Built my first Uke!

uke4chris

uke4chris

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This is a StewMac Kit that I altered with Paua Abalone Marker Dots and Sound Hole Rosette. I also added touches to the bridge and Head Stock. I upgraded the tuners, and added side marker dots. The finish is a sprayed laquer that was watersanded to 2000, then hand buffed to a gloss. It was a fun project, and sounds pretty good. The intonation is fantastic. Now if I could play more than 5 songs!
ukebody1.jpg ukeneck1.jpg ukeneck3.jpg ukeneck2.jpg ukeback.jpg
 
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uke4chris said:
This is a StewMac Kit that I altered with Paua Abalone Marker Dots and Sound Hole Rosette. I also added touches to the bridge and Head Stock. I upgraded the tuners, and added side marker dots. The finish is a sprayed laquer that was watersanded to 2000, then hand buffed to a gloss. It was a fun project, and sounds pretty good. The intonation is fantastic. Now if I could play more than 5 songs!
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FANTASTIC! I am going to be building one of these over the next few weeks as well.

Could you make a sound sample/video? :shaka:

OH! And what did you use for the alternate rosette?
 
That is great - and it is what you should do with this kit if you have the skills. It's such good value but, and this is my own opinion, sucks if you just use the 'pre-sets'. I advise everyone to shorten and reshape the headstock, recarve the heel and replace that awful bridge. You've done a bang-up job worthy of 4 bananas :nana::nana::nana::nana:
 
Thanks

Thanks all for the encouragement. I will try to get a sound sample up after the strings settle a bit. Maybe I'll have time this weekend.
 
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Gorgeous!

That is a spectacular-looking uke!
Can you tell us more about how you applied the finish, what materials you used, and how you buffed it to such a wonderful luster?
I'm rather dissatisfied with the appearance of the Tru-Oil finish I've been using...
Thanks!
Mika
 
I sanded the wood from 100 grit to 320 to start. Sprayed a couple of coats of lacquer (mixed to be slightly thicker) to fill the grain. Then I wet sanded with 400 grit until all surface was flat. ( Some areas will sand though to wood). Next 1 more coat of thick. Next I sprayed 5 coats of normal thickness lacquer, followed by wet sanding flat with 600 grit. Finally I sprayed one final coat thinned a slight bit more. The final coat was wet sanded with 1200 grit. I the used a medium buffing compound, hand buffed. Followed by fine swirl remover, hand rubbed again. No major tools: Spraygun, wet/dry sandpaper, rubbing/buffing compound (Automotive), soft cotton rags.
 
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