Experimental Uke: Results

As posted earlier, I started a build as a side project using cast off/rejected/recovered parts as an experimental model mostly for fun. The thing is finished and there were some surprising results. Below some pictures and discussion.

First the finished specimen:



Plain with no real bling. Personally, I'm a sucker for bling and I think it looks a little plain. Used some cast off quilted maple for a peghead veneer. I don't think it really worked. Not going there again.



Used left over rosewood binding on a rosewood fretboard. No contrast so put in a line of maple. Looked sorta like a railroad track effect. Not wild about that either.



Exposed maple supports and side endgrain on the Florentine cut outs. Interesting and attractive I think. Certainly different.



But how does it sound??? I thought the cut-outs would kill the treble and make the thing heavy ended, but the exact opposite happened. The trebles sound great with a kind of strange reverb ringing effect that was totally unexpected. Very long sustains on the treble. Something to do with that inner convex upper bout I think. Really sounds good. Looks weird, sounds great. Currently blowing my reference ukes out of the water. Go figure. Just when I think I have this stuff figured out I have to throw everything out the window.

Its good to see you trying something a little different.

I'm not into bling, so for me the instrument looks good rather than plain: its different form is all that it needs to make it attractive.

As for the sound of an instrument, that's something that continues to throw me. I think I have some understanding of the various factors that contribute to the sound but still don't always produce an instrument with the sound I expected or hoped to produce. I'm sure the pros will say that only comes with experience.

I'm pleased your instrument sounds better than expected.

I'm not much into bling either. I think it's beautiful.

Looks nice with the double cutaway and simple decoration. Sometimes flamboyant body styles mixed with bling can look kinda over done.

So what's experimental about it? Did you do something different beyond the body shape?

Your work is getting tighter. I wouldn't apologize for anything about this uke. "Everything you do is right until you have to please a particular person."

I like it!

I usually prefer elegance to bling and your ukulele is very elegant!


Bob

jcalkin said:

Your work is getting tighter.

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High praise indeed John. Thank you. Actually, I can do tighter. Below latest uke getting reading for finishing. Now this thing is tight and about as good as I can do. All except for the binding joint on the tail end. I can do better!

So what's experimental about it? Did you do something different beyond the body shape?

Click to expand...

When I say "experimental", I mean more experimental for me than ukes in general. What is experimental for me other than shape?

-New bracing system with suspended fan bracing
-Faux tortoiseshell binding (don't buy the cheap Chinese stuff -no fire)
-Rosewood binding on rosewood fretboard (I ask myself why?)
-Light colored peghead vaneer instead of dark (not wild about it)
- Other minor techniques and stuff

By the way, played this uke in an uke orchestra yesterday and it blew the doors off. Very loud. Trebles cut through the mix. Problem with a really loud uke is that in an ensemble situation, if you make a mistake it stands out like a sore thumb.

These look great and love the idea of the happy surprise. Sound sample?

Sorry no sound sample. At least a good one. My only mike currently is on my camera and it makes everything sound the same. Terrible. So you have to take my word for it... Somebody on this forum once said that every builder thinks his creations sound fantastic because they are biased towards hearing great, fantastic sounds because it is theirs and they built it so it has to be great. I totally agree with this statement simply because we are human. We tend to hear what we want to hear and what we expect hear.

If you ask me (and whose asking?), I think the best way around this bias thing is using a "reference uke" to compare the new uke. How does it measure up? A-B comparison back and forth. How does it measure up Uke Boy? Of course the problem is; just exactly what is a "reference uke"? We are talking art here so it gets to be a slippery slope. But if you build sopranos, I think a beautiful vintage 20's Martin would make a good start. I build tenors so that might be tougher.

So what is going on with this uke? I listened and there seems to be a sweet sympathetic harmonic coming off around B, C and C# and some beating on either side. We are talking first string here tuned to A. Currently I have no idea why this is and I'm thinking it is maybe a happy accident. Maybe cut a little more or a little less in the cut-outs and the thing just sounds wolfy. I don't know. Onward! Into the fog!