Ken Franklin Custom Spruce Primavera Tenor
This fantastic custom tenor was built by Ken Franklin in Ukiah, California. Ken has been building guitars since 1973 casually and then professionally since 2003. His mom had an ukulele from the 1930's and when she passed away he decided to fix it up. In 2012 Ken decided to start building his own.
This tenor is one of the best sounding to come through. It has an Englemann spruce top and gorgeous Primavera sides and back. The neck is Alaskan yellow cedar and Malaysian blackwood is used for the bindings and headplate. These tonewoods make for a wonderful open projection and super sweet tone we really love. Kalei gives us a review and sound sample.
The design of this tenor is unique with a mini X brace. Ken says this has opened up the warmer tones on his ukes and you can really hear that. It has a slight 20" radius to the fretboard for easy chording.
Engelmann has a mature tone, and yields a slightly richer midrange than Sitka, which makes the instrument sound a bit older and this ukulele has a wonderful "broken in" tone already. The voice is smooth and refined and this is partly also due to the rare tonewood for the sides and back, Primavera. Tone Wood Data Source says "The tone and volume of Primavera is excellent, with a perfect balance of bass and treble. The density is almost the same as Hawaiian Koa." We have seen Primavera used on custom ukes before but never anything this astonishing with beautiful figuring. Together these woods make for a fantastic voice on this custom tenor.
Other features include an oval soundhole, hand carved laminated maple linings, staggered fretboard position markers, five different woods for the rosette, Evo Gold frets with polished round frets, strap buttons, 1.5" nut width, and Gotoh UPT 4:1 ratio tuners.
This is a special instrument with a wonderful feel and tone and we think you will love it. Includes wooden hard case and Humistat humidifier, upgradable in the options on this page.
Materials
- P2 tenor body with side grained wood rosette
- Englemann Spruce top
- Primavera
- Malaysian Blackwood string-thru bridge & fretboard
- Malaysian Blackwood binding with birch purfling
- Dual bolt-on Alaskan yellow cedar neck with integrated strap button
- Rosette: Maple, Birch, Goncalo Alves, Walnut, Cherry
- Side sound port
- Hand carved laminated maple linings
- Fretboard with 20 inch radius
- Semi-gloss polyurethane finish top and penetrating oil varnish finish body
- Clear pick guard
- 17 inch tenor scale
- Evo gold frets with polished rounded fret ends
- Staggered shell position markers
- 1 9/16 inch bone nut and 1 9/16 inch string spacing on an intonated bone saddle
- Gotoh UPT tuners 4:1 ratio
- PHD strings with GHS .029” wound low G
- Wooden Hardshell case
Ken Franklin Tenor Measurements
Total Scale Length: 17.25”/43.82cm
Body Length: 11.75”/29.845cm
Overall length: 26”/66.04cm
Nut Width: 1.5”/38.1mm
Saddle Width: 2.14”/54.46mm
Lower Bout Width: 9.25”/23.5cm
Upper Bout Width: 6.75”/17.15cm
Lower Bout Depth: 2.75”/6.99cm
Upper Bout Depth: 2.5”/6.35cm
String Spacing
At Nut: G to C = 9.66mm G to A = 28.63mm
At 12th Fret: G to C = 10.80mm G to A = 33.51mm
At Saddle: G to C = 12.76mm G to A = 37.88mm
| Options |
CASE Other Options (Many found in the essential accessories above) |
|---|---|
| Brand | Other |
Shipping Information
For more even more details and FAQ visit our Shipping Page under the Company Info tab at the header menu.
SHIPPING CARRIER OPTIONS:
FedEx is our primary shipping carrier, all orders that qualify for free domestic shipping will be sent using FedEx. UPS and DHL can also be chosen as alternative options upon checkout, USPS is only used for smaller accessory orders.
As soon as the shipping label is created you will be automatically notified via email with tracking information. All packages will be shipped with a signature requirement by default. If you do not wish to have a signature requirement you will need to notify us, either by leaving a note in the “special instructions” when adding the item(s) to your shopping cart or by emailing our shipping department directly. Any shipping related requests (hold/delay/address change) should also be directed to our shipping department ( [email protected]).
NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: You may also be required to pay import duties/taxes, this will vary depending on your location and the value of the item(s). To estimate these taxes, you can contact your local customs office. Fedex also offers a helpful estimation tool: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/international.html
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE PERMIT: If your ukulele contains any amount of shell inlay (abalone or pearl) it will require a permit to be shipped internationally. The cost of this permit is $93.00 USD. We will handle the paperwork and file the permit for you, but the cost of all duties and fees are the responsibility of the customer.
SHIPPING COST will vary depending on the size dimensions and weight of the package as well as the destination. To get a quote, use the “Calculate Shipping Cost” link located next to the “Add to Cart button” on each listing.
This is made even easier when you are already logged in to your customer account. Follow this link to create an account if you don’t already have one go HERE.
FREE SHIPPING: All orders within the USA with a total over $500 will qualify for free FedEx 2-day air shipping.
SHIPMENT AND TRACKING NOTIFICATIONS are sent automatically via email as soon as the shipping label is created so please make sure your email address is accurate when placing the order. Outgoing shipments are picked up by our shipping carriers Monday through Friday.
ACCESSORY AND CASE ORDERS: While non-instrument orders for cases and accessories do not require the same processing time needed for instruments, they do require time for processing and packing. The typical processing time for accessory/case orders is (1-4 business days) depending on current order volume.
CURRENT SETUP PROCESSING TIMES AND DETAILS ARE LOCATED UNDER THE “SETUP OPTIONS” TAB.*
*If you would like to receive your instrument as soon as possible you can forego the full setup process by selecting the “Basic QC Only” option or by selecting the “Full Setup RUSH” option when adding instruments to your shopping cart. More details are available under the “Setup Options” tab.
Setup Options
Current Turnaround Time: Amount of time it takes before shipment-
Full Setup: 10-14 Business Days
Basic Quality Control: 2-3 Days
BASIC QUALITY CONTROL covers inspecting the instrument for any major defects that would have been missed by the factory and any faults in construction that could potentially damage or limit the functionality of the instrument over time. Any defective instruments are rejected and replaced. We make sure that each Ukulele meets the basic standard for a brand new instrument and will be ready to play once you receive it. A final cleanup is also included after inspection before packing and shipment.
Full Setup - FREE for all Ukuleles $399 and over / $20.00 for Ukuleles from $300-399 / $30.00 for Ukuleles Under $300
Includes:
-Overall QC evaluation: To find defects in construction as well as to get an overall view of the instrument and note the areas that need extra attention and adjustment during the setup.
-Saddle Adjustment: The height of the saddle is lowered to reduce the distance between the strings and the fretboard, making it easier to play than the factory setup, especially higher up the fretboard.
-Nut Slot Adjustment: The depth, width, and angle of the nut slots are adjusted to create a more comfortable playing experience especially on the lower frets.
-Fret Dressing: After adjusting the nut and saddle heights, high spots in the fretboard or uneven frets will potentially cause fret buzz, dead spots, or other unwanted problems. The frets are filed to create a more consistent level across the fretboard. We then crown the frets to return their rounded curvature back to the top of each fret creating a clear contact point for each string. We then smooth and polish the frets and condition the fingerboard to bring them back to new condition.
-Final Cleanup: We always do a final overall cleanup of the instrument to make sure it is in new condition and ready to play before it is prepared for shipment.
Rush Setup & Delivery - Additional $50.00
The RUSH SETUP AND DELIVERY service is for customers who would still like to receive everything included in the full setup but on a shorter time frame. One of our setup technicians will work overtime outside of normal business hours to complete the setup within 2-3 days of the order being placed and immediately hand it over to the shipping department for packing and shipment. The $50.00 rush charge is in addition to the cost of the full setup.
Additional services (see individual product listings to add these services to your order)
Re-stringing: We will replace the factory installed stock string set with a new set of your choosing. Select the “replace stock strings” option when adding your desired string set to the shopping cart.
Strap Button Installation: 1-2 buttons are installed to allow the use of a strap. Color options available.
Pickup installation: for players who would like the option to play or record with amplification.
Friction Tuner Upgrade (friction tuners only): We offer upgrade options for select instruments with friction tuners to be retrofitted with new geared tuners for better precision and comfort when tuning.
Left-handed Setup: Left-handed setups are also available upon request. Occasionally an additional charge may be added for compensated saddles on select models.