Learning Ukulele with Curt

Luthiers & Builders: California, USA

Anakoneke Handcrafted Ukuleles

AnakonekeHandcraftedUkuleles

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from the Anakoneke Handcrafted Ukuleles web site

Composed using only the finest material, each ukulele is created using traditional and time-honored methods of construction. Anakoneke ukuleles are abhorent of mass production and created using hand-tools in the old world fashion; they are truely musical works of art.

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Joseph Bandy, Bandy Studios

BandyJ

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from the Joseph Bandy, Bandy Studios web site

I custom build and repair guitars in my own shop and I couldn’t be happier. I thoroughly enjoy creating these instruments. I pay absurdly close attention to detail, but the result is very worth the extra time. My work has become my meditation as well as my creative outlet. Without it, I would be lost. And without my friends, family, and the others who have believed in me and supported my endeavors, none of this would have been possible.

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Bill Tapia Ukuleles

BillTapiaUkuleles

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from the Bill Tapia Ukuleles web site

Bill Tapia(tm) was celebrated worldwide as the 'Duke of Uke'. He performed with Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and just about everyone who was anyone in the early Hawaiian music scene.

He taught ukulele to Shirley Temple, Clark Gable and many others from Hollywood's Golden Era. In Bill's hands, the ukulele became a magical instrument.

Now, you can create magic of your own. Built to Bill's exacting standards, Bill Tapia ukuleles will take you wherever you want to go, musically. Bill never compromised with his music and neither do his signature ukuleles.

Each instrument is hand-crafted, using rigorous construction methods to ensure great sound, high quality, and sublime playability.

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Blackbird Guitars

BlackbirdGuitars

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from the Blackbird Guitars web site

Blackbird Guitars was founded by Joe Luttwak and Kyle Wolfe and now includes fellow designer Troy Stevens. After years searching for a compact guitar worth bringing along for the ride, all they could find was thin sounding and fragile. Eventually they realized that none of the established companies would tackle this problem so they decided to do it themselves.

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Boulder Creek Guitars

BoulderCreekGuitars

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from the Boulder Creek Guitars web site

Boulder Creek Guitars was the born from an idea that was developed over 15 years ago by Mike Shellhammer. Mike, having spent his life in the music industry as a musician, store owner and product developer felt that there was a better way to brace a guitar than what was considered standard.

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Candelas Guitars

CandelasGuitars

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from the Candelas Guitars web site

Candelas Guitars are considered by many of the top and well-renowned musicians in the world to be the finest quality instruments of their kind. Each guitar is handmade from the finest woods by Tomas Delgado, a 3rd generation luthier and owner of Candelas Guitars, to produce the optimum pitch and sound possible. Candelas Guitars also custom builds guitars to specification.

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Ron Cooke Studios

CoogInstruments

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from the Ron Cooke Studios web site

Ron Cook is a California born and bred artisan luthier and craftsman. He uses “green” methods and materials to create one-of-a-kind "sound sculptures", as well as medieval and Early American stringed instruments, carvings, and furnishings. He uses primarily recycled, salvaged and urban forest woods. He is particularly known for his detailed carvings and "tiled" methods of construction.

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Cordoba Guitars & Ukuleles

CordobaGuitars

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from the Cordoba Guitars & Ukuleles web site

Founded in 1997, Cordoba seeks to guide the evolution of the nylon string guitar, blending traditional craftsmanship of the early master luthiers with modern developments. Inspired by the organic beauty and honesty of acoustic instruments, every Cordoba is lightweight, responsive, and a direct descendant of the Spanish tradition. Córdoba continues to challenge the definition of the acoustic guitar without sacrificing the authenticity of its heritage.

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DaSilva Ukulele Co.

DaSilvaUkulele

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from the DaSilva Ukulele Co. web site

DaSilva Ukulele Co. in Berkeley, California is the workshop of Michael DaSilva where he makes high-quality , handcrafted ukuleles. You will also find the full-line of RISA Solid and Electric instruments and inexpensive beginner ukes. The shop is also host to house concerts, ukulele lessons and workshops, the occasional jam session and meetings of the Berkeley Ukulele Club. Check the Calendar for events.

