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.
From Seattle, Washington, USA and using the brand name Small Wonder Banjos, he only makes open backed Banjos but he has made quite a few Banjoleles too
He has made a number of banjos with a kind of fake body that is just the top, so it looks like a sound board around the banjo. This is purely decorative though. Jere is probably more famous as an entertainer with his identical twin brother Greg as the Canote Brothers
From Cedar City, Utah, he trained as a Violin maker and founded Whittlesticks Inc. in 2001. He now makes all sorts of chordophone including electric and archtop Guitars and Ukuleles but not Banjos
Thomas Hood - Birdhouse
Based in East Haven, Vermont, He learned luthiery from his father and has spent more that 20 years as an instrument repairer. In 2012 He started Birdhouse to make Ukuleles and other instruments based on his special design. Though he has made Baritone and Tenor scale Ukuleles he mainly makes Concert and Sopranino, (but he calls them Sopraetta), Scale Ukuleles with 22 or 24 frets
