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13 - Ukulele Builders, Luthiers and Manufactures: R
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photo by Louis Martin
UPDATED:
21 June 2023
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Luthier / Company Associations
Rat Ukes
RatUkes

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Listing Info

from the Rat Ukes web site

Rat Ukes are constructed to make the best use of old, distinctive, sometimes broken, ukuleles. Wooden cigar boxes are employed to become uke bodies as they are generally well constructed of fine solid woods.

All Rat Ukes are one of a kind. They are assembled when the salvagable uke parts (neck, bridge, etc.) are found that match a particular cigar box in color and size.

Established instrument building methods are used along with techniques that are developed as the need arises. Parts are obtained from various sources; catalogs, on-line suppliers and best of all, the local hardware store.

The result is a unique and playable ukulele.

The Builder: Roy Cox a.k.a. Blues Boy Roy

Armed with one semester of wood shop class in high school, a short stint as a bowling alley mechanic in the 70's and a love for acoustic stringed instruments, the builder has arrived.

There are dozens of repairs and restorations completed in guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, etc. Many successful and failed projects have given the builder a knowledge of how stringed instruments come together and make sounds.

The modest workshop (in the corner of the family room) contains most tools required for Rat Uke assembly, a collection of parts (new and used) and associated literature. The completed Rat Uke is a player. G C E A tuning is used unless the size goes up to baritone.

Rat Ukes have been played in our local ukulele circle, by a friend during a camping trip and recently CBU-001 was played "backstage" by Del Ray at Jamey's House of Music in Philadelphia, PA.

More information available on the Rat Ukes's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

Mark Roberts Guitars & Ukuleles
MarkRobertsGuitarsUkuleles

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Listing Info

from the Mark Roberts Guitars & Ukuleles web site

Mark Roberts has maintained a lifelong passion about creativity and understanding the nature, patterns, and systems of the world around us. An extensive background in all disciplines of fine art, furniture design, and product design have uniquely crafted his approach to design and craft fine instruments.

I am honored that GUITAR BENCH Magazine, is currently featuring an article of my work in its latest issue number 7. GUITAR BENCH is a wonderful premeire online magazine for collectors, players, and luthiers. I would highly recommend a subscrition to this fine publication. www.guitarbench.com

More information available on the Mark Roberts Guitars & Ukuleles's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

Red Sands Ukuleles
RedSandsUkuleles

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Listing Info

from the Red Sands Ukuleles web site

Red Sands Ukuleles are hand made by Heidi Litke. Always by her side is shop production manager and loving husband Rob Litke. On the island of Prince Edward Canada, we hand pick island woods to make these beautiful instruments of Soprano, Concert and Tenor sizes. Woods include maple, birch and spruce. We finish our Red Sands Ukuleles with a non toxic, hand rubbed “French Polish” finish. We will display ukuleles as they become available on our “Gallery” page. We will also have a sound clip for you to listen too. So come and join us on this wonderful adventure of ukulele playing!

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

Renaissance Guitar Company
RenaissanceGuitarCompany

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Listing Info

from the Renaissance Guitar Company web site

Rick Turner started out as a music-lover and amateur East Coast musician, a self-described “espresso drinking, beret wearing, poetry reading, bongo playing” pre-hippie. He decided that the band wasn’t going anywhere and moved out west, where he started work building electric guitars. Six months after the move, Rolling Stone printed a rave review on his now-defunct band. Rick, however, was already on to bigger and better things: winding pickups by hand.

He hand-wound the pickups simply because he couldn’t figure out where to buy them. Instead of winding 8,000 turns like the machines at Gibson or Fender were doing, he stopped at 1,000, or 1,500, or whenever his hand was cramping too badly to continue. Enter Ron Wickersham, with his passion for active electronics. Ron quickly realized that these low-impedance pickups Rick was producing captured a much wider frequency band then the pickups on existing commercial instruments. Coupled with a pre-amp to boost the signal back to the levels achieved by high-impedance pickups, the result was an amplified guitar or bass with a much richer, more natural tone. Alembic Inc was born.

More information available on the Renaissance Guitar Company's web site.

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Les Rietfors
Rietfors

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Listing Info

from the Les Rietfors web site

Les Rietfors Age 53, called to God February 17, 2005. A life-long resident of Kailua, he was born there on October 3, 1951. Les passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, after a short illness. A loving and devoted husband and father, he is survived by Cheryl, his wife of 25 years, and daughters Amanda Rietfors and Ashley (Ken) Casazza of Fresno, California. He is also survived by his father Fritz (Lois) Rietfors, jr. of Kamuela and brothers Ron nieces. His mother, Esther Hodde Rietfors, preceded him in death.

