Ukulele Luthiers by State and Country

• Classical Guitars
• Flamenco Guitars
• Acoustic Guitars
• Guitar Cases
• Pickups
• Pickguards
• Strings

More information available on listings's web site.

DaSilva Ukulele Co. also provides expert instrument repair, ukulele building classes and supplies. Just call or email if you have questions about these items.

More information available on listings's web site.

Common Ukulele Sizes

	Soprano - The traditional "small" Ukulele. is also called a "Standard" . Typical tuning "g C E A".
	Concert - A slightly larger instrument with a longer fret scale. Same tuning as a Soprano. Still gives the familiar Uke sound, but with more volume and easier fretboard access. Typical tuning "g C E A".
	Tenor - Larger still with heavier strings. This is the favorite of many players because of its larger size, bigger sound, and 17 1/2" scale. This size Uke is the one most used for six and eight string models. Can be tuned like a Soprano and Concert "g C E A" or "d G B E"
	Baritone - The largest of the Uke family. Has the loudest sound, the most bass, and is usually tuned DGBE like the thin four strings on a guitar. Typical tuning "D G B E"

(From Tony Graziano Ukuleles web site.
Be sure to visit Tony's site for some of the coolest ukes around.)

More information available on listing's web site.

More information available on artist's web site.

The Bean Sprout is perfect for standard ukulele playing styles, using banjo finger-picks or for playing claw-hammer style.

The Bean Sprout is a new design that is the perfect mix of traditional and modern construction.  The neck is of concert size with fourteen frets and a neck width of one and a half inches at the nut, which is wider and longer than any other banjo ukulele manufactured today.  This creates not only a very comfortable feel while playing but also a very proportionate instrument, setting Bean Sprout apart from its competition.

More information available on listing's web site.

Ukulele Hall of Fame Expo 2004 - I had the pleasure of playing a few of Augustino LoPrinzi's ukulele at the expo show September 2004 and the are amazing. Light, responsive and reasonable priced for the quality they are. they could easily cost $1000 more than the current price.

The 3K model Tenor is at the top of my list of ukuleles to get.

Here is a nice article titled The Duke of Uke from the St. Petersburg Times.

The History of Augustino LoPrinzi Guitars & Ukuleles

Through the years, Augustino has consulted or designed stringed instruments for many companies including Guild, Martin, Kramer, Fender and others. Many of today’s well-known guitar-builders got their start helping out in Augustino’s shop, observing and learning from the master.

In the beginning Augustino learned by trial and error. He had discovered early on that it is not only the completion of nearly 300 steps to building a good guitar, but the sequence used to complete them.

The importance of using high quality seasoned woods is essential, Augie insists. He’s invested much of his money in wood, knowing that the price of it was always going up and the quality kept going down. On the average, instruments he builds today are from woods ranging in age from four to eight years. The absolute minimum age of the wood he uses for instrument construction is two years—going up in age to the stash of Brazilian rosewood which he purchased in 1963.

Augie has always known the importance of persistence and hard work. He has lived by his father's words, "Do good work and the money will come." According to him he is still waiting on the money, but he still continues to strive to build the best possible guitar he can build. Whether the money comes or not Augustino says he still loves what he is doing.

Fratello "Brother"

The Fratello model began as a joint venture between classical guitarmaker Augi Lo Prinzi and Bob Benedetto. In 1979, both Augi and Bob had their shops in the same industrial park in Clearwater, Florida. Augi and Bob were to form a partnership to make the Fratello brand - an affordable archtop guitar that would compete in the marketplace. The original prototype was made by Bob Benedetto. Cindy Benedetto chose the name Fratello which means "brother" in Italian - to symbolize the two Italian makers. Both liked the name.

At the time the prototype was finished, (which originally had "Fratello" inlaid on the headstock but was later changed to the Benedetto logo by Bob in the very early '80s), Augi's existing workload was all he could handle. The partnership was never formed and Bob decided to introduce the Fratello as a new model to his existing Benedetto line.

The Fratello model went on to become one of Benedetto's top models, played by Jack Wilkins, Royce Campbell, Adrian Ingram, the late Carlo Pes, Jack Petersen and Leo Kottke, among many other notable guitarists.

More information available on listing's web site.

While learning how to build a ukulele, Hana Lima's purpose is to give you a true awareness and understanding of the procedures and phases involved in ukulele making. Students will construct their own ukulele with step-by-step instruction in a complete workshop environment.

Hana Lima 'Ia is a gathering place for the exchange of ideas and the teaching of methods to promote the art and craftsmanship of ukulele building.... island style.

Plans for Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritones Ukes are available thru their online store.

Hana Lima also has an ‘Ukulele construction manual available from right here on CurtSheller.com.

Hana Lima 'Ia 'Ukulele Construction Manual

Hana Lima ‘Ia Ukulele Construction Manual

#DESCRIPTION#

$25.00 - Buy Now

MORE INFO and samples...

Additional Links

• to build a ukulele - link
• Trials, Tribulations & Joy of UAS link

  Photo journal and notes during the Hana Lima 'Ia 'Ukulele Buildin Class

More information available on listing's web site.

Alvin Okami has been called by many a modern day "Renaissance Man." He is an inventor, an innovator, a composer/arranger, a singer, an accomplished oboist, an industrial designer, graphic designer, and overall brilliant conceptual and spontaneous idea man.

His musical background has provided him with all the necessary experiences to enable him to design and create an ukulele of unsurpassed quality. From the very beginning, he has been obsessed with the pursuit of producing the finest ukulele available in the market today. As a musician and craftsman, he would accept nothing less than handcrafting the most beautiful and best sounding instrument.

Alvin Okami started his musical career as a singer. With Frank Sinatra as his idol, he found success at local high school song assemblies. He also ventured into musical composition, writing and recording his own songs. This matured inot a career as a vocalist, accompanying ukulele virtuoso, Herbert "Ohta-san" Ohta, in the Waikiki nightclubs. Alvin garnished praise for his vocal talent from the likes of Matt Monroe (Born Free) to Doc Severenson (The Tonight Show).

As night life did not suit him well, he turned to one of his loves, the oboe. One semester away from his degree in music, he left college to join the Royal Hawaiian Band, as the band's oboe soloist. Between performances, he found the time to launch a career writing tracks for commercials. One of his commercials was featured in a national advertising campaign, for a large retailer.

Ever the adventurer, he left the band to start his own manufacturing business in 1981.

Late in 1994, his old friend Herb Ohta Sr. suggested crafting a miniature ukulele for his sister's store. Alvin was not satisfied to complete a simple minature; therefore, he embarked on a mission to make a tuneable, playable miniature. Six months later, he had an ukulele measuring no more than 5 1/2 inches in length! Playable and tuneable! Exact in every detail, painstakingly done by hand.

This reunited him with another old friend, Roy Sakuma. At Roy's invitation, Alvin performed "Hilo March" and "Jingle Bell Rock at the 1995 Ukulele Festival. It was a total hit! KoAloha Ukulele was officially born.

Due to the high demand for good quality ukuleles, Alvin began a quest to craft full sized instruments. With the unfailing support of Roy and Kathy Sakuma, the production of the regular sized instruments began.

More information available on listing's web site.

More information available on listings's web site.