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 San Diego, California. He specialises in Guitars is increasingly doing Ukuleles in his current catalogue and has set up a separate site for them. John has been making Guitars for a long time and amongst other things he is a partner in Dell Arte Guitars, he worked for Heritage Guitars, he worked for Taylor Guitars for 4 years, (before they started making Ukuleles) and in the 90's he used the brand name Finegold for his Guitars and Mandolins (but as far as I can see not Ukuleles were made while doing any of this). He makes mainly Concert and Tenor scales but does do some Sopranos and includes prices for Baritones. He also does a Tenor Guitar with a more Ukulele like fat neck, (which he has sometimes produced as a matched pair with a Tenor Ukulele), and a 20 inch scale Guitar that he classifies as a Baritone Guitalele, (or “Kīkū” - his name for it), rather than a Terz Guitar
Now based in Balsam, North Carolina he first learned lutheiry in Michigan and has had a number of woodworking jobs including spending some time at Cedar Mountain Banjos before starting up on his own. He specialises in really old style often fretless Banjos including gourd Banjos but does make custom Banjoleles and has been know to make all wood instruments, though I've not seen a Ukulele
Ron L Saul
From St. Louis Obispo, California, USA. He started making Ukuleles before 2000 and specialises in the Concert scale with a Spruce or Cedar top. I have read he gives all of the Ukuleles he makes a through "breaking in" by strumming them a million(?) times before he sells them
