Category: Articles

American Standards

Post author By earnestinstruments

American Standards
Earnest Instruments, in collaboration with several artists, is pleased to introduce the
“American Standards” series, a limited edition of one-of-a-kind painted ukuleles commemorating the
golden age of American popular music. The paintings attempt to illustrate both the lyrics of the songs
as well as the spirit of the times in which they were popular. Customers can request special songs for
the series, or choose from a list of suggested titles. No two ukes will be alike and prices will vary
depending on the size and style of uke, and the requirements of the painting.

Number one in the series commemorates the song “My Blue Heaven”, written by Walter Donaldson and
George Whiting, which became the first million selling vocal hit with the 1927 recording by Gene
Austen . The “My Blue Heaven” uke was painted by Greg Dearth, illustrator, painter, and an
accomplished jazz musician, from Franklin, Ohio. (Scroll down for close-ups)

Ukuleles

Articles

Swamp Cat

Post author By earnestinstruments

Swamp Cat
With a lightweight swamp ash body and ears like a cat, the SWAMP CAT has a traditional bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and a hardtail bridge with through-body string anchors. Available with either single coil or humbucking pickups, the SWAMP CAT has a clear, bright tone and great sustain, thanks also to the 14.5″ scale length. The SWAMP CATcomes in four or five string models with a translucent blonde lacquer finish, black or parchment pickguard, and chrome knobs. Custom colors are also available. The SWAMP CAT was designed for Barry Mitterhoff, classical, ethnic, bluegrass, jazz, and blues mandolinist extraordinaire, currently touring with the band, Hot Tuna.

4-string model – $1500

5-string model – $1550

Total Length

Body
Width

Body
Depth

Body Length

Scale Length

27^“

10^“

1 ^5/8″

14^“

14 ^1/2″

Mandolins

Articles

Boomerang

Post author By earnestinstruments

Boomerang
Take a piece of Firebird, a little Explorer, some Flying V, add a bit of
Danelectro, and a touch of Fender. . . put ’em all together and what have you
got?. . .The Boomerang! Earnest Instruments combines the best of what’s “out
there” into one retro-electro-mando that brings back the future. Available
in mahogany or limba (a.k.a. korina), the Boomerang features a bolt-on neck,
reverse headstock, lipstick tube pickup, pearloid pickguard, amber speed
knobs, and a strat style tailpiece with through body string anchors.
Available with 4 or 5 strings, 14.5″ scale length, or NovaX multi-scale
fretboard.

4 string – $1150

5 string – $1200

Total Length

Width-Upper Bout

Width-Lower Bout

Maximum Depth of Body

Body Length

Scale Length

27″

7″

10″

1″

14″

14 ^1/2″

Mandolins

Articles

Mainlander

Post author By earnestinstruments

Walnut, Koa and Ash
Mainlanders
Mainlander w/ tortoise shell binding

Concert model
w/ Tortoise binding Mainlander
A fine sounding ukulele made from domestic tonewoods. The MAINLANDER
fills the need for a basic, decent instrument, without frills. It’s available in
standard, concert, or tenor size in a variety of mainland hardwoods, including
Maple, Sassafrass, Pear, or Walnut, with a mesquite or pearloid fingerboard and
Grover Sta-tite tuners.

Soprano – $650

Concert – $750

Tenor – $900

binding – $100

	Total Length	Width-Upper Bout	Width-Lower Bout	Maximum Depth of Body	Body Length	Scale Length
Soprano uke	21 ^5/16″	4 ^15/16″	6 ^5/16″	2 ^7/16″	9″	13 ^5/8″
Concert uke	23 ^5/8″	6″	7 ^7/8″	2 ^11/16″	11″	14 ^7/8″
Tenor uke	25 ^7/8″	6 ^7/8″	9 ^1/8″	2 ^7/8″	12 ^1/8″	17″

Ukuleles

Sassafrass Mainlander

Articles

Earnest Instruments: Tenor Guitars

Post author By earnestinstruments

Selma	Flying TV	Radiator	Rosetta
Veronica	Tenorcaster	Big Red	Tenor Guitar Conversions

