Lipson Master Grade Hawaiian Koa Tenor Ukulele w/Royal Vine Abalone Trim #005

This ambitious 'Royal Vine' Master Grade Koa Tenor is the first of its kind by luthier Dan Lipson. A long established master Guitar builder; Dan has spent the last couple of years working with the UK's longest established Ukulele luthier Pete Howlett transitioning the Pete Howlett Ukulele business and its famous designs to Dan. This 'Royal Vine' model is a tribute to Pete Howletts much loved Hawaiian style Tenor body shape. A round shouldered Tenor Ukulele with plenty of aesthetic trim and the very best Master grade woods. 

The Hawaiian style Tenor is a Pete Howlett design Dan uses to produce a 'more traditional hawaiian experience' to the player. Whilst the body is a conventional shape, it differs slightly from the Californian style which has a body design that favours more exotic, soft wood tops.

This Ukulele sounds incredible and note for note, step for step, pound for pound matches the quality of the very best Master built instruments we have housed at Southern Ukulele Store in my 18 years to date. It reminds me of the Eiichi Sumi Kobo Sakura Ukulele and yet somehow amazingly, Dan has been building ukuleles for just a few months in contrast to the 50 years that Sumi has been making his name. I don't make that comparison lightly. I believe that we may have stumbled onto someone capable of pushing the whole ukulele building world into a new direction in the years to come.

This Ukulele is sweet and warm but capable of direct, expressionate sustain and attack. Strung by Dan in high G with Worth Browns; this Ukulele fills the room with an authentic harp like sound. I am smitted and I believe you will be too.

The Tree or life style Royal Vine inlay made of paua Abalone, with matching front binding and rosette conjurs up that classic regal, royal appearance that brands like Kanile'a, Kamaka and KoAloha have made famous. This rosette is another nod to the legacy Pete Howlett Ukuleles built in the latter part of Petes career and a fitting tribute.

Lipson #005
Hawaiian Style Tenor
Master Grade Hawaiian Koa Top, Back and Sides
V braced Alpine Spruce top bracing with Oval offset Soundhole
Paua Abalone Soundhole 'heart' Rosette
Paua Abalone front purfling with Ebano Binding
Paua Abalone Royal Vine Fingerboard Detail
Quartersawn Cuban Mahogany Neck
Ebony fingerboard and bridge
17'' scale length
Ebony veneer Headstock with Lipson Logo
Gotoh UK700 1:15 ratio Tuners in gold
Ebony bridge pins, hand carved with matching strap button on bottom
Corian Nut and Saddle
38mm Nut Width (30mm string spacing)
Supplied in a Freestyle Woodshell brown leatherette case
Classic Howlett Neck Profile with aesthetic designs based on Pete Howlett Ukuleles