$1,295

Recovered wood from a species nearly destroyed by blight.

This tenor ukulele was crafted in special collaboration with the American Chestnut Foundation in an effort to raise awareness and educate the community about the American Chestnut tree. We became interested in building an ukulele from American Chestnut wood after making ukuleles from other local hardwoods native to Long Island. Referred to as the “Redwood of the East,” the American Chestnut tree once accounted for 25% of the total trees in the Appalachian forests. In 1904, a fungus disease called “blight” was first discovered in the tree and by 1950, the species was virtually wiped out. The few remaining American Chestnut trees struggle to grow more than a couple feet tall, and conservationists have been working for many years to try to cross pollinate the surviving trees to develop a blight resistant American Chestnut. For more information on the American Chestnut, you can visit The American Chestnut Foundation at www.acf.org.

Through Allen Nichols of the American Chestnut Foundation, we were able to obtain a few board feet of American Chestnut cut from dead standing trees in the 1950’s and placed in storage since then. Unfortunately, the dead standing trees were subject to insect infestation and the wood became “wormy” before conservationists were able to process and store it. The worm holes are visible on this ukulele and were filled with an epoxy-sawdust mix to make the wood workable and structurally sound. The filled holes are a reminder of the history of the American Chestnut tree and the blight that destroyed so much of its population.

American Chestnut is an excellent tone wood, and this ukulele shows it. The sound is clear and bright and the playing action is silky smooth with a nylon string set up. A special feature of this ukulele is the hand etched American Chestnut leaf that is inlayed in white corian on the headstock’s faceplate. If you recognize this leaf and find an American Chestnut Tree growing, you can submit a leaf or twig sample to your regional chapter at ACF.org to help support their research and recovery efforts.

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Specs:

- Tenor size - 17" scale length

- 14 frets to the body, 18 frets total

- Hand etched American Chestnut leaf inlay

- Abalone position markers and sound hole rosette

- Rosewood family (bubinga) fingerboard

- Solid wood binding on the body

- Contrasting Red purfling on top and back plates

- Open book headstock design

- Domed top and back plates

- Open back, Grover geared tuners - 14:1 ratio

- Bone nut and bridge saddle

- Compensated saddle for improved intonation

- Thin, hand-rubbed gloss finish

- Nickel Silver Frets