Custom Grimes Tenor Ukulele
New. A work of art! Custom Steve Grimes Tenor Ukulele built on the island of Maui, HI. If you were looking for the best of the best in high-end ukes, look no further! The time invested on each piece is a testimony to over 52 years of guitar and ukulele luthiery and can be seen in the quality of instruments he handcrafts and the world-class tones they produce. Absolutely incredible in all aspects of construction and sound.
Steve is at the forefront of discussion on contemporary lutherie theory and technique while remaining firmly rooted in his understanding of classical construction. The application of these two knowledge bases equates to an instrument with both sound structural integrity and exceptionally refined tonal qualities. His wealth of knowledge in working with various tone woods and materials, coupled with his understanding of finish work, has led to extensive contributions to the guitar and ukulele communities across local, national, and global platforms.
- In 1991 Grimes teamed with Ned Steinberger to produce a “stress free” flat top guitar design, where the string tension is applied to a tailpiece, rather than the soundboard, thereby increasing sustain and volume. Gibson Guitars acquired the rights for this guitar in 1993.
- In 1998, Grimes was selected to be among 22 arch top luthiers from around the world to build a guitar for Scott Chinery’s “Blue Guitar” collection, which spent one year on exhibit in the Smithsonian Gallery of American History.
- In 2002 Grimes collaborated with legendary jazz guitarist Larry Coryell on a flat top, oval hole guitar, and the result was the “LC” model. He is currently working on a guitar design with George Bensen and Ibanez.
The hallmark of Grimes guitars is the close attention to detail, and the careful voicing of the soundboard, from arch tops to ukuleles, before the back plate is glued on. Grimes customizes each instrument to fit specific requests from the player, including tone, dimensions, aesthetics (woods, inlay, finish color, embellishments, etc). In addition to ukuleles finely handcrafted for world-class musicians such as Jake Shimabukuro, Keola Beamer, and Steve has also made over 330 arch top guitars and 250 flat tops for such artists as George Benson (4 guitars), Larry Coryell (3 guitars), Leo Kottke, Paul Simon (3), Earl Klugh, Keola Beamer (6), Walter Becker (11), Steve Miller (12), Pat Simmons, Willie Nelson and others.
This beautiful Custom Grimes tenor ukulele is handcrafted from a gorgeous set of master grade curly Hawaiian Koa wood on the top, back, and sides. Ebony wood rosette, top and back binding, and matching end graft. Burl wood headstock veneer in keeping with the simple and elegant appeal. The Hawaiian Koa wood is truly a beautiful, unique set, boasting a golden-brown color. In addition, the curls in the wood are very pronounced, with a natural iridescence in the grain. A multi-ply wood purfling on the top, back, and sides complements the natural colors of the wood wonderfully, and a musician-grade Ebony fingerboard and bridge are among the attributes that display the subtle elegance of this gorgeous ukulele. Side-of-neck position markers on 3, 5, 7, 10, and 12 for quick top-down reference. Honduran mahogany neck for added stability, transferring vibrations back into the body of the instrument and enhancing sustain. Professional open-geared Waverly machine tuners for precise tuning with little weight added to the headstock. High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish for mirror-like finish.
Perfect intonation, remarkable sustain and wonderful clarity on each note. The instrument is very comfortable to cradle and is well center-balanced. This beautiful ukulele plays absolutely wonderfully and offers that classic, sweet Hawaiian Koa mid-range sound. A recording level instrument from one of Hawaii’s most highly regarded luthiers, Steve Grimes. ID#260045
Price: $8,300.00