How long to warp?

I took my ukulele in to get the action lowered and the guy at the music store said he could not do anything with it because the instrument was too warped. I was pretty surprised at this because I have only had the uke for a short while and it has been unseasonably wet in Kansas City this year.

He said that KC is a bad place for instruments because of the dry winters and when I told him I have only had it since June he said it must have been from before I bought it.

I bought the ukulele back in June and really didn't get around to trying it out until recently so I didn't notice anything wrong with it. I have taken good care of the ukulele and it hasn't spent more than 15 minutes outside or in the sun.

I won't yet mention the brand of ukulele this is because it is a reputable brand and I want to get my facts straight and treat them fairly. I'm going to get a second opinion on this from another guy tomorrow but I'd like to hear the opinion of others here given the facts above.

How long does it normally take for an instrument to warp to the point where the action cannot be lowered? I was under the impression that this took a good deal of time even in poor conditions and given the facts I'm pretty sure that this happened before I purchased it.

Seems like I once read that the first year is critical for maintaining consistent humidity with a solid wood instrument. During that first year it is most susceptible to humidity-related problems and after that it kind of stabilizes and becomes more durable. That's not to say that it becomes impervious to humidity problems, but it's more delicate that first year.

Of course that which I read could be erroneous and I can't really remember the source. Others with more expertise may correct me, which is fine. But if what I remember is true it's no surprise that the instrument would develop problems within its first year during an abnormally wet season.

It may not be warpage at all, but rather a poorly set neck angle. Without seeing the instrument I won't know for sure. If you're one of the lucky ones who has a truss rod in the neck, adjusting that might help. But, if you had one, the tech would have noticed and done something with it, so probably not.

Without measuring the instrument, any posts will be conjecture, really. Maybe the action is/was already pretty low? Maybe it's a neck angle issue(like already posted)? Could be a few things, or nothing at all.

It's pretty impossible to tell.

Huskalator said:

I won't yet mention the brand of ukulele this is because it is a reputable brand and I want to get my facts straight and treat them fairly.

Click to expand...

The UU community thanks you for your wisdom and fairness. Really.

RevWill said:

The UU community thanks you for your wisdom and fairness. Really.

Click to expand...

Yep. Always best to be discreet until all the facts are in.

If your uke is warped, it may not be atmospheric conditions that have caused it. In fact, given what you have said, it most likely isn't. Wood is an unpredictable substance, and sometimes it is going to warp whatever you do. An experienced hand-builder will choose his timber very carefully, and will ensure that has been prepared and stored in good conditions. Even so, there will be the odd neck that decides to curve, or twist. With volume manufacturers, this is bound to happen more frequently.

If I were you, I would make sure the diagnosis is correct, and if so, try to get a replacement uke from the supplier, or the manufacturer.

Ukantor.