Electric kiku
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
- Guilele
- 6-string baritone ukulele
- Guitarlele
- Guitarlele
- Kiku
Maker
John S. Kinnard
Date2015
Place MadeCarlsbad, California, United States, North America
ModelKiku
Serial No.9151504
SignedPaper label with double line border, the serial number and signatures written in black ballpoint pen: Hand Crafted in the U.S.A. by / John S. Kinnard / Collaboration with Kimo Hussey / Serial number 9151504 [over dotted line] / Fallbrook, CA 92028 / [signature vertically on left side] Kimo Hussey / [signature vertically on right side, underlined] John S. KinnardInlaid in white abalone on head: John S. / Kinnard
Written in pencil on inside of top near neck block: built by / John S. Kinnard / 9 -,15MarkingsIn black on silver on piezoelectric pickups: K & KDescriptionThe kiku is a 6-string baritone ukulele, fusing elements of the ukulele and the guitar. Invented in the 1990s, it is now a staple of modern ukulele performance. This kiku by John Kinnard features fine materials, such as bear-claw Sitka spruce and cocobolo.
Stringing: six nylon strings
Body: cutaway upper treble bout
Pickup: K & K Twin Spot piezoelectric under bridge with 1/8" jack plug nickel-plated steel end pin
Soundboard: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: medium grain
Back: two-piece, book-matched, cocobolo; center strip of East Indian rosewood surrounded on each side by three ply light-dark-light hardwood strips
Sides: two-piece cocobolo with oval port in upper bass bout; bottom ribs divided by rosewood surrounded on each side by three ply light-dark-light hardwood strips
Head: slot-head two-piece mahogany veneered in ebony trimmed with light-dark-light hardwood strip inlay; integral with neck
Neck: two-piece mahogany; integral with head; Spanish style heel
Heel cap: cocobolo; set in from back
Binding: East Indian rosewood with light-dark-light hardwood strip trim on top, back, and sides
Fretboard: ebony; 19 nickel-silver T-frets; white abalone dots and side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony with bone saddle; strings fit into groove on lower edge
Tuners: six Gotoh Stealth black-painted and gold-plated steel worm-gear tuners with bold-plated steel heads
Rosette: three individual sections of cocobolo surrounded on all sides with green abalone and black hardwood strip
Finish: clear
Linings: kerfed mahogany or Spanish cedar
Neck block: mahogany or Spanish cedar with beveled corners
End block: mahogany or Spanish cedar with beveled corners
Top braces: two spruce transverse braces with tapered ends above and below soundhole; three spruce fan braces with tapered ends, each cut out over mahogany bridge plate; all braces let into linings; two angled spruce finger braces on each side of soundhole
Back braces: three spruce transverse braces with tapered ends, one each in upper, center and lower bouts, the ends let into liningsDimensionsTotal kiku length: 782 mm (30-2532″)
Back length: 357 mm (14-1/16″)
Upper bout width: 195 mm (7-11/16″)
Waist width: 162 mm (6-3/8″)
Lower bout width: 261 mm (10-9/32″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 78 mm (3-1/16″)
Rib height, at waist: 86 mm (3-3/8″)
Rib height, at end block: 88 mm (3-15/32″)
Head length: 159 mm (6-1/4″)
Head width, top: 66 mm (2-19/32″)
Head width, bottom: 49 mm (1-15/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 265 mm (10-7/16″)
Neck width, nut: 45 mm (1-25/32″)
Neck width, heel: 55 mm (2-5/32″)
Soundhole diameter: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Side port dimensions: 47 mm by 34 mm (1-27/32" by 1-11/32")
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): 503 mm (19-13/16″)
Scale length: 502 mm (19-3/4″)ProvenancePurchased new by the donor.
Credit LineGift of Donna J. Curry, 2021
Object number15610
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