Cracked Ukuleles

Down Up Dick

Down Up Dick

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To all of those whose Ukes have cracked because of weather.

I'd like to know what brand they were, and anything else you'd like to tell about them. What size? Solid or plywood? Etc., etc., . . .

Let's all learn a little about cracking wood. Just fer 'cause. :eek:ld:
 
I had a Kamoa soprano that cracked -- it was a gift so I don't know for sure what wood it was, but I'm pretty sure it was laminate. My Kamaka koa tenor did not crack, but the seams did separate at the bookmatching on the top. Those two ukes were why I had my cabinet built when I lived a drier part of the county where we often had humidity below or around 20%.
 
wickedwahine11 said:
I had a Kamoa soprano that cracked -- it was a gift so I don't know for sure what wood it was, but I'm pretty sure it was laminate. My Kamaka koa tenor did not crack, but the seams did separate at the bookmatching on the top. Those two ukes were why I had my cabinet built when I lived a drier part of the county where we often had humidity below or around 20%.
Click to expand...


Yeah Staci..

that is why you have to move/retire in Hawaii...don't have to worry about Relative Humidity....40-70% everyday the average....:)
 
I have owned over 250 wooden instruments and have never had one crack on my watch. I am religious about maintaining good humidity control-- it's just not that hard.

I have a 1930 Martin Style 0 with a repaired top crack. So I advise you to avoid vintage Martins, as they are clearly prone to cracking. :p
 
Down Up Dick said:
RichM, when they do crack, do they hafta be repaired or are they playable as is? :eek:ld:
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I was just being a wise guy. 1930s Martins are probably some of the best ukes out there. Virtually any wood will crack if exposed to a long period of low humidity.
 
I just got my first solid uke but I live in New Mexico so I'm concerned about this. I checked with Mike at Mainland for his opinion on the stability of different woods in arid climates. He suggested that among his offerings, he would recommend Red Cedar the least and Mango the most for dry climates. He also agreed that although a gloss finish would not keep the wood from drying out it could provide some added stability.

My plan is that until I retire to Hawaii someday (ha, ha) I will try to stick to moderately priced ukes.
 
..........
 
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RichM, I'm just asking out of curiosity and not because I'm trying to figure out what to buy. I already know what my next and probably last Uke will be.

And not all wood cracks. None of my wooden flutes, fifes or piccolos have cracked, and they get very wet when i play them, and then very dry when I don't for a while. I'm supposed to oil them, but I haven't done it for a long time.

My Ka-Lai pineapple hung on the wall in different houses for 50+ years, and, though it was cracked a long time ago (I don't know how.), it has no new cracks.

All this humidiy vs. ukuleles stuff interests me. :eek:ld:
 
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Down Up Dick said:
To all of those whose Ukes have cracked because of weather.

I'd like to know what brand they were, and anything else you'd like to tell about them. What size? Solid or plywood? Etc., etc., . . .
Click to expand...

Brand and quality of build really have nothing to do with it. It's all about the properties of wood. Wood shrinks and expands with changes of humidity or temperature - if the change is rapid enough, a crack forms. Could happen just as easily to a $20 or $2,000 instrument. That said, laminates are better at resisting cracks than solid wood because the grain in each layer runs perpendicular to the adjacent layer, adding strength and stability (but subtracting "tone").
 
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Down Up Dick said:
And not all wood cracks. None of my wooden flutes, fifes or piccolos have cracked, and they get very wet when i play them, and then very dry when I don't for a while.
Click to expand...

That is because none of them have a large, thin, flat surface area.
 
My Wei Wei a Vietnam tenor cracked the first winter sitting under the heat vent. It sealed up nicely after some humidification. Luck of the draw maybe?

I've recently been given 6 older ukuleles that suffered extreme drying from a member in Hawaii. Most needed the fret ends filed as the necks have shrunk a bit. A couple had a loose spot where the back might have started to split from the sides, a little ca glue to stabilize and I think were good there. Two are no name three are branded Hawaii brand and one Malhalo all with friction tuners from around 99-01. Likely all laminates no cracks.
 
