The Ukulele From Heaven

Ellen's New Ukulele

My new custom uke just arrived from North Carolina!!! My fantabulous brother, Ken Bloom, is a luthier....he makes guitars, dulcimers, fiddles, banjos, banduras, etc. He's extremely talented! Ken had been promising to build me a custom ukulele for a long time. I enrolled this past summer for ukulele lessons at McCabe's Guitar Shop and learned a few tricks. I think my actually playing and talking to Ken about the uke finally prompted him to actually start and finish the instrument.

It's a beautiful work of art. Ken fashioned the peghead to look like a tiki; he inlaid my nickname in mother-of-pearl letters into the fretboard. The pegs are violin pegs which will need less repair and tightening. The best part is the wood that Ken made the uke out of. It's called curly koa. Thanks, Bro! I just love it!

ADDENDUM:

I was so excited to get my gorgeous new ukulele, that at lunchtime I zoomed over to McCabe's Guitar Shop to pick up a uke case to protect my new treasure. My fave McCabe's employee was at the desk, Jeff Turmes. He played the uke and loved it, another McCabe's employee played the uke and loved it. Jeff and I found a darling little gig-bag with a Hawaiian design on the outside pocket. To quote singer/songwriter, Jeff "Big Dad" Turmes, "everyday's my lucky day."

Jeff "Big Dad" Turmes

Fuzzy Gig-Bag