Moore Bettah
ukuleles
FOR SALE
Also, I am very pleased that my work is represented in some of the finest ukulele and guitars shops in existence. On the Big Island they include The Music Exchange in Kona, Hilo Guitars and Ukuleles in Hilo, and The Hulualoa Ukulele Gallery in Hulualoa. On the Mainland you can find my work at Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon, California and at The Music Emporium in Lexington, Mass. Please contact any of these fine stores for availability.
I also occasionally accept custom orders. I try not to maintain a long waiting list but rather accept them on my whim as my schedule allows. Please contact me to discuss your needs further.
And finally, if you live in Hawaii or plan on vacationing here, you are welcomed to visit my shop. I try to keep something on hand at all times. Call ahead for directions and availability of instruments.
Shipping with insurance to the Mainland and Overseas is via USPS Express Mail and ranges from $55 to $85.
This page was last updated: May 17, 2009
New instruments currently available
Prices and Options
My ukuleles are built of solid Big Island Hawaiian quarter sawn koa with bookmatched tops, backs and sides. Honduran mahogany or Spanish Cedar is generally used for necks and are carbon fiber reinforced for unsurpassed stability. Fingerboards can be made of ebony, cocobolo or Indian rosewood. Nut and saddle material will either be micarta or bone. Rosettes are pearl or wood to match purflings if any. Bindings are either ebony, cocobolo, koa, or faux tortoise shell. Inlays are composed of a variety of materials including several kinds of solid pearl shell (not laminates), composite stone, hardwood and ivories.
The lacquer I use is McFadden's nitro-cellulose instrument lacquer and is available to you in two grades of finish, satin and high gloss. The satin finish consists of five coats of lacquer, hand sanded and buffed with fine steel wool with most of the grain pores filled resulting in a more natural look and feel. The high gloss finish will also average five coats but all grain pores will be filled for an absolutely flat and mirror like wet finish for a classic look that is unsurpassed. Especially suited for instruments with decorative inlays and highly figured wood.
Base price includes top, back and headstock binding of your choice, rosette, end graft, fret position markers on top and side of fretboard, Grover tuners and hand rubbed low sheen finish. Koa grade A or AA or better. Deluxe hard shell case and a Moore Bettah T-shirt included.
Prices are subject to change. A $500 deposit is required on custom instruments before building can begin.
Styles;
Tenor.......................................................$1300
Double hole Tenor...............................$1400
Concert....................................................$1200
Concert Pineapple........................... ....$1200
Soprano...................................................$1100
5 String models add........................ ......$50
6 String models add..............................$75
8 String models add..............................$100
Cutaway models add............................$100
"Peghed" tuners, each............................$25
Options:
Abalone body & head stock purfling.........$300
Wood body & head stock purfling..............$200
Rope binding, body & headstock................$100
Bound fret board.............................................$50-$100
Radius fret board.............................................$50
Side sound port................................................$50
Glossy lacquer finish......................................$100
Pickups: Hilo, Fishman, Mi-Si......................$75-$300
Head stock & fret board inlays....................$100-$1000
Exceptionally figured or curly Master Grade AAA- AAAAA koa,
when available, can add an additional $100 to $300 to any model.
Spuce, Redwood and Cedar tops available at no extra charge.
Here are some pictures of this year's People's Choice Award and Artisan's Choice Award winning ukulele presented at the 4th annual Big Island Guild Ukulele show in Kona, Hawaii on November 9, 2007
4-String Tenor Ukulele
"The Three Mermaids"
This all koa ukulele was challenging yet immensely satisfying to build. Living so close to nature in this beautiful Hawaiian environment was naturally very influential in my choice of whimsical designs depicting two mermaids frolicking in the sea and one dreamingly relaxing in a banana moon. I use AAA Big Island curly koa for the body and ebony elsewhere including the fretboard and headstock veneer. Paua abalone is use unashamedly throughout, adorning the entire front and back of the instrument. The seahorse on the end graft was an afterthought that occurred to me only after I sprayed the first couple of coats of lacquer. The mermaids are made up of composite stone and 10,000 year old fossil mammoth ivory. After the ukulele was finish sanded, I scrimshawed the details in the bodies, remembering the art form I was involved in years ago. Other inlay materials include gold mother of pearl, abalone shell and fossil walrus ivory.
This instrument is sold.
Click on any image to enlarge.
