Taylor uke on the way
 

In this summer's edition of W&S, BT said specifically that they will be releasing a ukulele. Becuase of their business model, they can't make the cheap $50-$150 ukes so it iwll be a relatively expensive higher end one, but it is definitely coming.

Didn't get my copy of W&S yet, curious if they'll be offering it in more than one size and/or different woods - I'd like a koa tenor... :guitar:

Cut and pasted from W&S (Ask Bob):

I’ve emailed a couple of times about future ukulele production after seeing a high-end matching guitar/ ukulele pair made from some of the most beautiful koa I’ve ever seen. I’m saddened that you seem to be completely dismissing ukulele production. I was hoping to acquire a ukulele with that Taylor quality. I’m only one uke player, but I’m sure there are many more who have chosen to accept what the market offers. Personally, I think you’ve missed an exceptional opportunity. Audrey Parks

Audrey, thanks for the comments. We’re working on a ukulele design right now. Don’t think we’re completely dismissing ukuleles. We don’t have the resources to produce everything, so we have to choose wisely for the benefit of the most people. Also, most ukuleles that sell are selling in a price range between $50 and $99. Taylor can’t make an instrument in that price range. So we already know that when we make a uke, it will be a lowvolume seller because ours will be a better uke costing more money than most people are willing to spend. That’s some background. But we have two things in our favor now to entice us to make a ukulele: one, the market has really grown, and two, we have small wood, too small for guitars. So I’m happy to say your wish will come true.

I saw that, too, and am very excited. I got to play one of their matched pair ukes a few years ago at Island Guitar in Honolulu. I offered to buy the uke, but the store was only willing to sell the uke with the matching guitar. The uke was amazing.

Man, if they did a tenor uke in Koa with their "edgeburst" finish...my wallet would catch fire.

didn't Andy Powers build ukes before he came on board at Taylor?
thinking he had a background with them.
good to hear, I'm sure it will be a well made instrument.

d

There is a big difference between Andy hand-building a few ukulele for the Builder's Reserve program and putting something into regular factory production, probably in Tecate, Mexico. I would be interested too, but less so as each year passes and my collection of nice ukulele fills out. (The only thing I have any current lust for is a Blackbird Farallon in eKoa). I'm sure Taylor will do a good job, but maybe not at a price I am still willing to pay. My most expensive ukulele retails for about $700 these days, and I got it used. for considerably less

Ukulele offers the opportunity to use up smaller pieces of koa and other tone woods that cannot be easily used on a guitar.

BTW, the Baby Taylor was originally conceived as a baritone ukulele, according to scuttlebutt I've heard more than once at Road Shows. So whatever they produce will probably look more like a Baby than a shrunken 814 or K24 [purely my speculation, no insider info]. Or maybe both at different price points.

More than scuttlebutt, it is explained as such in Taylor's 30th anniversary book.

I've never read that book, although I recall seeing it in a store once when it was new. Thanks for the confirmation.

No problem. I also found it interesting that Bob consulted with Stan Werbin at that time.....you know, of Elderly Instruments, because he was/is quite a uke guy.

I know of Stan and have chatted with him on the phone, but have never met him in person. Every visit to Michigan to see family must include a side trip to Lansing, but he has always been unavailable when I stop by.

When I was moving down to the Lower 48 from Alaska, it was time to thin the archive. I called Stan and told him that I had a near-complete collection of Elderly catalogs dating back to the late 70's (my customer number is barely four digits dating from ~1978 or so). He paid for media mail postage to ship them down, just in case he was missing something.

You now almost have me convinced to find a copy of the Taylor 30th Anniversary book.

The book is cool. A lot of history and Taylor guitar pictures. Nicely done. :)

Yes, I read that also. Taylor entering the uke market is a good thing. Martin has been there since the beginning. Collings has stopped making ukes. The Hawaiian makers are all very strong but Taylor can reach a broader audience. Ukes are great fun and the tenor size especially is both playable in terms of the free spacing for a guitarist and the high tuning is very unique tonally. A nice tenor uke is a great complementary instrument for an acoustic guitarist.

Just remember that the time lag between a definite announcement / feature in W&S and many dealers actually getting a new model in stock is often six months. Been there, done that. It takes a while to fill the pipeline once they start building. And Taylor has not yet formally announced a new ukulele -- it is still conceptual.

So at this point, we are looking at first quarter 2018 at the soonest, assuming a fall W&S announcement......

You're right! Patience folks!

I'm still waiting for the GS mini e-bass that we have on order. :(