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RISA Musical Instruments GmbH
RISA

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Listing Info

from the RISA Musical Instruments GmbH web site

RISA Musical Instruments is a young innovative company. They design, produce and distribute small stringed instruments. Niche products with volume potential are our main focus.

Their Vision statement: No. 1 in innovative small stringed instruments.

Provide excellent travel, practicing and stage instruments, accessories and services for reasonable prices. Acoustic and Electric Ukuleles, the Uke-Stick. And _Guitarlele_ tuned ADGCEA or BEADF#B.

Which strings are used for the Uke-Electrics?

For the default tuning ADF#B we use the first 4 strings of an electric guitar string set 0.010”. If you use GCEA-tunging, you might prefer the first 4 strings of a 0.011” set. For other tunings please refer to the specifications on www.risa-music.de

Brands
  • Koki'o - A China-produced second brand of RISA

More information available on the RISA Musical Instruments GmbH's web site.

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Road Toad Music
RoadToadMusic

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Listing Info

from the Road Toad Music web site

Road Toad Music produces quality handcrafted ukulele and bass instruments. Among the ukulele that Owen makes are a line of "bass" ukes. I played a few at the 2006 New York Ukulele Festival and they are amazing. You can't believe the sound that comes from these. Owen also designed the Kala UBass.

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Roberts Luthiery
RobertsLuthiery

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Listing Info

from the Roberts Luthiery web site

I craft my guitars using only the finest materials and use the best of traditional and modern construction techniques. The results are instruments that have extraordinary tone, playability, and artistry for the discriminating guitarist.

Roberts Luthiery Guitars are available at select independent music stores in the US. In addition, you have the the option of contacting me directly and commissioning the instrument of your dreams.

More information available on the Roberts Luthiery's web site.

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The Jazz Uke
RobinsonHankT

Links

  • No Web Presence

Listing Info

from the The Jazz Uke web site

The Jazz Uke™ represents the first evolutionary refinement of the ukulele since the Baritone was created. In an attempt to provide serious ukulele players with an instrument which compensates for some of the technical limitations of most standard ukuleles, the Jazz Uke (TM) was designed with a neck that joins the body at the 14th fret, a 17 7/8in scale, cutaway, and arched top.

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Russ Morin Woodworking
RussMorinWoodworking

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Listing Info

from the Russ Morin Woodworking web site

Russ Morin often finds himself caught between the future and the past. The 49-year-old woodworker has an aversion to power tools, but he is an avid user of YouTube. A handmade wooden high-wheel bicycle, current project, sits to one side of his workshop while a mini replica of a steam engine sits on another.

But the biggest project for Morin right now hits visitors the moment they set foot in his backyard shop near downtown Greenville. The space is a treasure trove of ukuleles. The instruments sit about the shop in various manifestations, from frame to complete body to ready for play, serving as a fascinating, if unintended, visual how-to.

More information available on the Russ Morin Woodworking's web site.

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Pepe Romero
RomeroPepe

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Listing Info

from the Pepe Romero web site

Pepe Romero Jr. was born into a family that lives the Spanish guitar. From his childhood Pepe loved the guitar. He grew up playing some of the world’s greatest guitars from the incredible collection of his father. Growing up surrounded by guitars made by Torres, Esteso, Santos Hernandez, Hauser, and Miguel Rodriguez set the standard for how a guitar should be made.

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The Rebel
TheRebel

Links

Listing Info

from the The Rebel web site

The Rebel is a small team of designers and experienced luthiers working collaboratively to create only high quality custom guitars and ukuleles. Started in 2011, with the desire to make only finely handcrafted instruments that express unique designs, well-seasoned materials, outstandingly responsive tones and playing characteristics, we have been handcrafting instruments for not only discerning musicians but also collectors who love one-off masterpiece instruments.

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Ryan's Ukes
RyansUkes

Links

Listing Info

from the Ryan's Ukes web site

Ryan picked up a ukulele a few years ago and hasn't looked back.Ryan is a music minister in a church and has found it to be a new avenue of music ministry. After playing a bit, Ryan looked around for a more advanced instrument. There were many choices available, but not "exactly" what he was looking for. In his my internet search, he came across a wonderful guitar and ukulele builder, Jay Lichty.

Ryan even had the pleasure of meeting him at his shop in North Carolina. After talking to him, Ryan decided to build one of his own. You will see a strong influence of the Lichty style and look in the ukuleles of Ryan's Ukes. LearningUkulele.com encourages you to check Jay Lichty out too.

More information available on the Ryan's Ukes's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

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