In being on the look out for nice Ukuleles I see the work of a number of full and part time luthiers. The instruments they make look very nice and worthy of note.
Based in Roseville, California he mainly makes Dulcimers, but also makes Lyres, Harps and Ukuleles plus a number of other non-musical wood and leather items. He started working with wood in the 1990's and started making musical instruments in 2010. The Ukuleles he makes are all Tenor and come in two non traditional body shapes, a teardrop he calls the 'Elliptic' and the other he calls the 'Axel'. Arthritis means that these days he build on spec when he can and doesn't take commissions.
Based in Asheville, North Carolina, He started on the path of luthiery trying to improve his MiJ electric Guitar in the late 1970's. Now he is a full time luthier making electric Guitars, electric and acoustic Banjos, and since 2014 Tenor and Baritone Ukuleles. He started Ukulele making with the intention of making serious instruments for people serious about the Ukulele and most of his Ukulele work today has been custom orders. He also says he enjoys doing the inlay work and would happily tanke more orders for custom Ukuleles.
Kerry Bannister - Kay-eL-Bee
He describes himself as a Ukulele builder/restorer from Seattle. Washington who uses his initials as a brand name. He has made more than 50 Ukuleles with some pretty different to the normal body shape some like teardrops are still fairly standard but he also has some styles he has named himself like ukujos, ukulin, (two point mandolin shape), and pickman.
