once again triggered by a review on gotaukulele.com i laid my hands on this handmade ukulele from caravelle kitchen in France. concert scale, spruce top, mango body – and the shape of an old selmer macaferri “gypsy” guitar.

came with martin m600 strings which i swapped for a set of fremont black medium low-g – and i have not regretted it ever since. really loud when strummed and still a well-balanced full sound.

I added some loxx strap buttons just to make sure i won’t accidentally drop it somewhere and dent the pristine spruce top. without the button the uke could literally stand on the flat bottom (as if i would dare….)

specifications

• body: all solid mango, satin oil finish
• soundboard: spruce, rosewood edge binding
• neck: solid mahogany, satin finish
• fingerboard: ebony with a zero fret, dots on frets 5, 7, 12
• jumbo frets with rounded edges
• bridge: compensated floating resin bridge
• tuners: unbranded direct tuners, black buttons
• weight: 582 g
• length: 610 mm overall (+10 mm for the loxx button), 260 mm body
• upper bout: 164 mm
• waist: 145 mm
• lower bout: 227 mm
• depth: 69 mm at neck joint, 73 mm at bottom
• fretboard width at zero fret: 36 mm
• string spacing (g to a): 28 mm at nut, 36mm at 12th fret, 42 mm at bridge
• scale: 390 mm from nut to bridge, 22 frets (body joint at 14)