Should the back on a tenor uke be arched?

Leftypeter · Feb 8, 2016

Just got plans from LMI on a tenor uke that I am going to build. I have built guitars in the past but this is first uke. The plans don't indicate a radius arch for the back but my intuition says this is a good idea. If so, what is a good radius to follow? Also, wonder about tapered sides but I see there is another post on this topic today. Thanks

Michael Smith · Feb 8, 2016

15' radius

BlackBearUkes · Feb 9, 2016

Yes, by all means taper the sides and radius the back.

Leftypeter said:
Just got plans from LMI on a tenor uke that I am going to build. I have built guitars in the past but this is first uke. The plans don't indicate a radius arch for the back but my intuition says this is a good idea. If so, what is a good radius to follow? Also, wonder about tapered sides but I see there is another post on this topic today. Thanks

Beau Hannam Ukuleles · Feb 9, 2016

There are few "HAVE TO" with anything, but a arched back is alot better then flat, but it isn't a MUST for a first time build!!!!!!!-

Michael N. · Feb 9, 2016

Here's a guitar with a flat back. Don't sound too nasty to my ears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGKan6eX5ug

BR Ukuleles · Feb 9, 2016

I'm with Beau. While most of us do build with an arched back, and quite a few of us with a arched soundboard, you certainly don't have to. Nor do you need to taper the sides from butt to neck block.

Leftypeter · Feb 10, 2016

Leftypeter said:
Just got plans from LMI on a tenor uke that I am going to build. I have built guitars in the past but this is first uke. The plans don't indicate a radius arch for the back but my intuition says this is a good idea. If so, what is a good radius to follow? Also, wonder about tapered sides but I see there is another post on this topic today. Thanks

thanks to all for a timely response!

ksquine · Feb 10, 2016

I use a 16' radius on the back braces. Why?...because I have a 16' dish for guitar building.
Its barely noticeable on a uke size back, but it helps the back keep its shape better.

Beau Hannam Ukuleles · Feb 10, 2016

I use 15' on the back but i want to try 10' for no other reason as i like the look of a curve (which you get on a guitar with a 15' back, but not wiht a uke wiht a 15' back)

Diogenes Blue · Feb 10, 2016

I use 22' on the front, 12' on the back.

ChuckBarnett · Apr 12, 2017

Okay, newbie here. So you use a circular "dish" with a set radius and, what, put the vertical and horizontal midpoint of the back in the center of that dish? When glueing the reinforcement strip on should I do that in that dish as well?
BTW, I am working off that same LMI plan. Anything I should know?

BR Ukuleles · Apr 12, 2017

I glue all braces in the dish. Helps keep things in the intended shape.

I aim for the mid point of the waist to be in the centre of the dish. There's a fair bit of latitude here though, so don't get too obsessive. Just try and get the shape to be even from side to side. Easy to got heavy handed and not paying attention, ending up with one side getting more material removed than the other.

ChuckBarnett · Apr 12, 2017

Thanks, Allen!

jcalkin · Apr 12, 2017

Allen said:
I glue all braces in the dish. Helps keep things in the intended shape.

I aim for the mid point of the waist to be in the centre of the dish. There's a fair bit of latitude here though, so don't get too obsessive. Just try and get the shape to be even from side to side. Easy to got heavy handed and not paying attention, ending up with one side getting more material removed than the other.

In the words of the immortal Peewee Herman, "I meant to do that!"

jcalkin · Apr 12, 2017

Allen said:
I glue all braces in the dish. Helps keep things in the intended shape.

I aim for the mid point of the waist to be in the centre of the dish. There's a fair bit of latitude here though, so don't get too obsessive. Just try and get the shape to be even from side to side. Easy to got heavy handed and not paying attention, ending up with one side getting more material removed than the other.

A radiused dish is the same everywhere. Put the waist anywhere on it you like. I usually make my tail block and ribs the same depth. The neck block is shorter than the ribs, and I grind down to the neck block while try to take almost nothing off the tail block. After doing it once you can make a template of the rib shape and saw to shape before bending. Saves a lot of time.

jcalkin · Apr 12, 2017

Beau Hannam Ukuleles said:
I use 15' on the back but i want to try 10' for no other reason as i like the look of a curve (which you get on a guitar with a 15' back, but not wiht a uke wiht a 15' back)

I made a 9' radius dish for "flat top" mandolins, and you can definitely see the arch. I've used it on the back of ukes and it looks great.

Then I made a cylindrical "dish" with a 3' arch and used it on the top and the back of a mandolin. The sides looked weird but it sounded great. Ukes don't need that kind of support, though.

ChuckBarnett · Apr 13, 2017

jcalkin said:
I made a 9' radius dish for "flat top" mandolins, and you can definitely see the arch. I've used it on the back of ukes and it looks great.

Then I made a cylindrical "dish" with a 3' arch and used it on the top and the back of a mandolin. The sides looked weird but it sounded great. Ukes don't need that kind of support, though.

So making a radius dish... or spend $100 plus tax and shipping. Can I make a radius dish? How would I go about doing that? I guess 15 foot is what I would need.

Sven · Apr 13, 2017

Hi Chuck. Have a look at this thread here:
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.co...w-to-make-a-Radius-Dish&highlight=Radius+dish
I have made some nice drawings with measurements but I'll have to be on my computer to find them.

Edit: found it!
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=48252&d=1359550555

sequoia · Apr 13, 2017

I do not use a radius dish to make my radiused braces nor use them to glue the braces in. I just sand in the radius I want to the back braces using a spindle sander and guide by copying a known radius and then glue the radiused braces to the back using a lot of clamps so everything conforms. Works for me fine. Although a radiused dish and a go-bar deck is ideal, it is not necessarily needed. I also use a much more radical radius then people have posted here. I use a 24 inch radius (2'!!!) on my backs because.... I don't know! Just because. My theory is that this is twice the length of a 12" bodied tenor. Also there is 3/16 straight taper on the body.

Timbuck · Apr 13, 2017

Brad Donaldson ,who used to post on this forum a few years ago , he designed and built a concave back ukulele for ladies with large boosom's

here is video of it being played. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmi4pr2BM-k

Should the back on a tenor uke be arched?

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