I have experimented with many native timbers, such as tawa, matai, mangeao, pohutukawa, maire, kowhai, kohekohe, rimu, totara, kauri, puriri, tawhai, rewarewa, manoao, tanekaha, kanuka, matipo, kamahi, akeake, kahikatea, rata, houhere, pukatea, hinau, and probably others I haven’t been able to identify.
I source timber from various places. Some has been found in local swamps, some recycled from defunct schoolhouses, some courtesy of a local swedish arborist. If you have small amounts of obscure native timber that you would like to see given the ultimate reincarnation,
I would be only too happy to perform the appropriate transformative rituals.
Though some make significantly better soundboards than others, they all have uses, either as tonewood, necks or fingerboards etc...
Occasionally, I make ukuleles using locally grown exotic timbers, just to be inclusive.
Care and Maintenance:
Captain Ukuleles are finished with beeswax, which imparts a beautiful smell and a subtle sheen. This means that owners of Captain Ukuleles are bestowed with the responsibility of rubbing their instruments with a beeswax-infused cloth on occasion, much like you do with your leather boots.
Beeswax is not solvent based, therefore it does not set hard like polyurethane. It is advisable to avoid getting your Captain ukulele wet, as it will affect the finish. However, the finish can easily be restored with a light sand (400+grit) and some more beeswax.
If you are keen on a ukulele that you can paddle your canoe with, or perhaps use in a game of backyard cricket, please consider buying something made of sturdy plywood and polyurethane.
Other things to note:
- the friction tuners may need tightening after a time. It takes a while for them to fully ‘bed in’ to the headstock.
- if you live in a particularly dry environment, either due to climate or perhaps just voracious airconditioning, you may want to consider using a humidifier for your ukulele.
Click on the picture to see some photos of specific native timbers
