Barron River Huon Pine Australian Blackwood Soprano
Our sound samples are recorded for true reference and have no alteration or enhancement. Use quality playback for the most accurate listening.
Barron River ukuleles are made by Allen McFarlen in Cairns, Australia. This soprano has full, warm tone and super easy playability. We are truly impressed with the sound and feel!
Take a listen to a "dry" sound sample from Kalei and read more about it's features below. Pictures AND video show the exact ukulele available here.
This instrument features a Huon Pine top. You may not have heard of this wood before because it is rare but here's some info from Guitar Bench Magazine on this tone wood:
Natural History
Huon Pine is a conifer which ranges to the wet south-western corner of Tasmania. It is often found along rivers and is the sole species in Lagarostrobos.
Huon pine is slow growing and long lived with some trees over 2 centuries old. It reaches up to 30 m high and has arching branches with spirally arranged leaves.
On Mount Read, North Western Tasmania, a stand of trees, each genetically identical has been estimated to be over 10 centuries old.
Status
Trees were heavily logged in the 20th century for their fine timber. Given the trees’ slow growth, this has led to remaining stands covering less than 105 square kilometers. The remaining stands of this species of tree now has protected status within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Physical properties
Huon pine has a Golden Yellow hue with fine grain and aromatic rot resistant oils. The oils contain methyl eugenol which is responsible for the timber’s unique smell and resistance to rot.
As a tonewood…
It is softer and heavier than spruce, requiring a fine balancing act in terms of thickness for strength yet thinness for weight.
Australian Luthier, Scott Wise has had good results with Huon and says:
“Steel string guitars with smaller bodies tend to sound bigger in this wood. I first used it experimentally in the early 1980s and have had repeat orders based on the sound of those early guitars.”
….I would broadly characterize the tone of Huon Pine as restrained but with tremendous sustain and great richness and depth in the overtone content over all ranges. It has very similar qualities to New Zealand Kauri in terms of headroom and response.
Availability
As a protected species, Huon Pine is no longer commercially harvested and is only rarely available.
The back and sides are made of Australian blackwood, an acacia wood species that’s a close cousin of Hawaiian koa.
It has a a fairly slim neck profile with low action and great playability. Other features include 14 frets to the body, which is rare for a soprano, a unique art deco rosette, pin bridge, and headstock design. It also sports the classy Gotoh 4:1 ratio gear tuners.
Includes an ABS hardshell case and Humistat humidifier.
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| Options | This is ukulele comes with a UkeCrazy canvas-covered hardcase. You can upgrade to the Kanile'a wooden hardcase in the options below. Both the included UkeCrazy case, as well as the optional Kanile'a case can be seen in our Cases category under the Accessories tab at the top of this page. Extra Options One of the options for this ukulele is to trade out the Herco HE-360 included humidifier for the more expensive Oasis Ukulele Humidifier (OH-18) at a discount. This is required if you live in a low humidity area (parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, etc.) or also areas with winter seasons, especially if you heat the air in your home. For more info refer to the Ukulele Care link at the bottom of this page. If you think you need to humidify the instrument, then you also need a hard case for a humidifier to properly work, and you need to maintain the humidifier by refilling it as needed. After adding this instrument to your cart, you can still create your own package by adding a case or accessories from the website. Under the Accessories tab you can also customize this instrument by adding strap button(s) or your choice of pickup for plugging in. We recommend either the MiSi or the LR Baggs pickup for this ukulele. This qualifies for free shipping (USPS Express International or FedEX 2 day within the USA). Two days is the time in transit. Your instrument will first go through our setup department so that you get the best instrument for your money. For more information on our setup process, turnaround time, shipping, and return policies, refer to the links below in our footer. Put a note in the Special Instructions if you need to or would like to let our setup or shipping department know anything. Aloha! |
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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.