WA South Coast Update

[John Maddison]

G'day

We previously posted a few pics of a visit to Albany by Tim Spittle back in January 2011 (to view click here).

During the recent mid-semester holidays we had a chance to catch up once again while Tim made another flying visit to trade a few bits of tonewood and to welcome a Newbie to our growing band of merry makers, namely a long-time mate of mine Phil Anderson, who was visiting from Nannup where he's a widely respected craftsman of very fine furniture using predominately West Australian timbers. These days Phil is semi-retired from the furniture game and during a visit I made to his workshop last year he got bitten by the ukulele-making bug. We've also recently welcomed back Max Michael into the fold; Max is one of our original group of 12 blokes who banded together in 2005 at a TAFE course in stringed instrument making.

Here's a few pics of the crew with some finished instruments and a couple of 'builds-in-progress' taken at Pete Young's place last week. You'll note Pete's recent renovations where he has enclosed part of his carport and installed clear fibreglass sheeting and a new bench along the west wall - a bloody nice well-lit workspace it is too!


Phil & Tim look on while Max & Maurice hunt for a bargain through some of Tim's Spanish Cedar & Tassie Blackwood ...

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Tim takes Maurice's new Octave Mandolin for a spin ...

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Pete's All-West-Australian Tenor ukulele using WA Sheoak (w/Bloodwood bindings) under construction ...

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My 18 y.o. son Sam tuning the top fan braces of a 'Dad & the Lad' joint U-Bass build ...

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Maurice's new Archtop Mando about to get bindng channels cut ...

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Phil Anderson's latest build and his new pride & joy - another All-West-Aussie Tenor uke of some lovely striped Peppermint back/sides & top with Blackbutt fretboard & bridge ...

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Maurice's Papoose-style smaller bodied guitar (Tassie Blue Gum) ....

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Maurice's Macassar Ebony replica of an 1897 Washburn 12-to-the-body ...

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A Tenor uke of Tassie Blackwood & King Billy Pine that I built for a mate who's into Stratocaster guitars, and surfing ...

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And it wouldn't be a get-together without a few ales at the end of the day. Seen here are Max playing Maurice's Octave Mandolin and (work colleague)Terry Madden on guitar while the proud maker looks on ...

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We're ALWAYS open to visits by other makers at our Saturday arvo events; if ever you are planning a trip to Albany please feel free to PM either Pete, Maurice or myself prior to arrival.

Hope I got all the descriptors correct, if not I'm sure the others will chime in. Thanks for looking y'all.

[John Maddison]

Pete's All-West-Australian Tenor ukulele using WA Sheoak (w/Bloodwood bindings) under construction ...

*Edit - those bindings are Beefwood - apologies.

[Tod Gilding]

Looks like a good time had by all John. Can you give any info on that striped Peppermint, I have never seen it before and cannot find anything online, but it looks amazing, can I get some through Tim

[Kamusur]

There are some pretty nice instruments going on there.

Steve

[John Maddison]

Can you give any info on that striped Peppermint

Hi Tod

Phil Anderson owns a mobile Lewis Sawmill and he cut that coastal Peppy several years ago from a log that somebody got him to slice up into slabs. It's been stacked amongst a large mountain of furniture-grade timber in his Nannup workshop, and now that he's discovered ukulele making he decided to give it a try. Very close grain and it came up a treat under two coats of Feast & Watson fine buffing oil. Tonally it sings! He worked on a baritone Uke made of the same stuff while he was here last weekend.

Phil got such a big kick out of his first visit to our maker's group that he wants to return in the next month or so. I will pin him down on whether he wants to trade any and/or quantities available when he's next in Albany. Or, if you want to PM me I'll send you his contact number if you want to touch base direct.

@Steve - thanks for the applause

Cheers

[Kim]

Great post as always John. Good to see all the SL crew looking so well and doing such beautiful work.

I am fortunate in that Maurie was kind enough to send me an 'excellent' set of templates for 1897 Washburn. Its just the perfect size guitar and with all the curves and that big lower bout she looks so bloody sexy.

Please say a big Gday to the lads for me, love all their work and look forward to catching up for a beer when I have the opertunity..true..

Cheers

Kim

[maurie]

You are right Kim, the Washburn copy makes a great finger style guitar.
I have built 6 of them now, and all have been great sounding instruments.
I have built this one as a keeper due to the amazing set of maccasser that Tim reluctently sold me.
My last Washburn copy was black heart sass and also a nice guitar and a keeper. In Feb this year Eric Bibb played it during his Aust. tour, said he had to have it and took it with him. He recently called from Finland saying how much he loved it and wants me to build him something else in the future. Hope it's nothing too way out.

Cheers Maurice

[Nick]

Melted cheese the lot of them John, thanks for posting. Any chance of a few more pics of Maurice's Papoose style small body? It looks like a ripper and another vote for that lovely looking peppermint & yeah the low gloss oiled finish really brings out the best in the wood.

[John Maddison]

Hey Nick

Pete Young is our Official Chief Photographer and Archivist; he snapped all of the images shown here and has hard drives full of our build pics covering the last 7 years. He and Maurie have each made Papoose 6-string guitars which are about the same dimensions as a Baritone Uke in terms of body size. I will be seeing Pete at work today so we'll dig out a few more shots for your viewing pleasure

Agreed re the Peppy Tenor, Phil being a furniture craftsman of many years standing sure has the 'good oil' when it comes to finishing his builds.

Cheers

[John Maddison]

This post seems to have generated an interest in the Papoose small-bodied guitar, so here's a bit more info and images.

To quote from Wikipedia:

The P1 Papoose was the first guitar model made by Tacoma. It was designed by Terry Atkins and George Gruhn. It has a relatively short 19.1" scale and is tuned to "A" rather than the conventional "E", making it equivalent to a conventional guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. It introduced the Paisley Soundhole and the Voiced Bracing Support system. It is available as a 6-string or a 12-string guitar.


Here's a screen dump of the Paposse page from Tacoma Guitar's catalogue ...

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And a shot of the back of Maurice's Tassie Blue Gum Papoose as seen earlier ...

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... with Max having a strum on Maurice's baby ...

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Pete pioneered the building of these guitars amongst the Albany group; here's a shot of his top bracing pattern ...

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Pete's finished product (Red Spruce top, Silky Oak B&S and Quandong neck) ...

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While Maurice takes it for a spin and yes, he CAN play - even if it IS Country & Western (pic shows him fingering a Gmaj7 without him even realising it ) ...

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And while you're all salivating, another pic here of the back of Phil Anderson's Peppermint Tenor uke showing some lovely figure ...

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Cheers

[Allen]

Some really great work you guys are doing over there. Every one is inspirational.

Thanks for taking the time to post all those shots. When we're at opposite ends of the country, it's hard to keep up with what's going on other than your own shed.

[kiwigeo]

I have trouble keeping up with whats going on in my own shed

[Kim]

Thanks John,

Maurie's work is always so clean and sharp. Pete's too, always excellent output from the Albany lads and Phil's uke fits right in also and its great to see Ben turning his hand to the craft.

Also must add my own drool to the pool over the striped peppermint, its outstanding looking wood..it should be reserved for lutherie...all of it

Cheers

Kim