Custom Cornerstone “Maile Lei” Tenor Ukulele

New. Beautiful Custom Cornerstone Tenor ukulele handcrafted with the utmost attention to detail by master luthier Peter Marreiros in Bakersville, North Carolina. This gorgeous Custom Cornerstone “Maile Lei” Tenor Ukulele is truly a wonderful instrument and comes highly recommended by fans of Cornerstone ukuleles worldwide. A career luthier famed for his extensive experience in guitar luthiery, Peter has taken his woodworking knowledge and passion for finely handcrafted instruments and applied this to beautifully crafted custom ukuleles for your enjoyment.

Biography

Peter Marreiros embarked on his lutherie journey in the late 90’s. In those beginning years he built a few electric guitars. In 2003 he was inspired to build an acoustic guitar. During this process he realized this was his true passion. The demands of building an acoustic guitar were far greater and spawned deeper levels of creativity and detailed workmanship.  Little did Peter know that same year he would meet legendary luthier, Kevin Ryan where both sons were playing little league baseball together. Their friendship grew and Kevin’s meticulous mastery and artistry became a goal for Peter’s builds. Peter’s attention to detail pushed him to build high quality instruments that were aesthetically stunning, uniquely designed, and embodied a strong musically appealing tone.

Peter’s interest for ukuleles was sparked during a visit to one of his friends in the winter of 2018 and coincidentally a trip to Hawaii in February of 2019 further enhanced his interest for the small happy instrument. Pairing years of guitar building experience with his new found love is what drives this builder to push the boundaries of lutherie with a vision to build a ukulele like no other.

“It is with passion and love that a Cornerstone Ukulele is created. Each of my ukuleles is handcrafted and every instrument is a labor of love and dedication. My desire is for my passion to fuel yours…”

This gorgeous custom Cornerstone “Maile Lei” Tenor Ukulele is a fantastic playing and sounding instrument. The body was handcrafted from a master grade set of Hawaiian Koa wood back and sides with a nice tight grain Carpathian Spruce soundboard – two remarkable woods when paired together in the hands of a master luthier. The quality of the Hawaiian Koa wood used on the back and sides is among some of the finest available.

The fretboard was radiused for ease of play in the higher positions on the neck and hand carved from a master grade set of Gabon Ebony wood, consistent with the finest materials available for ukuleles. The fretboard was also elegantly bound in Ebony wood, making for a smooth glide of the player’s hand up and down the fretboard. Ebony wood bridge and a solid one-piece wood-stained Honduras Mahogany neck for added stability and transference of the vibrations back into the sound box. The Hawaiian Koa and Honduras Mahogany wood neck have been tined with a soft sunburst to darken the neck and blend it with the back and sides of the body, giving the instrument an elegant and consistent aesthetic. Gorgeous paua abalone shell inlay on the soundboard, fingerboard, and headstock with a beautiful oval design soundhole with Chrysocolla reconstructed stone rosette in the motif of the Hawaiian Maile Lei, which is a symbol of respect, peace, friendship and love in Hawaii – this uke is absolutely stunning! Wonderful half-headstock “Hawaiian tattoo” sail design done also meticulously in Chrysocolla reconstructed stone with a Mother-of-pearl Cornerstone logo in reconstructed stone. Chrysocolla is a blue green crystal with a high copper content and is opaque in transparency with a vitreous to dull luster. The meaning of Chrysocolla is communication, teaching, and transformation. It is calming with is blue and green colors and captures the soft serenity of still water on a golden summers day, inviting you to tune into your own sense of wonder and knowledge – giving you those tools you need to become your own greatest teacher.

Bone nut and saddle in keeping with the elegant theme of old world tradition. Spot on intonation with a 14 fret joint to the body with 19 overall frets to the sound hole. The instrument also incorporates a uniquely designed hybrid Kasha bracing with hollowed out core and triple hole side sound port on the upper bout for a ‘monitor-like’ effect. Jet black Gabon ebony wood top and back binding with a top beveled armrest for added comfort when cradling the instrument. Professional and custom made Gotoh open-geared machine tuners with black buttons for precise and smooth tuning. String through bridge design for a functional yet elegant feel. A high grade durable polyester finish on the body and neck give it a mirror-like sheen that reveals the natural beauty of the wood.

This is a true masterpiece of functional art that is both appealing to even the most renowned professional ukulele musicians and the recreational player alike. Hawaiian Koa, a dense, stiff, hardwood is prized for its beautiful aesthetics and sound. This beautiful piece has a wonderful and rich tone with tremendous warmth and projection and a top end shimmer with the spruce soundboard. When paired with the Carpathian spruce wood soundboard, this instrument has a lovely warm and balanced sound with excellent projection and a vibrant response. A highly recommended ukulele for both the professional musician and the ukulele enthusiast at heart. ID#230045

Price: SOLD