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Goat Rock Ukulele

GoatRockUkulele

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from the Goat Rock Ukulele web site

I’ve worked with wood my entire life as a cabinet maker, finish carpenter and now a ukulele builder. My parents were both artists, making beautiful things runs deep. I strive to make the best ukuleles in both sound and sight. Goat Rock Ukulele is not a ukulele factory. I build few instruments at a time. Each ukulele is unique. I love building themed instruments that have connection to the eventual owner. I often build with recycled wood. Many woods harvested decades ago are of higher quality then is now available. I have recycled redwood from 75 year old cabernet wine tanks. It’s stained a beautiful purple from the wine. This wood will make an amazing top for a vintner themed Ukulele.

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Golden Gate Rhythm Machines

GoldenGateRhythmMachines

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from the Golden Gate Rhythm Machines web site

The Golden Gate Rhythm Machine (GGRM) plays trad jazz and popular music of the teens, '20s and '30s in a listenable and danceable style performed by professional musicians with more than 40 years experience each. We're ready to play your festival, party, wedding or any event you can think of.

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Graziano Ukuleles

GrazianoUkuleles

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from the Graziano Ukuleles web site

"Tony Graziano Ukuleles", Tony Graziano has been building musical instruments since 1969 and became interested in the Ukulele in 1978 , and then in 1995, after several years of building both guitars and Ukuleles, Tony began building Ukuleles almost exclusively. Tony likes to think of the ukulele as an instrument of the millennium. Its compact, easy to travel with, and brings joy to all who hear and play them. All Tony Graziano Ukes are built by Tony in his Santa Cruz shop using of the finest woods available.

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Heller Guitars

HellerGuitars

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from the Heller Guitars web site

Thomas Heller, inspired by his love of blues artists like Robert Johnson, and guided by his background in building classical guitars, has constructed a truly unique line of acoustic steel string guitars that produce his trademark rich sound.

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Hill Guitar Company

HillGuitarCompany

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from the Hill Guitar Company web site

Kenny Hill is one of the most accomplished, experienced and versatile classical guitar makers in the world today. He is recognized as a fine maker, player, teacher and innovator. He has worked as an individual luthier, in small workshops as well as in large factory settings, to bring fine guitars to thousands of players of all levels around the world.

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Iriguchi Ukuleles

IriguchiUkuleles

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from the Iriguchi Ukuleles web site

Iriguchi Ukuleles is Diana and me. We are a husband/wife team. I am the luthier and web guy and Diana is my inspiration/muse/accountant. Oh, and Dieter is our shop dog. He’s a German Shepherd. I build our ukuleles in a little workshop here in Carmichael, California, which is just outside Sacramento.

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Ken Franklin Guitars

KenFranklinGuitars

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from the Ken Franklin Guitars web site

Above all your guitar should sound luscious. I build with sculpted braces and graduated top thicknessing on guitar shapes that encourage the notes to ring from anywhere on the fretboard. I use only personally selected woods that I know will bring out an exceptionally clear, rich sound.

The design should be gorgeous. Just sitting in a stand, your guitar will generate conversation. The form is of classic lines at home in a contemporary setting. The woods and binding scheme compliment each other, and though it is thin, the finish is like diving in a pool of clear water. Your guitar is a balanced sculpture in wood.

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Kimo Ukulele

KimoUkulele

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from the Kimo Ukulele web site

My second home, Maui, and many years in ocean sports both on the mainland and the Islands naturally led me to the beauty of the Polynesian culture including slack-key guitar and ukulele.

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John S. Kinnard Ukuleles

KinnardUkes

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from the John S. Kinnard Ukuleles web site

Nestled in the foothills of northern San Diego County, just inland from the coast, sits the small village of Fallbrook, California. Known for its mild climate and laid back lifestyle, artisans of different genres cultivate their craft inspired by the beauty of the valleys and mountains that surround the town.

