MELE HANDMADE Mango 8-STRING TENOR UKULELE

Description

One of the first ukuleles we offered to the public was our Mele solid mahogany handmade tenor-sized
model. We first offered them under the "Braddah Ukes" brand name, but when we opened our retail
store 15 years ago we started branding them with the Mele name. (Those Braddah Ukes tenors have
become quite collectible!)
Mele Mango 8 string Tenor (each one a unique wood pattern )
At the time our master luthier, Michael Rock, designed the Braddah tenor ukes, he wanted to pattern them after the legendary Martin mahogany tenor uke, as played by Braddah Iz and many other great Hawaiian and Mainland artists. It just so happened that C.F. Martin was not in the ukulele business at the time, and we obtained their ukulele blueprints from the American Luthier's Guild. Mike basically worked from the blueprints but added some refinements such as a non-adjustable truss rod, an oversized bridge design (which attaches more securely and also, on our amplified models, allows the use of a regular-sized guitar transducer, which produces sigificantly superior sound to the smaller ukulele type), and a 19-fret fingerboard which joins the body at the 14th fret.
The 8-string tenor ukulele is descended from a 10-stringed Portuguese instrument called a
viola caipira
,
which arrived in Hawaii just shortly after the
Braguinha
. (also known as the
Cavaquinho
or
Machete de Braga
). The
Machete
was the basis of the standard 4-string ukulele. Both of these instruments were metal-strung, high pitched, and rather difficult to play. When the Hawaiians put gut strings on them, adapted them to a modified guitar tuning, and renamed them (uku=flea, lele=jumping) they became much easier and more fun to play, and became popular almost worldwide within 20 or 30 years.
The 8-string ukulele is also known as the "Lili'u" because Hawaii's Queen, Lili'uokalani, played one. (Quite well, by all reports.) Like a 12-string guitar, it offers a very rich, full tone when strumming chords and is often the instrument of choice for vocalists who accompany themselves on the ukulele.
This beautiful instrument is, BY FAR, the least expensive handmade pro-quality 8-string tenor on the market and has a limited LIFETIME warranty. (Shipping costs not refundable.) We are very confident that you'll love it and play it for many years to come.
Mele Ukulele has become known around the world (especially here in Hawaii) for building professional-quality ukes at prices a professional musician can afford, and taking good care of over 30,000 satisfied customers
.
Mele Ukulele has become known around the world (especially here in Hawaii) for building professional-quality ukes at prices a professional musician can afford, and taking good care of over 30,000 satisfied customers
.
Next time you're on Maui, come visit our store:
Mele Ukulele
1750 Kaahumanu Ave in Wailuku (just 10 minutes from Kahului airport),
Aloooooooha!