Custom F. Verginelli Tenor Ukulele
New. Custom Francesco Verginelli tenor ukulele handcrafted in the Kasha design. Francesco Verginelli was born in Rome in 1977 and specialized in 3D graphics at the Quasar Institute in Rome. He acquired Autodesk certifications with the authorization to teach Autodesk software such as Autocad and 3D Studio Max and fostered a passion at the crossroads of technology and creativity, eventually becoming an expert in 3D modeling, advanced lighting, texturing, and drafting.
At the young age of 21, Francesco joined the National Research Council of Italy. He was chosen for this position through competitive selection, winning a state competition and receiving the top award. Additionally, Francesco has always held a passion for music and has been a student of the guitar since his teenage years. As a passionate enthusiast of acoustic guitars, he visited the Taylor Guitars in ElCajon and learned the basic principles of instrument construction beginning his career as a luthier in 2010. Francesco apprenticed at the workshop of Master Pier Luigi Panfili, the current Master of the Roman Academy of Lutherie, for a little over a year, while also building instruments on his own.
As an enthusiastic ukulele player, he decided to build one for himself in 2011, but decided to handcraft a ukulele rather than a guitar. It is here where Francesco fell in love with the size, versatility, and sound of the ukulele, creating a soprano and tenor model over the years. During this time, Francesco developed his own approach to an x-braced ukulele for his tenor model and he enjoys pushing the boundaries of instrument construction using only the finest materials and refined techniques in his build philosophy. His objective is to build an instrument that is balanced and yet expressive in tone, combining elegance, comfort, and aesthetics that inspiring those passionate about their music to pick them up and play.
This beautiful Francesco Verginelli tenor ukulele was handcrafted in the Kasha design with an upper bout porting on the soundboard and side sound port. The instrument also incorporates a hybrid Kasha bracing internally, that channels the string vibrations in such a way that the entire body of the instrument drives the sound and not only the soundboard. The internal braces are Italian Val di Fiemme Spruce, some of the finest spruce trees in the world from the legendary forest of Fiemme in the eastern part of the region of Trentino Aldo Adige (South Tirol) in the Italy. This forest is regarded as the “Musical Wood” forest and is where Antonio Stradivari selected the finest spruce for his instruments. Francesco continues this centuries old tradition and incorporates this very special spruce into his finely handcrafted ukuleles.
This masterpiece handcrafted by F. Verginelli was handcrafted from a premium master grade Hawaiian curly Koa face, back and sides with a gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood top and back binding. Absolutely stunning! Solid Mahogany neck reinforced with carbon fiber for added stability and transference of the vibrations back into the soundboard. Matching Brazilian rosewood fretboard and bridge with a single abalone shell inlay on position 12 for quick reference. Matching side-of-neck abalone shell position markers have been inlaid on positions 5, 7, 10, and 12 for a top down perspective when playing. Bone nut and saddle. Side sound port for monitor-like effect by which the sound fires upward toward the player as well as forward toward the audience, allowing the player to hear the subtle tonal nuances offered by this fantastic instrument. Radiused fretboard for ease of play in higher position up the neck. Curly Hawaiian Koa wood headstock veneer with ‘paua’ abalone shell FV logo inlay. Matching abalone shell inlay on the top, back, and fingerboard of the instrument in keeping with the regal these of the piece. A small piece of abalone was also meticulously inlaid to the far end of the bridge closer to the butt of the instrument attesting to the skills of the luthier and the overall elegance of the instrument. Professional fine-tune Gotoh UK700 open-geared machine tuners for precise tuning and classic appeal. French polish finish.
This instrument has a tremendous tone with wonderful clarity, projection, and note separation. It is quite light in weight and easy to cradle when playing. A remarkable ukulele from a hidden gem in Rome, Italy, by which Francesco Verginelli handcrafts these remarkable masterpieces for a few people each year to enjoy. ID#230106
Price: $5,850.00