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Orpheus Valley Guitars and Kremona Studio

Kremona

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from the Orpheus Valley Guitars and Kremona Studio web site

Orpheus Valley Guitars and Kremona Studio violins are the product of Bulgaria’s venerable Kremona lutherie, established in 1924. Enjoying continued success in many parts of the world, Kremona now offers their traditional European craftsmanship to North America. Recognized for superb build quality and solution-oriented pricing, Kremona musical instruments remain one of the industry’s astonishing values.

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Little River Ukuleles

LittleRiverUkuleles

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from the Little River Ukuleles web site

I have always been passionate about working with wood, and have been a professional woodworker for over 25 years. My woodworking skills have progressed from finish work, doors and cabinetry, furniture building, complex joinery, jewelry making, marquetry and inlay, and have come full circle to lutherie. Making finely crafted ukuleles is the culmination of my art and craft.

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Moku Ukuleles

MokuUkuleles

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from the Moku Ukuleles web site

The Hawaiian word "Moku" means Island, which was the original inspiration for these beautiful Ukuleles. There is just something so simple and beautiful about the Ukulele - just like the Polynesian Islands they originated from. Play one yourself and bring your self back to the Islands.

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MP Ukuleles

MPUkuleles

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from the MP Ukuleles web site

MP Ukuleles are handcrafted instruments built on the California Central Coast by Mike Pereira.

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Nalu Ukulele Company

NaluUkuleleCompany

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from the Nalu Ukulele Company web site

Los Angeles, California based ukulele company. We've spent years prototyping and testing ukulele after ukulele to be able to make one simple promise: When you buy a Nalu ukulele, you will be buying an ukulele with an outstanding sound, a beautiful appearance, and a structural integrity that guarantees it's built to last.

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New Wave Ukulele

NewWaveUkulele

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from the New Wave Ukulele web site

New ukulele builder located in El Cajon, California My name is Eric Vossbrink, I am a Luthier from San Diego California. Originally from Los Angeles, I started working with guitars when I was 18 in music stores, eventually I went to work for one of the most prestigious guitar manufacturers in the world. My belief is that since ukulele music is becoming more sophisticated, so should the instrument. My goal is to create instruments that help the artist find their music.

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North Pacific Ukuleles

NorthPacificUkuleles

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from the North Pacific Ukuleles web site

Hand built ukuleles from the finest woods available. These instruments have great tone and projection, and are available in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor and baritone.. Abalone inlay and custom detailing are a specialty. Woods used are Hawaiian Koa, Oregon flamed Mertle, 30-year-old Brazilian Rosewood, and North Coast Redwood. The sound, finish details, and ease of playing are wonderful!

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Oiwi Ukulele

OiwiUkulele

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from the Oiwi Ukulele web site

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Orca Carbon Fiber Ukuleles

OrcaCarbonFiberUkuleles

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from the Orca Carbon Fiber Ukuleles web site

The Orca tenor ukulele prototype from the makers of Elixir Carbon Fiber Violins. We're a small shop located on San Francisco Bay in California. Literally on the Bay -- in a boat; a 60', 50 net ton steel trawler. All of our instruments are made one at a time, on the bench. When Robert Edney -- who developed the Elixir Violin -- got hooked on ukuleles it just had to happen: A new and different uke with great sound and maximum durability.

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Pohaku Ukuleles

PohakuUkuleles

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from the Pohaku Ukuleles web site

Pohaku Ukuleles are built by master craftsman Peter Hurney who began creating his Pohaku brand ukuleles in Hawaii in the early 90’s. This one person shop, now in Berkeley, California, produces a limited number of high quality instruments which have found their way all over the globe and are enjoyed by prominent musicians worldwide.

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Andy Powers Musical Instrument Co.