Down Up Dick said:
RichM, I'm just asking out of curiosity and not because I'm trying to figure out what to buy. I already know what my next and probably last Uke will be.

And not all wood cracks. None of my wooden flutes, fifes or piccolos have cracked, and they get very wet when i play them, and then very dry when I don't for a while. I'm supposed to oil them, but I haven't done it for a long time.

My Ka-Lai pineapple hung on the wall in different houses for 50+ years, and, though it was cracked a long time ago (I don't know how.), it has no new cracks.

All this humidiy vs. ukuleles stuff interests me. :eek:ld:
Click to expand...

No, not all wood cracks, and not all ukes crack in low humidity. But wooden instruments like flutes and such (I have a wooden clarinet) are quite different from stringed ones. They're not bent, the wood is much thicker and there is no string tension. That said, I have a large, heavy, thick rosewood trunk in my living room, and it has cracks in it.
 
pluck said:
I just got my first solid uke but I live in New Mexico so I'm concerned about this. I checked with Mike at Mainland for his opinion on the stability of different woods in arid climates. He suggested that among his offerings, he would recommend Red Cedar the least and Mango the most for dry climates. He also agreed that although a gloss finish would not keep the wood from drying out it could provide some added stability.

My plan is that until I retire to Hawaii someday (ha, ha) I will try to stick to moderately priced ukes.
Click to expand...

It is so easy to care for an all solid wood ukulele. Keep it in It's case with a sound hole humider in place. That is all there is to it.

You now can go out and buy all the high end expensive ukes you want. Why wait till you retire, you might die before then. Life is short do it now.
 
DownUpDave said:
It is so easy to care for an all solid wood ukulele. Keep it in It's case with a sound hole humider in place. That is all there is to it.
Click to expand...


It's not quite that easy. You have to remember to add water to each humidifier every few days. Don't plan on any vacations unless there is someone available to uke-sit (unless you want to take all of your instruments with you)! An easier solution is a room humidifier, especially if you have several solid wood instruments to care for.
 
wayfarer75 said:
No, not all wood cracks, and not all ukes crack in low humidity. But wooden instruments like flutes and such (I have a wooden clarinet) are quite different from stringed ones. They're not bent, the wood is much thicker and there is no string tension. That said, I have a large, heavy, thick rosewood trunk in my living room, and it has cracks in it.
Click to expand...

That's not exactly correct about the flutes. I have seen lots of cracked wooden instruments that have been repaired with glue and clamps. Especially ones which need to be joined. I guess that's why one has to use bore oil on them. I haven't oiled my wooden instruments for a log time. I guess I'd better get to it.

If we all played National Steels, we wouldn't hafta worry. :eek:ld:
 
Down Up Dick said:
If we all played National Steels, we wouldn't hafta worry. :eek:ld:
Click to expand...

Of course, there are also Blackbird's offerings. A Clara resides in easy reach on my desk, laughing while humidity in my house drops lower and lower.
 
My solid mahogany cracked, from the tail, all the way to the bridge. The bridge lifted, so I don't think it was dry. Florida humidity rarely gets below 30%....we're ususally above 55%. It was repaired, I can still see it, but it doesn't affect the sound at all.
 
The only uke of the 12 I've gone through that cracked was a Lanikai tenor cutaway solid monkey pod when it got very dry here in Los Angeles about a year ago. Later I read that monkey pod has a tendency to do so. It played fine as far as I could tell, but I gave it to my cousins young son.

Monkeypod crack.jpg

u5LanikaiMP.jpg
 
kohanmike said:
The only uke of the 12 I've gone through that cracked was a Lanikai tenor cutaway solid monkey pod when it got very dry here in Los Angeles about a year ago. Later I read that monkey pod has a tendency to do so. It played fine as far as I could tell, but I gave it to my cousins young son.

Monkeypod crack.jpg

u5LanikaiMP.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow! That was a pretty nice gift crack or no crack. :eek:ld:
 
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