Building my first ukulele (An electric solid body travel concert) step by step

UkuLincoln

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I'm giving it a go! I have made many things over the years, but none of them musical instruments. I love ukulele, and I love making stuff so I figured I should give it a shot.

I am probably going to have some questions along the way for you kind luthiers, and thought it would be helpful for others wanting to try this to see the progress and learn from my mistakes and successes. So I will post progress pics (and maybe videos) here.

The important bits of the design are being based on what Daniel Hulbert so kindly shares the plans for on https://circuitsandstrings.wordpress.com/2015/06/09/building-a-travel-ukulele/

I have a Risa Stick, which I like quite a bit, and this design is similar. So, I thought I would start with his design and change some of the look for fun, but keep the parts that are important to it working musically. So basically I am going to change the outside shape of the body section.

Here's the before picture. The wood I am using. It was gifted to me by someone who said all they remember about it is that it is some type of African hard wood. Should I assume this is a good wood to work with, and can you tell from the photos what type it is?

It is 1in x 5in x 19in.

20160304_211113.jpg20160304_211128.jpg

I am debating between doing it all by hand or using CNC for either all or part of it. I have done some CNC and I have a friend who has a degree in it willing to help as well as access to the equipment. I also have access to a small wood shop at a maker space that has some standard wood working tools, but nothing related to making instruments.

Are their any lutherie tools (or a link to info) that I absolutely should buy that are not likely going to be in a small workshop?

Lincoln
 
I haven't worked with wood in awhile or with any big machinery like metal lathes or a Bridgeport miller in quite sometime now.

This CNC movement I see lately has made a group of people who balk at manual lathes or millers. Within the last 8 years I offered to set up a kid with a lathe and a BPT miller if he could make it pay for itself and the space we need to run them. He had not a clue what could be done with them yet currently hes running a CNC for some big company...

Tattooing I use photoshop a bit to set up or alter certain designs many which I have hand drawn. At times after an hour or more struggling to get the computer to do what I want I find a few minutes with pencil and paper and I'm done.

Wasting time to make simple cuts on a CNC seems just that unless you plan to mass produce your work multiple times. As far as the tools you will need Im pretty sure the member that is circuit and strings offers up what he uses for tools to get the job done. Part of the beauty of the instruments he makes is using simple tools. Otherwise if you are seriously setting up to become a luthier there are many threads in this very forum on that subject if you look a bit.

BTW as I mentioned in his post where he introduced the backpacker design somewhere round here this is the only time I can get behind anyone not in the industry buying and using any tattoo equipment as this will never have the capability to harm anyone.

~remember to always have fun~

EDIT: As that is a concert scale design it could use a few more frets up the neck.
 
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Thanks for the feedback Al. Yeah, I am only going to CNC it if I end up deciding on a complicated 3D design carved into it. I totally agree that the time it takes to make the file, lock the wood down to the CNC and then run it, I could have just done it by hand by tracing a drawing on the wood with a saw. Assuming it is a simple design.

Lincoln
 
Thanks Daniel! And thanks for the inspiration too!

I know you said on your site that you don't recommend this project for a first time ukulele maker, but I figure if it doesn't come out right, I can always do it again.
 
Interested in seeing you make one with simple tools. :)


Me too!

I'd think that you might get more personal satisfaction working with hand tools, and a more intimate connection to the build as opposed to using a CNC machine. Also, you can develop some real skills doing it by hand, and making mistakes can sometimes turn out to be informative or educational surprises.

The little bit of woodworking and hack-luthery that I've attempted has served to be a meditative process and somewhat cathartic for me.

Good luck with the project! :)
 
Good luck with your project, I'm very interested in seeing your progress as I hope to start my solid body project very soon.
 
Here's the before picture. The wood I am using. It was gifted to me by someone who said all they remember about it is that it is some type of African hard wood. Should I assume this is a good wood to work with, and can you tell from the photos what type it is?

It looks like one of the mahoganies to me.
 
