then...

One Wednesday evening in 2006 we were enjoying the ABC's Spicks and Specks as usual when on the segment "Look what they've done..." appeared a dozen or so members of MUK - the Melbourne Ukulele Kollective (you can see the segment on YouTube here). We thought the segment was great. But then, at the end of the show, the original dozen were joined by countless other MUKers to play the show out. They kept coming...and coming...and eventually seemed to take over the entire studio! All ages, all abilities...all seeming to have the time of their lives! (Click here to view this bit on YouTube!) It was fantastic and I thought, "I want what they're having!".

I spent the next little while rummaging about looking for my old red uke...the one decorated years ago by my friend Primrose (pics left and right - the purists won't be impressed but it has a lot of sentimental value!). I knew it had to be somewhere as I would have never thrown it out! Eventually I found it, hit Google to refresh my memory of tuning and chords, dug out our old Buskers music books and started strummin'!!

I hadn't strummed a uke for nearly 40 years! (During my teen years I'd spent some time in New Zealand with a Maori family who had taught me some chord basics.) Over the next few months I returned regularly to my happy little instrument and was surprised to find how much had remained hidden in my memory banks from all those years ago. The really neat thing was that while playing, along with lots of great memories from my youth flooding back, all daily stresses dissipated! It's simply impossible to feel stressed while strumming a ukulele!

It wasn't long before my little old red uke gave way under the strain of old age and excessive exercise and very soon it was time to get serious...the world-wide ukulele revolution had taken a firm hold!

and now...

So...back to Google! Found a Tasmanian luthier and after a plethora of emails and a visit to Launceston, I eventually commissioned my pride and joy. Tom Chippindall is the luthier and it's his creation you can now see left and right. I couldn't be more thrilled with my Tom Chippindall concert ukulele. It not only sounds heavenly and feels wonderful to play, it is a thing of beauty...in fact, a work of art. Tom's gentle spirit and obvious love of music is completely manifested in the instrument. His workmanship and attention to detail is outstanding and he was an utter delight to deal with. For those interested the specs are...

Body, neck and head - Tasmanian Blackwood
Inlays - Tasmanian Sassafras
Fretboard, bridge and tail inlay - Indian Ebony
Tuners - Gotoh
Soundboard bracing - carbon fibre and cedar laminate
Kerfing & other small top & side braces – Tasmanian Blackwood
Back cross braces - Tasmanian Eucalypt
Bridge plate - Adirondack Spruce
Varnish - Nitrocellulose

Visit Tom's website at www.mandolintom.com to see his divine mandolins and other instruments.

and it continues...

For Christmas 2008 a very generous Santa delivered an Applause (made by Ovation) electric ukulele (pic left). And it's not just a pretty face...it's a real hoot to play!!

and still it continues...

Christmas 2009 and Santa was even more generous with an order for a Beltona resonator uke (pic right). Sensational to play...and look at...an exceptional tone and such a gutsy sound!! Steve at Beltona (NZ) is a delight to deal with and I can't recommend him and his uke highly enough! Sorta completes the circle really...started with a red uke from NZ in 1966 and now have a red reso uke from NZ (arrived) 2010!! Check out Beltona's full range of reso insruments (also guitars and mandolins) at www.beltona.net.

now my collection is complete...

After beginning its life in the USA in the 1930s this gorgeous little SS Stewart, Collegiate banjo ukulele spent some time in Ireland before travelling half way round the world to take up residence in Tasmania!

It's pretty much intact with real skin vellum and constructed of birds eye maple. Its tuning pegs have been replaced with geared tuners and it's now strung with quality Aquila strings but it retains the look and sound of the 1930s.

Can't believe how much it adds to songs of the yesteryear...they sound so much more authentic!! This little instrument is so pretty and a pure delight to play. And a huge thanks to the delightful Eamonn in Galway for putting this little beauty on eBay!!