Goncalo/Spruce tenor

Treebased · Dec 25, 2009

HI Everyone,

I said I'd post some build photos of the tenor I wanted to make, so finally after some deliberating I designed this: Some early rough photos

I wanted a soft subtle cutaway, Goncalo Alves back and sides, sides thicknessed to .070" bent really nice on the iron with no water.

I opted for spruce for the top for a little contrast as this one will have beech wood bindings and end graft, finger board and bridge will be purple heart as the beech has purple dashes and dots in the grain that should match nicely for some pizzazz, a six string slot head to boot. Bone nut and saddle and hand rubbed out in Tru-oil.
This is what I had in mind for the sound hole, also sporting a sound port (not cut in yet) so we'll see.

Just got the box closed up and have a ways to go, I'll go with a 3 pc Hond. Mahogany neck, with purple heart ribbon, maybe some inlay on the head and fret board. Ideas are welcome?!?!?
It's as much fun to make them as it is to play I think, so I'll update more after Christmas.

thanks for looking and Merry Christmas.
-NC

Vic D · Dec 25, 2009

Absolutely love it, especially the sound hole.

Darrel · Dec 26, 2009

I'm really looking forward to seeing how that sound hole turns out. It is a great design! Is there a brace running up the center through the sound hole, it looks like it might be a bit fragile without one.

The cut away proportions look excellent as well.

-darrel

Treebased · Dec 26, 2009

Darrel said:
I'm really looking forward to seeing how that sound hole turns out. It is a great design! Is there a brace running up the center through the sound hole, it looks like it might be a bit fragile without one.

The cut away proportions look excellent as well.

-darrel

Thanks Darrel, I liked the single moon on the soprano enough to double it on this one with the addition of the Mardi-Gras mask style (smile/frown) so yes, I have a 3/16" x 1/8" spruce brace splitting the seam right up the middle, I braced this one very light, and in a unique spider style, with each radial "leg" feathering out from a very hard (as in chimey) HoneyLocust bridge plate.
I wanted the body to look clean and appropriately cut-away to the same scale of a larger guitar, so I took some time getting the bends just so. Turned out nice I think. Can't wait till the Christmas events are finished so I can get back to the shop.

Got another set just like it I have to bend and start this next week.

provines · Dec 27, 2009

Love it

Oooohhh Love it!

Treebased · Dec 30, 2009

Well, I'm finally back on the tenor, finished routing the binding channels, milled up some beech binding, and bent them all on the iron, made up the 3 pc mahogany/purple heart neck stock and cut out a purple heart finger board.
The beech has tiny flecks of purplish/brown grain so I opted for it to tie in to the P/H.
Here's a few photos of where it is now, after scraping the binding down and getting ready for the sound hole "moons" in the morning,. I really like the cut away on this one, feels just right to me.
Now for some late coffee.
Thanks for looking

Click photo for more

Treebased · Dec 30, 2009

So this morning I rough cut the sound hole, I still have to fine tune the shapes to match, bevel the edges and final sand the body before starting the finish but I'm liking it so far, still thinking about the sound port design, probably something lunar and inlayed, comments are welcome and encouraged.

Matt Clara · Dec 30, 2009

It looks great. Very imaginative.

erich@muttcrew.net · Dec 30, 2009

That is really looking great. I love the wood and the cutout design - and the soundhole is kinda cute. Nice to see this beaut coming along - can't wait to see more.

Darrel · Dec 31, 2009

This is looking great! I love the sound-hole, to me if you focus on the center part it looks kind of like a Dr. Suess character. Looks like a nice tight job on the binding as well.

I'm thinking it would look good with the inside of the sound holes bound with the same binding you used on the body (maybe half as wide). It would put it over the top in my opinion.

-darrel

Treebased · Jan 4, 2010

Well as I have time I try to finish the tenor, still have some other builds going so it takes a while, but here's a couple shots of where I am today.
Slotted head stock made up, finger board finished, with small white dot markers, head stock overlay done, (goncalo) , neck fitted and ready to be glued with heel cap. Still have to trim in the finger board to the rosette, finish sand everything, make the bridge, finish the neck and body which will start today or tomorrow and make up a nut and saddle and ... well.....getting close.
How purple is that fret board?, bridge is the same piece too.
Comments welcome
thanks for looking .
Nehemiah

MartinLil · Jan 5, 2010

That uke is looking real nice! Did you stain the fretboard? Also, is it just me or is the right moon a bit wider than the left?

camface · Jan 5, 2010

The fretboard looks like purpleheart. Purpleheart is a naturally purple wood (after it is cut at least) and remains purple unless it is exposed to UV light. If exposed, it turns back to the dark brown.

provines · Jan 5, 2010

If you put an inlay of a jumping cow on the headstock, that would be pretty cool. I love your work and I'm never letting your moon uke out of my hands.

Vic D · Jan 5, 2010

Man, I love that ukulele. Gonna get me some purpleheart. She's a beaut!

Treebased · Jan 6, 2010

Thanks for the comments everyone.
No I didn't stain the finger board, it's freshly sanded and very much raw, but will get a couple good seal coats of lemon oil, one moon is still a little bigger than the other, but I'll true them up before finishing, about as close as I can free hand cut a sketch.
I guess I could put a cow inlay on it..........I remember that ol nusery rhyme..I think.

Dave Higham · Jan 6, 2010

It's strange, but now that the moons are cut out, and especially with the fretboard in place, every time I see it, I see the little feller in the middle... not the moons. Perhaps the fretboard should have stopped short and not touched the moons.

Treebased · Jan 7, 2010

Hi Dave,
You know I've thought about square cutting the fret board above the soundhole, but I think I'll leave it, the neck isn't attached yet anyway, until several more coats of finish. I sort like the fact that it takes a little studying to "see" the moons, here's a photo closer up, and a look at the portal sound port trimmed in beech:

FromTheWayside · Jan 7, 2010

All I can say is...WOW, that is turning out one beautiful uke.

Darrel · Jan 7, 2010

I've been so focused on how great the sound hole and body shape is and how nice the purple heart looks that I just now see that it will be a 6-string uke as well. Your work so far is setting some high expectations for what the bridge will look like.... keep it up I'm looking forward to the finshed product.

I too like how you can play the "what do you see" game with the sound hole. I think most will see the little guy and then you can point out the mardi-gras masks and then they will say "Oh wow, that's cool". At least thats how it went down with my wife.

-darrel

Goncalo/Spruce tenor

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