| Jeff's shop is near the town of Turtle
River in the northwoods of Minnesota. Here on our land
Jeff harvests wood for red elm, ash, and birch ukuleles.
The balance of wood, whether tropical or indigenous,
is carefully chosen from responsible and established
suppliers. When the wood has been air-dried, aged, and
acclimated to the temperature and humidity controlled
shop, building begins. |
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| After sawing is complete,
the top, back, and side woods are selected for color
and quality. Jeff then works to achieve a prime tone balance
for each ukulele. This is accomplished through thinning
the soundboards and backs, carving the bracing, and
using both tap and chladni tuning methods. |
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| During the building process,
Jeff fits and assembles each ukulele with care. A joined
headstock is constructed for strength and stability and
the fretboard is radiused for ease of playing. To create
a strong union between the neck and body, the neck is
attached with a bolted mortise and tenon joint. Binding
may also be added to the body for increased durability. |
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Whether the grain is straight or figured,
a natural finish allows each wood to be true to both
its beauty and its sweet tone quality. After sealing
the wood with shellac, Jeff hand-applies layers of oil
varnish by hand to create a durable and protective finish.
When thoroughly cured, each ukulele is rubbed to a
smooth sheen. |
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For crisp energy transference he
uses a bone nut and saddle and D'Addario strings. From
start to finish, Digging Stick ukuleles are instruments
Jeff is proud to build and proud to offer.
To view Jeff's ukuleles, see $'s
And More and Pic-A-Uke. |
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