PowersAndy

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from the Andy Powers Musical Instrument Co. web site

Andy Powers grew up in a music-loving family in Oceanside, California. At the age of five Andy, the son of a carpenter and his artist wife, had his first workbench and shortly thereafter began playing piano. Andy took up playing the guitar when he was eight. In a house where musical instruments, tools and wood were all readily available, curiosity got the better of him and he began his first attempts at building guitars before the age of ten. With design and sound refinement the instruments began to improve tremendously, and Andy began selling the instruments to customers while he was still a teenager. Having been encouraged by his parents to pursue the arts, he began to explore the world of traditional inlayed art, using his instruments as a canvas.

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Renaissance Guitar Company

RenaissanceGuitarCompany

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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.

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Road Toad Music

RoadToadMusic

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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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Pepe Romero

RomeroPepe

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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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Samick Guitar Company

Samick

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from the Samick Guitar Company web site

For almost 40 years Samick has manufactured product for the leading brand names in the guitar business. In the process, we learned a great deal about not only what goes into a great guitar, but how to produce it at an affordable price. We also realized that the ability to produce quality product at an affordable price was only half the equation. There needed to be an all out effort to develop a powerful new identity for the product and our company.

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R.L. Saul Ukulele

SaulRL

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from the R.L. Saul Ukulele web site

(Ed.) Haven’t found a web presence but here is link to Dream Guitars of NJ with a R. L. Saul ukulele. Dreamguitars.com 1 (609) 208-1531 4 Mountainview Court, Clarksburg, NJ 08510 Showings by Appointment

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Marc Silber Music

SilberM

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from the Marc Silber Music web site

Marc Silber Music -- Dealing in second hand instruments (guitars, Hawaiian guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos etc.) for the past forty years. Making new acoustic instruments such as guitars, ukulele, and Hawaiian guitars since 1992, now under the name Marc Silber Guitars.

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Taylor Guitars

TaylorGuitars

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from the Taylor Guitars web site

"Taylor Guitars" is an El Cajon California based luthier, widely known for their quality acoustic guitars. Taylor Guitars was established as a small shop in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug and has since become one of the world's foremost manufacturer of premium-quality guitars. Taylor is widely recognized for its pioneering use of cutting-edge technology to craft ultra-playable, great-sounding and musically-inspiring guitars.

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3rd Wave Ukuleles

ThirdWaveUkuleles

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from the 3rd Wave Ukuleles web site

(dead link) - I don’t believe they are in business anymore. Several years ago they where attempting to sell the business.

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Tiki King

TikiKing

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from the Tiki King web site

As close as I can figure it started back in about 1966. My uncle was a surfer, and he once gave my dad a three foot stone Tiki as a gift. My dad put it out under the big tree next to my play house, where it stood for almost twenty years until said tree was cut down and the Tiki disappeared. But back then that Tiki was about as close to magic as it gets. It made an impression I guess. I have been carving Tikis as long as I can remember, but things really got going in 1993 on the day my wife and I drove up north for our honeymoon.

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Ukebrand

Ukebrand

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from the Ukebrand web site

Made by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hillguitar.com/" target="_blank">Hill Guitar Company</a> Available at <a href="www.maui.net/~ukulele/uke_brand.html" target="_blank">Bounty Music Inc.</a> 111 Hana Hwy. #105 Kahului, Maui&nbsp;Hawaii&nbsp;96732 Phone: (808) 871-1141 Fax: (808) 871-1138

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Ukiyo Ukuleles

Ukiyo

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from the Ukiyo Ukuleles web site

Ukiyo Ukuleles is the brand name used by luthier Marc Schoenberger. He started making instruments professionally in the early 1990&rsquo;s and after a stint with Third Wave Ukuleles, a now defunct, (sometime after 2001), manufacturer from San Luis Obispo, he went off to found Ukiyo in 2000. He builds Soprano Concert and Tenor scale Ukuleles plus some reproductions of famous old models like the Stromberg-Voisinet Aero and the Harmony Vita.

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