Big Island Ukulele Guild
Minutes from 09/02/2017
Aloha Big Island Guild Members. Twenty attendees met Saturday, September 2nd at Bob Gleason’s wonderful Kurtistown shop - with the gracious help of Anne Gleason.
During the business meeting, Treasurer Tom Russell reported that guild finances are solid, allowing the guild to purchase StewMac gift certificates for the drawings following each meeting show and tell. Tom also designed great looking laser-engraved wooden nametags for current members. They look great!
President Dave Stokes brought us up to date on the upcoming guild show at the Wailoa Arts & Cultural Center in Hilo, which will run from October 6 to 26. Rodney Crusat’s wife Candace once again designed a beautiful flyer/poster for the show, copies of which were distributed at the meeting for volunteers to post around the island. Mike Perdue also has an e-file version of if for folks to print themselves. For copies, you can reach him at mlpatlarge@gmail.com. Volunteers are encouraged to spread them around the island to insure a good turnout.
The guild is also seeking donations to be given away during the exhibit.
The deadline for submitting information about your exhibit entries is September 29th. We will need both a short description of each instrument and a longer version for a display binder. Please send the info to Mike Perdue at mlpatlarge@gmail.com and Jane Klassen at klassenjane@gmail.com.
All instruments must be delivered to the Wailoa Center by Tuesday, October 3, but Kona side builders can drop them off before 5:30 pm on Monday, October 2 at Sam Rosen’s Holualoa Ukulele Gallery, 76-5942 Mamalahoa Highway. Volunteers are needed to bring the instruments to Hilo. For directions or information, you can call Sam’s shop at 324-1688. South island builders can contact Rodney Crusat, Woodley White or Dave Stokes to arrange delivery. Rodney - rodzukes@aol.com; Woodley - woodleywhite@me.com and Dave - honudiver@gmail.com.
Guild Vice President Terry Davis will coordinate opening night provisions and Doug Powdrell and his wife have volunteered to assist with food preparations. More volunteers are always welcome.
Volunteers will also be needed for setting up the show on Tuesday morning and tearing it down on Thursday, October 26. Again, Mike Perdue is our point man for the show. And builders are invited to greet visitors, especially on the weekend days, to talk about our craft.
A juried show will be held at the Wailoa Center on Monday, October 2nd at noon. Woodley White is coordinating the judging - one ukulele per member please. As always, the show will offer the public a chance to vote for the People’s Choice award.
Doug Powdrell and David Heaukulani will lead a building demo from 12 pm to 3 pm on the second Saturday of the show – October 14th. Members are invited to help out and join in.
Alan Hale will be back to entertain on opening night and lead his popular kanikapila the following day from 12 pm to 3 pm. Andy Andrews leads the second kanikapila on October 21st.
Gary Cassel reported that we will have an abbreviated ukulele display from November 16th to the 18th during the 15th Annual 'Ukulele & Slack Key Guitar Festival at the Kahilu Theatre in Kamuela. Details to come. About twenty instruments would be needed. Gary is currently off island for a while, so Chris Stewart will help out. Details are developing so stay tuned.
Bob Gleason made an elegant and heartfelt eulogy for Bryan Luker, one of the nicest guys you could ever know. Bob brought along a eight-string ukulele built by Bryan. He is greatly missed.
Inquiries were made about new BIUG t-shirts. Guild Secretary Chris Stewart will explore this.
Introductions of old and new members – and a couple guests. In attendance were Dave Stokes, Woodley White, Bob and Anne Gleason, Chris Stewart, Tom Russell, Gary Cassel, Chuck Bennett and Taco the dog, Sam Rosen, Tom Mullen, Ernesto Bonilla, Rodney Crusat, Charles Newcomb, Jane Klassen, Devon Rogers, Michael Foxley, Tad Humble, Doug Powdrell and Colin Alder.
During show and tell Big Island visitor Colin Alder showed off his handmade steel guitar, complete with beautiful aluminum face, fretboard and headstock.
Following lunch several builders presented their latest projects. Visiting luthier Colin Alder showed off his handmade steel guitar - complete with an aluminum top, fretboard and headstock.
Woodley White presented a newly finished koa ukulele with a handpainted headstock. Much discussion ensued.
Devon Rogers glued up a two-piece non-symmetrical top and back for an upcoming uke project. A great look with western bigleaf maple and koa.
Charles Newcomb did some beautiful inlay on an ukulele fretboard and slotted headstock.
Bob Gleason had another couple of his incredible ukes – one of koa with a curly redwood top and the other of all milo.
Rodney Crusat came up with a clever idea to avoid scratches on instruments while working on them. He covers them with a window protective film that peels off without damaging the finish. Very clever!
Chris Stewart offered up an uke with blushing problems in the finish. A number of solutions were proposed, including warming the body before and after spraying lacquer. We’ll see!
Winners of StewMac gift certificates: Devon Rogers, Colin Alder and Chris Stewart
Bob Gleason was to present the keynote lecture on making necks, but Devon Rogers’s discourse on repairs tips was so so engrossing that Bob will offer up his secrets at a future meeting, most likely on December 16th at Dave Stokes’ Ocean View shop.
Devon’s demonstration offered repair tips including reattaching a bridge by using a chisel to scrape off old glue and c-clamps with cork padding to hold the bridge in place while gluing, a folding mirror and a homemade flourescent light to examine internal bracing, regluing the braces with the help of a turnbuckle to provide pressure, a bit of naptha poured onto a crack to find out were it is inside the instrument and then working Titebond glue into the crack before adding internal thin, mahogany cleats to prevent the crack from growing and then gluing them in place with the help of magnets.
Hope to see you at the show and our next meeting.
Chris Stewart, BIUG Secretary