Articles

Tululele

Post author By earnestinstruments

Tululele
Rock ‘n Roll
will never be the same with the Tululele, which combines the sound of an
acoustic uke with the look of a classic
electric guitar. With a hollow ash body, a bolt-on maple neck and a
concert scale length (14 7/8″), the Tululele
pumps out plenty of acoustic sound and also plugs in to your favorite amp
for a hot acoustic/electric effect.
The Tululele is available in “Ruby”, “Blondie”, or
“Bluey” (custom colors and finishes also available — see below) and includes a standard
piezo soundboard transducer,
and a plush lined chipboard case.

Tululele acoustic/electric –$600

Total Length

Width-Upper Bout

Width-Lower Bout

Maximum Depth of Body

Body Length

Scale Length

24″

6″

7″

1^3/4″

9 ^7/8″

14 ^7/8″

Ukuleles

Custom Tenor Tuluele, built
for Ed Vedder, Pearl Jam

Articles

Earnesto

Post author By earnestinstruments

Earnesto
A classic European styled flat-top mandolin, EARNESTO is designed
for the ethnic or classical musician looking for an alternative to the
standard bowlback, archtop, or crack top mandolin. The large, deep body,
and long (14 1/2″) scale length gives this instrument a clear brilliance,
with strong bass and rich overtones, capable of a wide range of timbres
and moods. EARNESTO is available in a variety of domestic and imported
hardwoods, with a slotted or solid headstock.

Earnesto Flat Top Mandolin – $1750

Total Length

Width-Lower Bout

Maximum Depth of Body

Body Length

Scale Length

27 ^1/4″

10 ^5/8″

2 ^9/16″

13″

14 ^1/2″

Mandolins

Articles

Octavio

Post author By earnestinstruments

Octavio
The original
EARNEST octave mandolin has gone through a number of design changes and
refinements resulting in OCTAVIO, a flat-top, octave mandolin featuring
a strong, guitar-like bass and a sweet, balanced treble with lots of sustain.
The deep, rounded teardrop shape creates a large air chamber allowing the
instrument to respond to the low G strings, while the 23″ scale gives
it the “feel” of a tenor banjo. OCTAVIO fills a void in the mandolin
family. It creates an ideal voice for Celtic music, as well as other ethnic,
classical, and contemporary styles. OCTAVIO is available in domestic or
exotic tonewoods, with a spruce top, ebony or rosewood fingerboard (12″
radius or flat), and ivoroid binding.

Octavio Mandolin – $1950

Total Length

Width-Lower Bout

Maximum Depth of Body

Body Length

Scale Length

34 ^7/8″

13″

2 ^5/8″

16 ^5/8″

23″

Mandolins

Articles

Earnest Instruments Acoustic & Electric Mandolins

Post author By earnestinstruments

Earnesto

Octavio

Passione

Little Red

Boomerang

Junior

Swamp Cat

Articles

Big Red Tenor Guitar

Post author By earnestinstruments

Big Red
Possibly the first four-string cello guitar (tuned CGDA), BIG
RED combines the best qualities of the flat-top guitar and the
mandocello in one instrument. Originally based on a Bourgeois
slope-shouldered dreadnought body, BIG RED is built with padauk back and
sides, a spruce top, and a long 26.5″ scale (similar to a cello) that
projects powerful bass response, great sustain, and clear separation of
tones. BIG RED has none of the weak muddiness of most acoustic bass
guitars, and none of the wimpiness of most mandocellos. Bass (even slap
bass), rhythm, or melody are all possible on this unique hybrid
instrument.

Big Red – $2950

Total Length

Width-Upper Bout

Width-Lower Bout

Maximum Depth of Body

Body Length

Scale Length

40 ^5/8″

11 ^3/8″

15 ^7/8″

4 ^7/8″

20 ^1/8″

26 ^1/2″

Tenor
Guitars