A co-worker sent out an e-mail awhile back asking who might be interested in touring a local guitar/ukulele factory in town. Only four of us responded and, when he got in touch with the guy, the owner said he wanted to make ukulele's for us all...for free!
So, I received mine last week and love it.
So I wanted to meet this guy, see where he worked and thank him. I asked if I could bring the boys and we jumped in a taxi with our school's music teacher and drove over. It was tiny by factory standards but he probably had 15-20 people working there making mandolins, ukuleles, guitars and bouzoukis. They were all beautiful and the guy was really friendly.
John, the owner is in the red shirt.
After a brief tour he took us up to his living room (he lives above the factory) and we all had beers...at 8:45am. We talked shop for awhile and then headed back down. I ended up buying Trevor a 3/4 size guitar and Colin a tenor ukulele, like mine. Both will be delivered to school when they are complete. John even offered to have us bring our students over for a field trip to learn the process and offered to another friend, who had biked over to join us, access to all his tools to make his own instrument if he wanted. At this point the government will not allow him to sell his instruments in country so everything he makes is exported to the UK. He hopes to have the permit to sell in Vietnam within the year.
It is so rare to meet the people who make the things we enjoy in life. Hopefully this personal connection will mean I will put a little more energy into learning to play this thing. That and the fact that 7 other SSIS teachers have them should help!
Wow, what a cool experience to take a tour like that and learn the process. The rest of us had to rely on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to see places like this. You'll have to post a video of your first 'concert'.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a wonderful experience. I'm glad the boys saw the factory and met the craftsman who will make their instruments. Should be quite a memory for them.
ReplyDeletecool pics!
ReplyDeleteWow, are these ever great stories and adventures! And I'm right here! I need to get out more for sure! I want to meet John & go on that amazing bicycle adventure, too! Way to go, Jackson four! You guys rock.
ReplyDeleteDo you mind if I ask where the factory is, and what it's called? I'm in Saigon now and looking to buy my second ukulele (stumbled across your blog while searching online). I think seeing them being made would be a nice bonus :)
ReplyDeleteLet me check with John and make sure it is OK, then I'll post his contact information here. He's a great guy and his shop is worth a visit but there is no showroom and he usually does not sell his instruments from there (they are made for export only). More later.
ReplyDelete