Custom Kinnard ‘Selmer’ Super Tenor Ukulele
New. Beautiful John Kinnard ‘Selmer’ Style gypsy jazz super tenor ukulele with cutaway handcrafted in Fallbrook, California with the utmost attention to detail and tone. This beautiful Custom John Kinnard ‘Selmer’ style super tenor ukulele is the masterpiece in fit, finish, playability and tone. World renowned for his gypsy jazz style guitars through the ‘Dell ‘Arte” brand of guitars and with roughly 500 gypsy jazz guitar builds under his belt, John has taken that knowledge and experience and integrated it into a new ‘Selmer’ style gypsy jazz super tenor for your enjoyment.
John Kinnard Biography
Nestled in the foothills of northern San Diego County just inland from the coast, sits the small village of Fallbrook, California. Known for its mild climate and laid back lifestyles, artisans of different genres cultivate their craft inspired by the beauty of the valleys and mountains that surround the town. One such artist is John S. Kinnard, an “old school” luthier who has established himself as a master of his trade in a day when CNC machines cough out “cookie cutter” parts to be assembled like a child’s puzzle.
Working out of his one man shop, John arguably builds some of the finest stringed instruments in the world by hand. He does them one by one – molding and shaping the parts and assembling them to create instruments that not only look stunning when completed, but also possess something that the mass produced instruments lack – the soul of the luthier. John has been building guitars, mandolins and ukuleles in a career that has spanned more than forty five years and is best known as the luthier behind the Dell’ Arte brand of gypsy style guitars played around the world. Like many artists, his creativity spills over into other mediums including oil and watercolor painting and also jewelery making – talents that have served him well in making him the luthier he is today.
From painting he developed an eye for proportion and style. From designing and making jewelry it trained him to look for the smallest flaws and build with an attention to detail that has become the hallmark of his work as a luthier. When people talk about the construction of his instruments the one word you hear more than any other is the word “clean”. Building with superior materials together with top shelf construction and attention to detail, you end up with a beautiful instrument. Add in the soul of the luthier and you end up with an instrument that is something organic and very special. That is what John strives for in every instrument he builds…
This gorgeous John Kinnard ‘Selmer’ Style gypsy jazz super tenor was crafted from the finest materials – gorgeous Maple wood back and sides with a master grade Sitka spruce soundboard. It boasts an elegant bound ebony fretboard with compound radius and a mustache bridge in ebony. Bone nut and saddle. Kinnard ‘Selmer’ oval sound hole with custom traditional rosette. 13 fret joint to the body with 18 overall frets to the sound hole. Faux tortoise shell top and back binding with matching black purfling on the soundboard. Snake head stale slotted headstock with Gotoh tuners for precise and smooth tuning and a matching ebony wood faceplate in keeping with the elegant theme of this beautiful handcrafted super tenor. A classic appeal with a musicians grade glossy nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the body and a satin style finish on the neck for a smooth feel.
The instrument also incorporates a side sound port on the upper bout for a ‘monitor-like’ effect and a cutaway for easy of play in higher positions on the neck. This is a unique piece that would be treasured among even the most renowned professional ukulele musicians and the recreational player alike. It has a 19″ scale and is tuned a full step down to Bb. Due to the unique scale length it can be played in baritone tuning using a baritone string set and it can be played in standard C tuning using a set of lower tension tenor strings. Currently, it is strung with Worth Clear mediums with a Fremont Soloist smooth wound low G, which make for a perfect tension to play this a full step lower in Bb. This gives the uke a rich full sound that is both powerful yet articulate.
This ukulele offers remarkable ‘blend’ in which each string contributes its own individualistic tonal characteristics in a wonderful and balanced way; namely, a harmony and melody ‘blend’. It is an excellent ukulele for those who enjoy blending the harmony and melody when playing. A world-class instrument with a rich and complex tonal range, excellent sustain, clarity, and projection with spot on intonation as well. A highly recommended ukulele for both the professional musician and the ukulele enthusiast at heart. ID#190048.
Price: SOLD