I feel the inspiration creeping up on me as well, this seems like a good starter project that doesnt require too many tools. Maybe I'll give it a go as well. I am thinking about using a wooden piece rather than the tattoo grip though...any thoughts on that? We'll see if I can get this started, first I need to check where I can get stuff like tuners, fret wire and stuff in Sweden, or if I have to go to Ebay...
 
Thanks for the well wishes everyone.

Thank you Kayak Jim for the wood identification.

This would be an example of the reason I would consider CNC. 0f4131918b63d0e9774016fa85ef88c1.jpg

I will probably just keep it simple though and if all goes well using the band-saw, router, and other non-cnc tools around the maker space I can always make something more elaborate for a second one.
 
I am thinking about using a wooden piece rather than the tattoo grip though...any thoughts on that? ...

I tried wood at first, but unless the wood is very dense, the strings will dig into it. The tattoo grip is nice because the strings glide around it easier.
 
Hmm I wonder if I have any junk tattoo grips laying around that might have four grooves in them. Anodized aluminum like shown in the ukulele build are crappy equipment they rot from the ultrasonic cleaning and sterilization in an autoclave.

Calling my artist now... I really should get back to work.

Edit: Quick glance he says they all appear to have 5 grooves. I'm getting down there tomorrow and I'll look through my old stuff to see if there is anything I can donate.

BTW. Carving like that can be done with hand tools as well if your artistic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux-Evx1Vy4

~peace~
 
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Hmm I wonder if I have any junk tattoo grips laying around that might have four grooves in them. Anodized aluminum like shown in the ukulele build are crappy equipment they rot from the ultrasonic cleaning and sterilization in an autoclave.

Calling my artist now... I really should get back to work.

Edit: Quick glance he says they all appear to have 5 grooves. I'm getting down there tomorrow and I'll look through my old stuff to see if there is anything I can donate.

BTW. Carving like that can be done with hand tools as well if your artistic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux-Evx1Vy4

~peace~

Thanks Al! That would be awesome! I would think 5 groves would be ok if I just don't use one of the grooves, but I don't know. I love that tiki carved ukulele, I am a big fan of his work. Doing a tiki theme is one of the numerous ideas I've been tossing around. I think for my first I should probably stick with something more simple though.

Sven - I tried to PM you, but it said your messages are full and can't take any new messages.
 
Yeah the inbox will do that all the time. My email is sven.arkitekt(at)gmail.com

Edit: since you're in California I think getting stuff from me would be a bit backward - most of my stuff is imported from the US to here. I was mixing cml and you up a bit, cml seems to be in Sweden too. But hey, if you want my help I'm here. Shipping is worse than getting it from Stewmac though.
 
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Yeah the inbox will do that all the time. My email is sven.arkitekt(at)gmail.com

Edit: since you're in California I think getting stuff from me would be a bit backward - most of my stuff is imported from the US to here. I was mixing cml and you up a bit, cml seems to be in Sweden too. But hey, if you want my help I'm here. Shipping is worse than getting it from Stewmac though.
This is such a nice place!

Yes I am in Sweden :), on the west coast though. When/If I start this project (and the offer is valid for me) Sven, can I contact you at the email above?
 
I tried wood at first, but unless the wood is very dense, the strings will dig into it. The tattoo grip is nice because the strings glide around it easier.
Thanks for the input mate!
 
Yeah the inbox will do that all the time. My email is sven.arkitekt(at)gmail.com

Edit: since you're in California I think getting stuff from me would be a bit backward - most of my stuff is imported from the US to here. I was mixing cml and you up a bit, cml seems to be in Sweden too. But hey, if you want my help I'm here. Shipping is worse than getting it from Stewmac though.

Oh yeah. I hadn't thought about that. Good point. Thanks for the offer though. :D

Now I am going to do research to figure out if I should buy the about $60 shadow passive pick up or something cheaper. I'd really love to have a volume knob and a pre-amp (a tuner would be cool too, but not needed). I just get a feeling that if I spend $20-$30 on something like that, it won't sound nearly as good as the Shadow which I believe is what is in the Risa Stick.

Since it's my first attempt, it may not sound good either with a cheap or nice pick up so it may be a waste of money to get a good one.

Lincoln
 
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