Haines Beefy Tees
Available in Medium, Large, XL, and XXL
$20 includes shipping to anywhere in the USA
This page was last updated: May 17, 2009
I built these ukuleles in response to customers interested in a ukulele that is a little more simple than what you are used to seeing on this page. Here I've featured a simple peg head inlay while a single black and white stripe adorns the top of the body and head stock adjacent to the binding. The super thin hand rubbed satin lacquer finish I've developed make these two ukuleles really stand out sonically. Bone nut and saddle also lend a loud, bright and well balanced tone. Paua abalone rosette and either open or closed geared Grover tuners. Hard shell case included.
Photos are representative only. I can send out pictures of the actual ukulele when available. I hope to have a couple of these on hand at all times for sale. Contact me for availability.
Your Not So Basic Uke
$1300
Click on any image for greater detail
Click on any image for greater detail
$1400
Satin finish
Glossy finish
(Many more ukes on my GALLERY page)
TERMS: Prices are in $USD and include case, an extra set of strings and one year limited warranty but exclude shipping and sales tax if any.
All ukes are subject to current availability. Accepted forms of payment are Paypal, cashier's check, money order or bank draft.
How to buy my ukuleles
There are several ways to own one of my ukuleles.
The first and most obvious way is to choose one that might be for sale on this page. About once a month, when my schedule permits, I will post any ukes I have available here. These are ukuleles that I've built on speculation to give me a break from my custom work. Since I am able to build anything that pleases me these are often my best ukuleles and may represent the best value. I try to include one or two spec ukes every building cycle so check this page often to see what's new.
The important stuff you need to know
Please note, these prices are guidlines only.
With Internet sales, upon reciept of one of my instruments you'll have a 48 hour inspection period during which time you will play, inspect and fall in love with your ukulele. If after this time it fails to exceed your expectations, your money will be refunded. (It hasn't happened yet!) This does not apply to personalized (names, etc) ukuleles. My work is guaranteed for one year to the original owner. This does not cover normal wear to parts or finish or damage caused by extremes in temperature or humidity, abuse or accidents. I will repair or replace, at my discretion, any instrument found to be defective based on my evaluation.
Guarantee -- The not so fine print.
I've been very busy during the past few months with my custom work and filling my shop orders and have not had the opportunity to build anything strictly for fun that I often post on this page. Please contact me to inquire about anything that I might have in progress that would interest you.
I really had fun with this ukulele. It like the little brother to the double neck uke I built last fall. Super curly blonde koa with darker curly koa bindings. The fret board, headstock veener and bridge are solid ebony. The inlays are cocobolo and gold Mother of pearl. The neck is Spanish cedar with composite rienforcement rod installed under the fret board. The tuners are Peghed planetary geared tuners for an unobtrusive look and are supur light weight (they're aluminum). I love side sound ports on any of the ukes I build. They give the player a bit more feedback and have the tendency to increase overall volume.
Bone saddle and Hilo Strings.
The tone of this particular uke is sweet, with excellent separation and clarity. It is loud without being "noisy" and has a full, sweet voice.
$2400 *SOLD*
Bamboo Tenor Cutaway
Gorgeous AAAA master grade is just one of the outstanding features of this remarkable ukulele. It also features a double soundhole configuration which allows a greater are of the sound board to resonate. It is trimmed with ebony binding and paua abalone purfling. The fret board, headstock veneer, bridge and tuner buttons are also ebony. As with all my ukuleles, even the sound holes are bound. With a fourteen fret neck connection, the cutaway body allows the player to easily access all twenty frets. This uke also debuts my new fenderesque style headstock design with grover in line tuners. The pearl and composite waterfall inlay depict a scene reminiscent of the palis found in Wailau, on the back side of my former home on Moloka'i. Aquila strings in a low G setup and bone saddle. Hard shell case include.
$2400 SOLD
Dual Puka Cutaway Tenor
Rope Bound Soprano
Traditional rope binding adorns this curly koa soprano ukulele. The fret board is made of cocobolo and has sixteen frets total. Side sound port gives the player additional feedback while not compromising forward projection. "Palm Island" logo is made of gold mother of pearl as are the top and side fret position markers. Bone nut and saddle, Grover tuners, and Hilo brand strings.
Glossy lacquer finish. Deluxe hard shell case included.
$1200 *SOLD*
Click on any image for greater detail
