Beau Hannam Ukuleles
Well-known member
Some helpful info for builders.
In this video, I show you how I make head blocks for guitar and ukulele from wood scraps.
I also use an extension which I talk about in the video but it isn't essential to use one, but i do recommend it and that it butts up tight against the upper transverse brace. This strengthens the geometry of the instrument against string tension as it disperses this load across the upper bout instead of just downward into the fingerboard end and sound hole- ie the weakest part of the entire instrument!
Other important points-
1- Make the head block and extension wider than the fingerboard to minimise cracks.
2- Splay/angle the extention so its edges cross a decent number of grain lines to minimise cracks along this area.
3- The sides of the neck block are end grain (which get shellacked), the extension is the opposite of that.
4- Don't worry about adhesion issues with the extension end grain as at least 1/3 to 1/2 of it will be routed away for mortise/tenon or dovetail neck joint.
5- These neck blocks are mahogany and spanish cedar- both are great materials for head blocks. I try to match a mahogany head block with a mahogany extension, but its not essential- I don't worry about it too much- the only concern is aesthetics.
6- I forgot to mention it, but for en blocks, the best material is best quality birch ply- light and very very strong which is what you want incase a pickup is ever installed as you have to drill a 1/2" hole into it which really weakens a solid wood end block.
7- As I mention in the video, the shape of the inside front of the block (as seen through the sound hole) is up to your own needs and aesthetics.
In this video, I show you how I make head blocks for guitar and ukulele from wood scraps.
I also use an extension which I talk about in the video but it isn't essential to use one, but i do recommend it and that it butts up tight against the upper transverse brace. This strengthens the geometry of the instrument against string tension as it disperses this load across the upper bout instead of just downward into the fingerboard end and sound hole- ie the weakest part of the entire instrument!
Other important points-
1- Make the head block and extension wider than the fingerboard to minimise cracks.
2- Splay/angle the extention so its edges cross a decent number of grain lines to minimise cracks along this area.
3- The sides of the neck block are end grain (which get shellacked), the extension is the opposite of that.
4- Don't worry about adhesion issues with the extension end grain as at least 1/3 to 1/2 of it will be routed away for mortise/tenon or dovetail neck joint.
5- These neck blocks are mahogany and spanish cedar- both are great materials for head blocks. I try to match a mahogany head block with a mahogany extension, but its not essential- I don't worry about it too much- the only concern is aesthetics.
6- I forgot to mention it, but for en blocks, the best material is best quality birch ply- light and very very strong which is what you want incase a pickup is ever installed as you have to drill a 1/2" hole into it which really weakens a solid wood end block.
7- As I mention in the video, the shape of the inside front of the block (as seen through the sound hole) is up to your own needs and aesthetics.
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