Custom Cornerstone Tenor Ukulele

New. Beautiful Custom Cornerstone “Gouldian Finch” Tenor ukulele handcrafted with the utmost attention to detail by master luthier Peter Marreiros in Westminster, California. This gorgeous Custom Cornerstone 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 “Gouldian Finch” Tenor Ukulele is a special series that Peter has released over the last year. It is the third instrument in a series of bird themed inlay ukuleles and the only one made with this coveted wood combination.  The body was handcrafted from a master grade set of Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with an extremely tight grain Redwood soundboard that came from a 1924 California bridge that was dismantled. Wood enthusiasts soon discovered how remarkable the wood was for instrument purposes and the finest examples were sold off in limited quantities for a limited number of guitars and ukuleles. Similarly, the quality of the Brazilian Rosewood used on the back and sides is among some of the finest available. Brazilian Rosewood is coveted for its remarkable tone and wood of this quality is often reserved for only the best builds. The woods are from Peter’s reserve of premium wood sets for his finest builds. Brazilian Rosewood was also used on the fretboard and is elegantly bound, making for a smooth glide of the player’s hand up and down the fretboard. Gabon ebony wood bridge and a solid one-piece wood-stained Mahogany neck for added stability and transference of the vibrations back into the sound box. Gorgeous paua abalone shell inlay on the soundboard, fingerboard, and headstock with a beautiful oval design soundhole with matching paua shell rosette – this uke is absolutely stunning! Wonderful half-headstock “sail” design done meticulously in Hawaiian Koa wood and blue resin. Matching end graft Hawaiian Koa wood and blue resin flower and leaf inlay in keeping with the appeal of a Gouldian Finch frolicking about the flowers.

The Gouldian finch is native to the grasslands of Australia. British ornithologist John Gould named the bird the “Lady Gouldian Finch” for his wife Elizabeth in 1841. The beautiful little finch was imported to Europe six years later and quickly became a favorite among bird enthusiasts. They are social birds that love interacting with other finches but do not tolerate human handling well; and thus, are most appreciated by bird lovers worldwide at a distance. In 1992, Gould’s finch was classified as “endangered in the wild” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The Gouldian Finch inlay itself was done of several colors of reconstituted stone and oriented in such a way that it follows a similar feather pattern of the birds themselves. In-house aged tinted bone nut and saddle in keeping with the elegant theme of old world art. 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 give it a mirror-like sheen that reveals the natural beauty of the wood while a satin style finish on the neck makes for a smooth and comfortable feel to the touch when playing.

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. Brazilian Rosewood, a dense, stiff, tropical hardwood from the forests of Brazil is known for its loud, warm, rich tone, with full deep bass, and brilliant trebles. It is also known for its sustain and clarity and when paired with the 1924 California Bridge Redwood, this instrument has a lovely warm and balanced sound that is very inviting. A highly recommended ukulele for both the professional musician and the ukulele enthusiast at heart.

Please notice how the finish settled into the wood grain surrounding the finch. This is characteristic of how the finish interacts with the wood pours surrounding the inlay work. There is also sealer that is applied to the Brazilian Rosewood prior to the finish process. The sanded sealer resides in to pores of the wood and shows through slightly when seen at certain angles. It is under the polyester finish and does not impact the sound of the instrument but should be pointed out. It is difficult to catch these two features through the course of the build and often surface only after the finish has been applied. For this reason, the instrument has been priced accordingly and discounts applied to the list price below. ID#210062

Price: SOLD