Tall Tales in Portland

If you drive about two hours north of Ukuleletown, into the wilds of Maine, you will come to the charming yet mysterious seaside port of Portland. Spunky doesn’t like to travel, so I have to make the trip alone. In that fabled city lies the workshop of the wildly talented luthier Joel Eckhaus of Earnest Instruments.

Joel towers over today’s other luthiers. Not just because he’s taller than any of them, but because he’s a great player as well as a great luthier. He will be playing at Ukulele Noir 20 with the lovely Drinka Overton as the duo “Ham and Legs” Not to be missed.

But what makes Joel truly stand out is his new and inventive ukulele designs. Not content to make the martin soprano over and over, he is continuously experimenting with new shapes and designs.

This new one, the Stradelele is a winner to my eyes. Balance and charm. and the amazing John King is playing one…?

link

(Gary chimes in: Eck's inspiration is the Strad-o-Caster. Link)