I recently made a mahogany fig. 8 uke, and deviated from the usual practice of using an internal bridgeplate. The front kept trying to curve inwards, so instead I fitted a brace under the bridge, curved to make the front slightly convex.
The sound it produced was very trebly - top-endish - lacking bass tones. Some people quite liked it, but I couldn't stand it, so decided to change the front. In order to maintain some strength around the neck joint, support the fretboard extension, and hold things in alignment while the front was off, I left in place the small area of front between the neck and the cross brace near the sound hole.
The new piece of front is now in place, and uses a conventional bridge plate. I am delighted with the improvement in the sound. It even looks quite interesting - a bit like some South American instruments.
It's a odd thing to do, I know, but I was determined to retrieve a little success for all my hard work. I'm glad I did it.
I seem to have cocked up the posting of photos, but the first one shows the finished article, and the second shows the new piece of front ready for fitting.
John Colter.
The sound it produced was very trebly - top-endish - lacking bass tones. Some people quite liked it, but I couldn't stand it, so decided to change the front. In order to maintain some strength around the neck joint, support the fretboard extension, and hold things in alignment while the front was off, I left in place the small area of front between the neck and the cross brace near the sound hole.
The new piece of front is now in place, and uses a conventional bridge plate. I am delighted with the improvement in the sound. It even looks quite interesting - a bit like some South American instruments.
It's a odd thing to do, I know, but I was determined to retrieve a little success for all my hard work. I'm glad I did it.
I seem to have cocked up the posting of photos, but the first one shows the finished article, and the second shows the new piece of front ready for fitting.
John Colter.
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