Linings...

Pete Howlett

Pete Howlett

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I think I have figured out why a small batch of simple ukulele I built for FUN in Finland ended up sounding so good - solid linings. This method makes for a very rigid side that will still transfer top energy to the back thus making the instrument 'alive'. I'm doing another batch soon in koa, mahogany and cherry; some will be my style 0 plain Janes and some are style 1 with binding only to the front and two having binding top and back. It will be interesting to compare and see if making the sides really stiff helps in projection and volume and how binding an edge also effects sound.

??? :rulez: ???

At least that's the plan...:smileybounce:
 
I know people who swear by them in their guitars.
I think your idea may have some merit. I'm no scientist so I don't know. I'll be seeing David Hurd (Kawika) tomorrow and I'll ask him his thoughts. I brace my upper bout as stiffly as I can and with all my bindings and purflings glued together I believe I am achieving the same effect in stiffening up the lower "frame". But this is all secret stuff that I'm not allowed to talk about.
 
If you look at the guitar builders - the curious ones, they play around a lot with the idea of stiffening all that is below the soundboard. Charles Fox with his highly engineered reverse lining; Smallman laminating the sides of his classical guitars; Rick Turner using flying braces that stiffen the upper bout and seem to me to act as trusses to stiffen up the top; McKnight using many techniques to get this effect. I also like the solid linings because I don't have to spend half a day unplugged from reality making kerfed lining...

Is David still building? I thought he's retired now...
 
Pete Howlett said:
I also like the solid linings because I don't have to spend half a day unplugged from reality making kerfed lining...
Click to expand...
This is true. I almost always get some leftovers from the sides that will fit as linings with very little extra bending. I made a uke recently with solid linings that sounded very good. Some other variables had changed slightly as well so I can't put it all on the linings account tho'.

Sven
 
I bet you can Sven! Ever wondered why those Chinese upscale ukes sound so good? Solid linings and a very 'stiff' finish...
 
Unplugging from reality is my favorite part! I love the mindless days of making bracing, kerfing and bridge stock.
From my own experience, my bound and purfled ukes sound better than those that haven't been, probably because all of that makes the rim stiffer.
 
I've built a couple of ukes with my flying buttresses and carbon fiber topped back braces with stiffened sides, and they really do work...and add considerable labor to an already labor intensive uke. But for those special players and for those of us silly enough to lose even more money making our little flea friends, it does work!
 
OH, one more thing...we use the upper bout for tone and cantilever the fingerboard extension out over the top so it doesn't touch and dampen vibration. We do top the upper bout transverse brace with .021" thick carbon fiber on all Compass Rose ukes now, and the fingerboard extension is supported with .125" x .500" CF. I think some of the tone and volume we get is from allowing the entire top to vibrate. This has worked well on my acoustic guitars, too.
 
Great ideas Rick but too radical for the conservate European market! It's hard enough trying to get them to accept anything other than mahogany or koa :)
 
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All of my builds that require binding jobs have been solid liners for years. I HATE making kerfed liner. It's a tedious job that isn't gratifying when you're finished. Then you need to make a whole new batch, when you run out. Although I have to bend the liners on my pipe, I much prefer doing that, than making kerfing. I never gave a thought as to the effect on the acoustics. (Kerfed vs. solid, not the issue of having a liner and binding)
 
I'm no scientist. However i do believe that the stiffness of the sides means that more energy is concentrated into the top. There is also an un explored area of the back as deflector. At one time I made my backs on a 4' radius... I may go back to this idea next year for my signature sopranos. I'm also seriously trying to figure the best way to create a 'double' back instrument. When I played an instrument with this feature back in 1976 I was blown away by it's volume. I'm not sure the relevance of it now we have very good electrics to deal with the volume issue.
 
Pete,

Interesting idea about the double back. I've been wanting to do a double side ukulele for a while, but haven't had the time. If I can break away from production, it's to do special orders. If I can break away from that, it's for customs. If I can break away from that, I get to do what I want creatively.

I've also toyed with the idea of adding strips of support to the sides of a "normal" instrument, running perpendicular to the grain orientation. I would imagine the added stiffness would add something to the volume and tone. I've seen a couple of guitars that use this technique and I'm really curious what the effects would be with an ukulele.
 
Rick Turner said:
we cantilever the fingerboard extension out over the top so it doesn't touch and dampen vibration. We do top the upper bout transverse brace with .021" thick carbon fiber and the fingerboard extension is supported with .125" x .500" CF.
Click to expand...

Rick, I imagine you're using a domed front but, even so, to have a cantilevered fingerboard, does this involve a negative neck angle? I also imagine that a 1/2" CF bar must be dadoed into the f'board as well as the neck, but is there also a slot in the body to accomodate it (or them)?
Hope I'm not asking for too many trade secrets. If I didn't know you to be generous with information I wouldn't have asked. :)
 
Dave Higham said:
Rick, I imagine you're using a domed front but, even so, to have a cantilevered fingerboard, does this involve a negative neck angle? I also imagine that a 1/2" CF bar must be dadoed into the f'board as well as the neck, but is there also a slot in the body to accomodate it (or them)?
Hope I'm not asking for too many trade secrets. If I didn't know you to be generous with information I wouldn't have asked. :)
Click to expand...

I read a while back that the trade off of using a cantilevered fretboard is additional mass of the bridge which would be higher to compensate. This whole thread has my head spinning... but it's good it's good.

Oh and by the way about solid linings... nowww you tell me. This is what I messed with most of the day yesterday.

I'm sure most of you have seen this kerf jig before but using what I have on hand I came up with the band saw blade pieces as springs to guide the linings... works perfect, nice and smooth.
 
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Frank Ford has a lot to answer for - he is simply a genius. I have that kerf cutting gizmo. the only thing wrong with it is you cannot get a bandsaw tooth configuration that will cut the fibres across the grain without tearing them...
 
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