Todd Rose Guitars
Handmade in Ithaca, New York
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Stringed Instruments
I am excited to introduce my latest work ~ a unique new design, which is to be the basis of a new series of nylon string instruments. The first instrument of the series is a concert ukulele. With many innovative design features, this uke is not only radically different in appearance, but distinctive in sound as well. Its surprisingly warm, sweet, and sonorous voice has been said to marry the tonal qualities of a traditional ukulele with a mandolin, a lute, and a banjo. With a very wide dynamic range, it is capable of everything from delicate melody to aggressive “bark”. It is serious fun to play!
While the influence of the banjo is evident in the look, it is also very much manifest in the underlying design concepts (please see the Design and Construction page for more on this).
The new concert uke in holly and ebony, with a black-dyed maple rim
I am currently taking orders on the concert uke. The standard woods are curly maple (top, back, neck, and tailstock) and Honduras rosewood (fretboard, bridge, and armrest), with the maple rim dyed brown to match the rosewood.
The introductory price for the concert uke is $900.
Please contact me for information on ordering.
Meanwhile, I am developing the designs for other instruments in this new series. The next instrument in the series will be an octave guitar ~ it will have six strings tuned as a standard guitar (EADGBE), one octave higher. It will be larger than the uke, with a 10 inch rim (the uke rim is 8 inches), and an 18 inch scale length (the uke is 14.6 inches). I can hardly wait to build one of these!
The other instruments I am currently making are steel string guitars and related steely beasts. I have two main body styles, both of which are original designs. The first is the Allegheny, a mid-to-large size guitar with a 15 1/2 inch lower bout width, similar to guitars that are often referred to as “small jumbos” (or “SJ”). This body produces a big, rich, and powerful sound excellent for a diverse range of playing styles. These guitars will do just about anything you ask of them.
The base price for an Allegheny guitar is $8500.
My second steel string guitar body style is the Headwaters, a smaller guitar with a 14” wide lower bout (similar in size to a “OO” guitar) and a unique shape. The high-waisted design, which places the bridge near the center of the lower bout, provides for a bigger, richer sound than one might expect from a guitar of this size (please see the Design and Construction page for more on this). The Headwaters is another highly versatile instrument.
The base price for a Headwaters guitar is $8500.
A custom 10 string Headwaters Irish Bouzouki
Another original body style is the Highwoods, a small instrument that measures 12 inches across. This body can be used for a variety of smaller instruments, such as a mandola, a tenor or baritone uke, or the unique instrument pictured below, a zoukulele (tuned GCEA, like a uke, but with a sound more akin to an Irish Bouzouki).
I always have new instrument designs simmering on the back burner, so please come back another time to see what’s new. I am also happy to discuss an idea you may for an instrument that would facilitate your musical explorations ~ the custom 10 string Irish Bouzouki pictured above is an example of an instrument that began with a customer’s idea, which arose from his musical needs.
While you’re here, please have a look at some of the other instruments I have made, here. Thanks again for your interest!
Here is a short recording of the new uke, to give you an idea of how it sounds. There are a few more sound samples here.
All photos with mottled maroon backdrop by Dave Burbank