Pepe Romero "Baby Grand Project" Tenor
#3 of 11 from Pepe Romero's "Baby Grand Project"
Pepe Romero is a custom builder from California. He has been making classical guitars for many years and in the past 10-15 years has become known within the ukulele community for the incredible tone his tenors have. We are huge fans of his work here! Pepe's instruments are light in weight, open in sound, and have a distinct sonic character that inspires music.
This ukulele has one of the best tones we've ever experienced. The adirondack spruce top came from a baby grand piano that was 100 years old. So music has been made with this wood for the last century. All that character comes through in the phenomonal tone. Kalei gives us a sound sample and review.
"The Baby Grand Project has come to completion! I have upcycled an early 1900’s George Steck Baby Grand Piano which needed extensive repair work, and converted it into 11 new instruments. This Piano was made in New York by the Aeolian Co. I believe that the soundboard used was Adarondak Spruce. These instruments are both brand new and antiques at the same time. The 9 ukuleles and 2 mini guitars have the sound of instruments which have been singing for many years. This is because the soundboards come from the piano soundboard which has been making music since the early 1900’s. This makes for new instruments which are not new at all! The tone is old world, mystical and deep with amazing power, sustain and overtones. Giving new life to this piano has been a wonderful experience.
Aesthetically I wanted to honor the previous life of the George Steck piano, so I kept as much original varnish as possible along with all the wear and tear that occurred over the last century. The bodies of the ukuleles are Honduran mahogany and are stained and lightly distressed to look like the old piano. The George Steck logos were re-created by hand on 10 of the instruments using liquid gold leaf and decals. Each of the instruments has a number designated to it ranging from No.1 of 11 to No.11 of 11. Mini Guitar No.1 of 11 has the original piano decal and the following 10 of 11 instruments have replicated logos. There is an oil finish applied over the original piano varnish and on the new neck and body as well. The vintage, worn look honors the beauty of the century old patina that the piano had." Pepe Romero Jr.
Pepe is regarded among the absolute best ukulele makers for good reason. The volume, range, and clarity are incredible! This is certainly a dream uke with ultimate tone, an arm bevel, and includes a fiberglass hardshell tenor case. It's rare to get a Pepe custom, but this one is extra special and we give it our highest recommendations.
- Adirondack Spruce Soundboard from George Steck
- Mahogany (Piano Black Stain) sides and back
- Rosewood Fret Board and Bridge
- Pearl position dots
- Mahogany neck
- String through Bridge
- Gotoh UPT 4:1 geared tuner Keys
- Hand done satin finish
- Pepe Romero Low G Tenor Strings
- Hard Shell Fiberglass Case
This is Pepe's new and unique "skin-bracing" for the top and back. Pepe builds ukes differently than anyone else, and they sound amazing!
| Options | CASE Other Options (Many found in the essential accessories above) |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pepe Romero |
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.