An Ukulele for Me

sequoia

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I've accumulated these bits and pieces around my shop that just didn't make it for whatever reason and were thrown aside. The fretboard that wasn't fretted right and tore out something bad when re-fretted. The the sides that didn't bend just quite right because of knots and grain. The really ugly bridge that got tossed into a box. The sorta ugly gold tuners with the too small knobs. The really nice spruce top that showed a seam. Etc, etc, etc.

So I decided to build an ukulele out of seconds that would be for me to play and the emphasis would be on sound rather than looks. The immediately flawed uke...

Something interesting happened. I paid less attention to joinery issues and my work suffered because of it I think. I wasn't fully committed and got a little sloppy. There was no love. Anyway, the thing sounds very nice and maybe that is the important part. But I don't love it.

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It's beautiful! What's not to love? Nothing in life is perfect. Doesn't it deserve a chance to be loved?

I love those types of things - the ones that are made from left over stuff or are left overs. If I was in the financial position to do it, I would buy it.
 
Where are the flaws? Are you putting us on?
I think this uke is quite lovely, and if I were in the market....
Does is sound crummy?
No, you said it sounds nice.
Maybe you can play it for us?
 
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Looks pretty nice to me. Lots of character—and that’s definitely not code for something which is less-than in any sense of the word. Attachment is an interesting thing. We have a certain set of expectations, and when they’re not met we may sometimes feel a sense of loss or lack or incompleteness. But when we let go, things start to take on a life of their own, and that seems to be what happened here. Congratulations, she’s a beauty!
 
I hope the sound/playability grows on you - as others have said, to the untrained eye it looks great!
 
Only you know where the shortcomings lie. If you can't bond with it and is not up to your professional standards, you could gift it to some one anonymously. Who knows it may become one of the infamous no-name "Players" that show up now and then.
 
If you can't bond with it and is not up to your professional standards, you could gift it to some one anonymously.

Here is the thing: I'm not really a professional nor do I want to be. I had no love for this instrument from the get go and the result was just an ukulele. Very disheartening. No love. No magic. Then what is the point? I'm sure I am not the first builder to reach this point as in "what is the point"? I can sell it sure and I like the money, but there is something that is gone. Aloha perhaps? (Runs from the room and bursts into tears).
 
Here is the thing: I'm not really a professional nor do I want to be.

I see, I to am not a professional, more of a tinker than a luthier. The process interests me more than the product and I've had my share a abject failures and surprising results.
(lies awake thinking of the next way to brace for sound)
 
There is a great commerical that states, " It's not where we live or what we have, it is what we do that defines us"
 
Here is the thing: I'm not really a professional nor do I want to be. I had no love for this instrument from the get go and the result was just an ukulele. Very disheartening. No love. No magic. Then what is the point? I'm sure I am not the first builder to reach this point as in "what is the point"? I can sell it sure and I like the money, but there is something that is gone. Aloha perhaps? (Runs from the room and bursts into tears).

Maybe better to put it up for adoption so it can find a loving home? ...hint, hint ;)
 
Looks pretty good to me. I get what you are saying. If you never pick it up......move on. I like the idea of a left over bits and pieces ukulele. I’d say you did pretty good by this pile of left overs.
 
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