Pete Howlett
Well-known member
The three main concerns for anyone building for the first time are:
The bending one will show the hot-pipe method; this really is the beginning and end of the journey because it is a skill unique to luthiery whereas all others are transferable from wood hand crafts. I'll break down the videos into 2-3 minute shorts and include more of the instruction which I often edit out from the 10 - 20 minutes of footage I shoot.
The neck carving one will show setting out, cutting regime, use of templates for accuracy and the all important heel carve. It will detail the tools I use and how to get a proper volute behind the nut and the barrel-nut method used to bolt the neck in place.
I'll show you my rule of thumb set up for ukulele that specifically ignores saddle compensation and arrives at a really good working solution - you'll be surprised at my thinking here...
Please be patient because this isn't going to happen overnight. What I hope to achieve is to show you that it truly is not difficult to get started and make a good job of it. It has to be more than a leap of faith and these will help you get kick started on that great road some of us are privileged to travel every day!
- How do I bend the sides?
- How do I carve the neck?
- How do I set the string length?
The bending one will show the hot-pipe method; this really is the beginning and end of the journey because it is a skill unique to luthiery whereas all others are transferable from wood hand crafts. I'll break down the videos into 2-3 minute shorts and include more of the instruction which I often edit out from the 10 - 20 minutes of footage I shoot.
The neck carving one will show setting out, cutting regime, use of templates for accuracy and the all important heel carve. It will detail the tools I use and how to get a proper volute behind the nut and the barrel-nut method used to bolt the neck in place.
I'll show you my rule of thumb set up for ukulele that specifically ignores saddle compensation and arrives at a really good working solution - you'll be surprised at my thinking here...
Please be patient because this isn't going to happen overnight. What I hope to achieve is to show you that it truly is not difficult to get started and make a good job of it. It has to be more than a leap of faith and these will help you get kick started on that great road some of us are privileged to travel every day!