck and wrapped it all up with walnut binding. The customer asked for dgbe tuning with a high d, which is a favorite setup of mine.

#562- Maple and Cherry Short Scale Five String Banjo

This is the second banjo I have made of this design, pairing an 11” rim with a 20” scale neck. It’s lightweight, comfortable and easy to play. It took me a day or two to adjust my playing style to get the most tone from it, but now I love it. The rim is maple and pistachio and the neck is cherry, all stained to match with the color rubbed back to be almost translucent. The goatskin head is dyed with walnut husks from our yard and the brass has been darkened to form a nice patina. All the wood is from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland.

“I haven’t put this down since I received it several days ago! It is a beautiful instrument with a beautiful sound. The sound is deep and plenty loud. I am able to tune it to G and lower because of the custom string set Aaron created. The fretboard is the most comfortable I have ever played. The short scale is great as I have had some surgeries on my hands, but I would love this even if I hadn’t. Thank you for such a carefully-made instrument.
- B. C. ”

#564- Curly Maple and Pistachio Five String Banjo

As far as the looks go, the pale maple, crazy pistachio and darkened brass is a cool combination. As far as sound, the curly maple, brass tone ring and goat skin head gives a vibrant and traditional vibe. I made my own brass tension hoop, tone ring and flesh hoop for this build and it was a nice challenge.

The curly maple came from Wildwood banjos when Mark retired and the pistachio is from California orchards.

“Hey Aaron-
Just a quick note to say that the banjo arrived safe and sound. It was here when I got home from work and I am just now putting it down. It is beautiful. I know I had a pretty specific vision for this instrument and you really knocked it out of the park. Thank you.
- C. E. ”

#565- Port Orford Cedar and Walnut Tenor Ukulele

Port orford cedar and walnut is a standard combo for us and it always delivers. This one is sweet and light, but also has a nice depth and sustain. The asymmetrical port orford cedar top is from the Oregon coast and the pistachio is from California orchards via woodfromthewest.com. The walnut back and sides are from Goby Walnut in Portland and the hemlock neck is from the Carpenter Ant Stash.

#567- Curly Port Orford Cedar and Curly Walnut Alto Ukulele

This lovely little alto ukulele is for a repeat customer from the UK. We had a tour planned for 2020 there, but obviously it didn’t happen. It seems a miracle that despite that, I can still make a thing to take the trip for me. As I played this a bunch today, the word “balanced” kept popping into my mind. It has a nice presence, but will not drown out a duet partner. It has a nice sustain and depth, but is not too dark. It’s lightweight but still solid. I’m very happy with it.

The curly Port Orford cedar is from the Oregon coast and the pistachio is from California orchards, both via woodfromthewest.com. The hemlock and walnut neck is made from scraps from last year’s backyard yurt project. The walnut back and sides is from the shorts bin at Goby Walnut in Portland.

#568- Cedar and Curly Cherry Tenor Ukulele

I’ve had a lot of trouble lately with small shop problems overwhelming my mind/soul. I intend to make rustic folk art, but my desire for improvement, Nicole’s careful quality control and our customer’s expectations push me to a higher level. This higher level brings with it insecurities and doubts that stop me from appreciating the wood, the time in the shop and the joy of playing these things. For this instrument, the customer gave me free reign to create with an emphasis on Wabi-Sabi. I embraced neutral wood tones, natural flaws and imperfections and the honest wear of a useful object. When I strung it up and played the first song, I cried a little as it filled me back up enough to keep going for the day.

The western red cedar top is from a burned out snag on the Washington side of the Columbia that my friend Ben knows about. The curly cherry is from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. The fir neck is from a floor joist that my friend Chris saved from a dumpster. The pistachio fretboard/headplate/bridge is from California orchards, harvested and milled by my friend Kevin. I like being alone in the shop all day, but writing this reminds me of how much I miss those folks and would love to have them all here for a visit.

Always forward, friends. You matter and so does whatever you did today.

“OMG - the sustain is incredible! ...and the intonation, and the action, and the feeling of my first radiused fretboard, and the finish, and the craftsmanship and attention to detail.

I can’t decide whether to look at it or to play it. Hard to do both. I can’t believe how loud and resonant it is, but also how much easier it is to play softly. The lightest touches still produce tone! It practically plays itself.

Aaron, I knew I would be pleased, but I am ECSTATIC! This is such an amazing instrument, and so easy to play.
Thank you ever so much!

- E. J.
”