If you’d like to feel regal when you play, the Royal Hawaiian is the uke for you! While you may be tempted to simply gaze at this beauty, make no mistake – this is ukulele sounds even better than it looks.
The Royal Hawaiian body was made from Big Island Koa. The wood is from near the stump of a large Hawaiian koa tree. The intense grain patterns and figure running through the wood was caused by tree stress as it fought to hold its ground in the strong winds above Hilo, Hawaii. The tree finally fell in the early 60’s. HMI obtained some of this wood from a retiring luthier friend.
The ukulele neck is made from okoumé mahogany. The fretboard and bridge are Indian Rosewood. The wrap around fret markers are made from basswood.
The ukulele was bound with California sycamore. You can see the characteristic snakeskin-like grain very clearly in the cutaway detail.
The rosette and the bottom tailpiece art are both made from the Big Island Hawaiian Koa and some California sycamore.
The best of the best went into this and the best will come out of it as you play. This ukulele was made to be picked and strummed with the best! Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you’ll find that the Royal Hawaiian is the crème de la crème.
FEATURES
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- acoustic, tenor ukulele
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- deep, rich, Big Island Hawaiian koa beauty
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- cutaway for easier playing on highest frets
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- soft vee neck connected at 14th fret
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- 19 total frets
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- basswood side fret markers are easier to see while playing
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- beautiful Big Island Hawaiian koa and California sycamore rosette inlay
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- Aquila Ukulele Reds give this ukulele a warmer sound
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- Highly coveted Gotoh planetary tuning pegs
TALKIN’ STORY
Look closely, and you’ll see that the beautiful Big Island Hawaiian koa and sycamore rosette inlay pattern is an homage to the Los Angeles County beach lifeguards.
This is a very special Ukulele. I don’t build too many like this one. The top, back, sides and headstock plate are all from the trunk of a Koa tree the fell on The Big Island of Hawaii in the early ’60’s. There is so much radical grain as well as figuring, the wood has a depth unmatched by any other ukulele that I’ve built.
– Luthier comment