Comment

Comment by gary sheldon on November 7, 2014 at 2:31pm

Almost There!  Fretboard is glued, Still need braces under top and permanent bridge and nut.  Also need to fasten the back on.  It will be removeable with screws.  Oh yes, need to put in Piezo and jack.  Then clean it up, set action, new logo, etc.  Maybe more neck joint reinforcement.

Comment by gary sheldon on November 6, 2014 at 8:08am

I have it strung up now and it sounds pretty good.  The next major step is fretting, bracing.  No pics yet because camera batteries are dead.  Still a million details to take care of. 

Comment by gary sheldon on November 5, 2014 at 1:25pm

Progress on the Tall Ship Uke.  Sound hole is cut, string termination is made and installed, tuner holes are drilled and tuners in temporarily.

This neck joint is one I have used in the past and seems to work ok.  The neck end is glued to the underside of the top with hide glue.  It is also clamped.  I will install longitudinal braces, otherwise, string tension will cause the top to deform (dip in the center), causing the neck to rise.  I have built in a couple of degrees of neck drop.  I may have to put a block in on the inside of the front of the body. Just behind the heel.  I might even put a screw through the heel and front of the body and into the block.

I use a floating bridge rather than glueing the bridge/termination to the top.  

Next will be bracing, frets, glueing the fretboard in, nut, bridge and strings.

Then I will do a sound check and make sure the neck doesn't move.  If all is well, I will start on the other 3 of the series.  I am worried about the Dougles Fir neck being able to transmit sound well.  If not, I will have to go with a Maple neck.

Comment by gary sheldon on October 30, 2014 at 9:49am

Tall Ship Uke.  Wrong photo on the last post.

Comment by gary sheldon on October 30, 2014 at 9:42am

Mocked up using double backed tape.  Ready for tuners, frets and glueing neck. 

Comment by gary sheldon on October 28, 2014 at 6:45am

Hinges have ben removed.  The neck will attach to the top.  The back will be screwed and maybe glued on.  Oak fretboard is started.  I may change to Walnut.  String termination is designed. 

Comment by gary sheldon on October 27, 2014 at 10:55am

Mock up of uke with Tall Ship logo taped on.

Comment by gary sheldon on October 27, 2014 at 6:29am

Progress on 2 necks.  Photo shows laminations.

Comment by gary sheldon on October 25, 2014 at 5:49am

I have changed my mind on the build.   I have found 3 Ashton Cigar boxes.  I have used these before on a uke and the sound was really good.  Still thinking about the neck joint, but I am getting closer.  The heel may be strictly ornamental.

I have 4 necks roughed out with the scarfs cut.

Some photos including a detail of the lamination..

Comment by gary sheldon on October 17, 2014 at 1:07pm

I am going to build a small series of 2 or 3 ukuleles with laminated Douglas Fir necks.

The bodies will be square, probably about 9".  Sides will be cedar, probably finger jointed and I think the top and bottom will be Birch ply, 11/64".  I'll probably paint the body, or at least the top and bottom.  I plan to use Mahogany for the finger boards.

I started laminating the wood for the necks today.  I don't have the neck joint completely figured out yet, but I am working on it.  The bottom of the body will be removeable for maintenance.

The reason I will be using Douglas Fir for the neck is that I have access to some very good, seasoned Fir which is excess from the building of a tall ship, the Matthew Turner being built in Sausalito, Ca. 

I'll check in and let you know how it is progressing from time to time.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• …
• 63
• Next ›
• Page