Tembo, the ultimate travel Ukulele

Tembo is the ultimate travel ukulele, born from a constantly moving individual’s creative mind and crafted by a true artist’s skilled hands. This compact instrument is more than just a ukulele – it’s a concept, an idea.

Tembo in Kiswahili means Elephant.

Just like the animal it’s named after, Tembo is loyal and playful, communicating through a range of sounds and feelings. Its body is carved from a single piece of wood, ensuring a solid build and durability, and its unique carbon fibre strings can produce a variety of tones. With high-quality friction tuners, Tembo will always stay in tune.

Tembo is made of three different types of wood –
Red cedar, Spanish Cedar and Ebony, represent how this little instrument brings together people and cultures to create something unique and spectacular.

Red cedar is commonly used for classical guitar construction, it has a very soft sound and remarkable sustain.
Spanish cedar is a lightweight and stable wood (withstands changes in humidity and does not deform over time), it also has very beautiful grain patterns.
Ebony is the quintessential fingerboard wood, extremely hard and durable, it provides good sustain to the instrument and elevates its value and beauty.
Bone: factory ukuleles, are usually made of plastic or other synthetic materials, which do not guarantee good sound transmission. Tembo uses bone, which provides more sustain and better tuning stability (plastic ones can compress over time, causing the string to not slide properly or even get stuck).
Zero fret: The zero fret ensures that the sound of the open strings is the same as that of the fretted strings.

Tembo’s distinctive appearance is enhanced by its almond-shaped soundhole, as well as the small elephant designs on the fretboard and the ukulele logo adorning the headstock.

What makes Tembo special?

Lightweight (only 380 grams)
Small in size
Resilient, the body is carved from a single piece, so the thickness is more consistent and the structure is sturdier and more durable
Very rounded edges make it very comfortable to play
Low action
Fingerboard is ground on each instrument: this allows for very low string height without fret buzz
Natural finish

Designed to be small yet robust, Tembo is a breeze to carry around wherever you go. Whether you’re jetting off to a far-flung destination or simply heading out to the park for a jam session, this ukulele is the perfect companion. With its exceptional quality and portability, Tembo sets a new standard for travel instruments.

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TEMBO AND THE KENYA UKULELE PROJECT

The Kenya Ukulele project is a wonderful initiative inspired by the London Ukulele Project, that aims to provide music education and ukuleles to underprivileged children in Kenyan schools. The project raises funds through its online shop and the sale of the “Tembo Ukulele” to support its mission of bringing the joy of music to those who would otherwise not have access to it. For every Tembo sold we can buy 2 ukuleles to donates or 2 to 3 music lessons depending on the location.

SInce we started we were able to donate 70 ukuleles to Kenyan schools and teachers, making a positive impact on the lives of many children. This year, the project is looking to expand its reach by bringing in music teachers to join its volunteer program (work in progress) and teach the teachers in Kenya. This will enable more children to benefit from music education and the many advantages it brings.

The Tembo ukulele is a beautifully crafted instrument that is both durable and affordable.