UPDATE (6 May 2023): I had a wonderful visit with Meghan at Omaha Wood Co. today and am very pleased to say that this ukulele has found the home it was meant to have. My understanding is that the ukulele will be shared among members of the Sundermeier family.
As noted in my posts for the sycamore-black walnut pineapple and the sycamore-black walnut conventionally-shaped ukulele, I have become more interested in using sustainably-sourced wood. This ukulele continues in that vein. The fir for the neck and most of the redwood came from the home of my wife’s family in Kailua, HI. The redwood strip in the center of the neck sandwich was from a friend’s fence post. The honey locust was part of the stash I got from the Omaha Wood Company. Tragically, when I was in the final stages of completing this instrument, I learned that Mark Sundermeier of Omaha Wood Company died in a scuba diving accident while on holiday on Lanai. As seen in the photo of the label below, this ukulele is dedicated to Mark’s memory.
The components are:
Redwood top (2-piece)
Honey locust back (2-piece) with redwood inlay
Honey locust sides (2-piece)
Douglas (?) fir and redwood neck
Redwood and honey locust face plate
Honey locust fretboard with redwood inlay
Redwood fretboard binding
Honey locust bridge with redwood inlay
Ebony nut and saddle (compensated)
Redwood tail stripe
Honey locust and redwood heel cap
Honey locust sound hole rosette
Rosewood strap buttons
Graphtec tune-a-lele tuners
Martin M600 fluorocarbon strings
Tru-Oil finish
Weight: 12.3 oz. (349 g) (with strap buttons)
Sound sample of the intro & outro for Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s Over the Rainbow and Silent Night (Matt Wahlberg arrangement).
