Electric soprano ukulele
Maker
Blue Star Guitar Co.
Maker
Bruce Herron
Date2004 ca.
Place MadePaw Paw, Michigan, United States, North America
ModelKonablaster
Serial No.828
SignedStamped in teal ink on head: [modified Air Force insignia] KONABLASTER® / USAMarkingsStamped on back of head: 828Stamped on bass side of Remington-Peters .30-06 Springfield rifle bullet casing bridge: R-P / 30-06 SPRGDescriptionThe Konablaster, an electric soprano ukulele, combines a blue lenticular top remincent of tropical waves with a spent bullet cartridge for a bridge. It's maker, Bruce Herron (1954-2026) started building guitars in the 1970s in Michigan.
Stringing: four steel strings
Pickups: one single-coil pickup with individual pole pieces and black plastic cover; single volume potentiometer with black and silver knob, the position indicated with white line
Body: egg-shaped body covered on front with blue lenticular plastic with wave-like pattern, on back with gray felt-like amp cover material; black plastic cover over electronics cavity
Head and neck: maple; secured to body with two nickel-plated steel flat Philips'-head screws
Fretboard: rosewood; 15 nickel-silver T-frets; single white pearloid dots behind 5th and 10th frets; double white pearloid dots behind 7th fret
Nut: white bone
Bridge: steel Remington-Peters .30-06 Springfield rifle bullet casing, around which strings wrap, affixed to top with two large zinc-plated domed Philips' head screws
Tuners: four individual worm gear tuners with nickel-plated steel plates and ivory plastic heads
Jack plug: mounted on lower bass side; black plastic surroundDimensionsTotal electric soprano ukulele length: 534 mm (21-1/32″)
Back length: 243 mm (9-9/16″)
Maximum width: 170 mm (6-11/16″)
Side height: 37 mm (1-15/32″)
Head length: 110 mm (4-11/32″)
Head width, top: 30 mm (1-3/16″)
Head width, bottom: 50 mm (1-31/32″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 179 mm (7-1/16″)
Neck width, nut: 35 mm (1-3/8″)
Neck width, heel: 45 mm (1-25/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 351 mm (13-13/16″)
Scale length: 352 mm (13-7/8″)
ProvenancePurchased new by donor at a ukulele expo from Elderly Instruments.
Credit LineGeoffrey Robert Rezek Collection, 2014
Object number14930
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