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VIGNETTES UKULELE ARTISAN RUSS MORIN REINVENTS A ROYAL INSTRUMENT AS SOMETHING UTTERLY SWANK // BY Heidi Coryell Williams A LIFELONG MUSICIAN, Russ Morin has amassed his fair share of instruments while building up a notable repertoire of songs to play on the piano and organ, not to mention bass, ukulele, and guitar. The South Carolina–based artist didn't embark on a career of making instruments—ukuleles, to be precise—until about a decade ago, though: His older brother, Doug, a musician, decided to order a custom-made ukulele from a luthier (a maker of stringed instruments) based in Hawaii. Morrin's interest was piqued. But his pocketbook was unprepared to invest in the traditional koa-wood creation. "He got me interested in having one, but I couldn't afford one," Morin recalls. "So, I made one instead." That frst project stuck, and Morin's been making ukes—of the resonator variety, primarily—ever since. Today, Morin's knack is crafting unique versions of the ukulele—not out of traditional koa, but out of reclaimed wood, lending a distinct look and sound to each piece. That might mean a ukulele body shaped out of a downed sycamore he found on the side of the road, or it could mean one constructed from ash wood, gifted from a friend's woodpile in Ohio. He's cut fret-board markers out of the ivory keys of a discarded piano, and he's made the fret board itself out of spalted dogwood from his neighbor's curb on trash day. "There's a lot to it," he explains. "The instrument has to sound good. It has to look good, and it has to play well. Each After years of honing his skill, Morin still describes himself as a "budding" luthier. (RIGHT) of these is diffcult to achieve, and to get all three is a daunting task." The four-stringed uke has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts since the 1970s, making its way onstage with everyone from Jack Johnson to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder who released a solo album Ukulele Songs in 2011. The ukulele actually dates back to early nineteenth-century Madeira, Portugal, well before it arrived in the Hawaiian islands in 1879. Long associated with Hawaiian royalty, the instrument has morphed into many iterations, including something to be played on televised variety shows and sold in airport gift shops. The uke's most modern incarnation as interpreted by Morin, is distinctly upscale in nature, in large part thanks to high-end versions of the uke appearing onstage with popular musicians. His custom resonator ukulele is actually a uke with a thin aluminum cone in the body, which acts as a passive speaker C O L L E C TO R S & M U S I C I A N S CUSTOM UKULELES TAKE TWO MONTHS TO MAKE & PRICES START AT $1000 TUNE IN AND START STRUMMING AT RUSSMORIN.COM cone (a lot like a stereo speaker). A direct descendant of the resonator guitar (frst created in the 1920s), the resonator lends more volume to the instrument. "Remember, there were no electric guitar amps back then, and string players strove to be heard over the drums and horns that were typically in bands of the time," Morin says. "Reso ukes are louder. They have a more aggressive tone, and they are unique looking." They're downright cool, actually. Morin's ukuleles are all one of a kind. Each one is signed and dated, with a special secret message hidden inside that can only be read with a mirror. Although he generally works on two ukuleles at the same time, it takes upward of two months to fnish one. He's sent his custom orders far and wide, including Hawaii, Australia, Germany, and Reunion Island off the coast of Africa. Each ukulele he makes is critiqued by a highly selective screening panel. That would be his bandmates: Blue Studio is a three-piece band that plays old jug-band tunes, as well as blues, jazz, and some modern-eclectic pieces. "They are both experienced visual artists and musicians, and they give me honest criticism." With so many varieties of ukuleles, there's no limit to what will come into play with his designs: strings, tuning, shape, and more all contribute to his overall aesthetic. Morin, of course, fnds he likes to keep one of every kind of uke for his own personal collection. "There are banjo ukes, electric ukes, four-, sixand eight-string models," he says. The ukulele dates back to early nineteenth-century Madeira, Portugal 18 Tempus-Magazine.com . Fall 2013 P H O T O G R A P H S B Y TJ G E T Z / G E T Z C R E AT I V E A Strings Attached