Gourd Uke Prototype

Howdy. New guy here - just getting started. Had fun making this little guy. Sounds GOOD, I think. About to start a run of four more. This was a prototype. I learned some lessons - make the top THINNER, make the fretboard THINNER, leave more hand-room at the headstock

It looks cool. Do you have a sound sample?

Welcome to the forum. Its always good to see what others are making and to see first builds whatever they may be. It's a nice organic shape: the gourd and neck seem to merge seemlessly.

I don't know how big it is, but soundboards for sopranos (13.5" strings) are approx 1.5 mm thick or so, and for tenors (17" strings) more like 2mm thick. Thicker soundboards give less volume.

However your saddle is very high, so you are putting a lot of force down into the soundboard. This would distort a thin soundboard.

I suggest you look at altering the neck angle ( on future builds) so that you have 3 mm clearance between string and fret crown at the 12th fret and have a saddle height of only 2 to 3 mm above the bridge. If you look at a few ukes you will see what is a normal saddle height and the normal string angle over the saddle.

Very nice, has a Middle Eastern look to it. I was going to mention the tall saddle too, also, isn't tenor 17 inches and concert 15 inches?

Cool - thanks for the welcoming words. Yeah, the tall saddle... I had attributed this to making the fretboard too thick, but did not consider neck angle. Good idea! I think the tall saddle does add some extra drive to the top, which probably compensates sound-wise for the too-thick top ...maybe? Sorry, no sounds sample on this one - and I've already given it away to a friend across the country . Will definitely record the next one!

The neck and soundboard on a uke are in alignment ie no up or down neck angle required. Fretboards are usually of the order of 4 mm thick. If you draw it out you'll see that with a bridge/saddle of normal size, this will give the 3 mm string clearance at the 12th fret.

Really fun and fine looking instrument. Reminds of of an oud. Great sounding instruments and quite ancient in design. Only problem I understand is that they can be slippery to play. Hard to hold on to. Great video on here a while back of the last oud maker hacking one out from a single piece of wood. An ancient Turkish guy who was the last of the old oud makers. Sorry can't find the link...

sequoia said:

Really fun and fine looking instrument. Reminds of of an oud. Great sounding instruments and quite ancient in design. Only problem I understand is that they can be slippery to play. Hard to hold on to. Great video on here a while back of the last oud maker hacking one out from a single piece of wood. An ancient Turkish guy who was the last of the old oud makers. Sorry can't find the link...

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Wow! I sure would like to see the video of the odd old oud maker. Sorry. I just couldn't help myself.

KanePono said:

Wow! I sure would like to see the video of the odd old oud maker. Sorry. I just couldn't help myself.

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There are lots of oud makers on YouTube making ouds using staves. A while ago I posted this clip showing a guy making ouds/saz by hacking them out of the solid wood. I think thats what sequoia is talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q2cjHe3UIc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cli3BGWXtck


Having made a bowl backed uke, I can confirm that such instruments want to slide off your lap and so are not easy to play. I added some self adhesive strips to mine to provide some friction between me and the instrument.