Electric advice for a novice: pickups, bridge and strings

Hi,

I came across this site a couple of days ago and got all fired up about making my own uke. I started out with the idea of making an acoustic soprano but realised since I already have three of these, the gain would be minimal, especially given that my first build is probably going to be pretty terrible.

I know some will think this an abomination but I have virtually no tools, space or experience and this seems eminently more achievable than an acoustic model.

So far I have fashioned a neck and know what I'm going to do for the body shape but I'm a little concerned about the bridge. pickup and strings.

Neck - native tallowood, native to the area I live in, in fact. It's an interesting wood, in that working on it leaves you with black hands, even though its a blond wood. The neck is also the fretboard. I know this is not usual but the chap at my local guitar factory said "if its good enough for Leo Fender, its good enough for you.". I think he was being sarky but I've come to like the idea.

Bridge - I have crafted a bridge from the same tallowood as I used for the neck but that was with acoustic in mind. Will this simple hardwood be usable as a bridge? Alternatively I really like the style of bridge used on a banjo and thought this could be a viable (and attractive) alternative. Plainly, it wouldn't be as simple as just strapping it on but I believe I can accomodate the right fitting.

Pickups - I have no idea at all, any advice welcome

Strings - I presume these would be simply the four highest guitar strings, please correct me if I'm wrong.

A bit demanding for a first post but I'm hoping the collective wisdom here can sort me out.

Many thanks,

E.E.

Not a lot of feedback but the work progresses.

I have completed the body and attached the neck (bolt on).

Bridge/saddle is from a Fender Strat with the two outer saddle points removed. The single pickup is also from a Strat. I have wiring diagrams and am confident I can complete the wiring for the pots.

All that remains is to complete the routing (chiselling) in the body for the wiring and switches. And of course placing the bridge/saddle.

I chose the Strat bridge because I am only able to use hand tools for this work and it offers a degree of adjustability that most solutions lack. So its a bit bulky but the final result should be sustainably tunable.

Any opinions on what I'm doing? I welcome even comments of the "You're nuts!" variety.

Also I'm still in the dark with the strings, anyone?

E.E.

Aha, now I'm getting a picture of what you are trying to do. Your first post confused me when you spoke of a Banjo bridge as this wouldn't be suitable for either 'nylon strung/piezo pickup' or 'steel strung/magnetic pickup'.

It appears that you are building a small, four string, electric guitar. Opinions vary as to whether this could ever be classed as a Ukulele. However, let's assume for the moment that it does. In order to determine what strings would be suitable you need to take into account the scale length and how you intend tuning it. Obviously, if it is to be a Soprano with re-entrant tuning then you'd need very different strings to a Low G tuned Tenor.

As to an opinion on what you're doing, I say go ahead and try it. If it works out OK then that's brilliant. If it doesn't work out, try it again only slightly differently.

Thnaks for the encouragement Clifford. My sentiments exactly. If this fails I'll be able to use what I've learned (and the parts I've bought) to make a better second version.

I realise this franken-uke steps outside the boundaries of strict ukulele but I really would like to make it as ukulele-like as possible.

I'm not expecting this to be perfect but it has been a fun project and I've learnt more about the inner workings of the uke in the last week than I would have thought possible.

In any case, I'm hoping to be done with the bulk of the work in the next couple of days. So I'll post pictures of this hybrid beast when I'm done.

I wish I'd seen the Konablaster before I started, the bridge on that is something to behold (and fairly simple to manufacture). Unlike Konablaster allegedly did however, I wouldn't use bullets with live detonation caps. I'd probably just use some pipe of the right gauge.

E.E.

E.E.

Sounds like the only difference between and electric mandolin and your uke is scale length and neck width. Check out emando.com. There is a lot of info at that site plus I'd suggest checking out moongazermusic.com. If you need any help on it let me know. My site is www.crossroadswood.com. I build a number of small scale instruments too. I will be posting photos of a tenor uke I built for a customer tomorrow on my shop page.

Andrew

thistle3585 said:

Sounds like the only difference between and electric mandolin and your uke is scale length and neck width. Check out emando.com. There is a lot of info at that site plus I'd suggest checking out moongazermusic.com. If you need any help on it let me know. My site is www.crossroadswood.com. I build a number of small scale instruments too. I will be posting photos of a tenor uke I built for a customer tomorrow on my shop page.

Andrew

Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks for the links.

Your own site is particularly inspiring, that's some really nice looking work you've done but I'm sure you don't need me too tell you that.

I'm afraid my own efforts wll be somewhat more ghetto but you've given me some great inspiration. Now I just need to downscale my ambitions to match my skillset and tools.

I'd give both my thumbs for access to a bandsaw. (Actually, given my skill level, probably quite literally. )

E.E.

Since you are in Australia, check out this site. http://www.anzlf.com/index.php?sid=72f7d2b3ffc5430d9d290a96ebd5617d

Send us some pics of this thing, I'd like to see it. I actually used to use live rounds for my instruments...it was about all I had at the time. If you can make what you're talking about, you could definitely make a cigar box instrument.

Early on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qh-IygdD9Y
little bit later
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKwh594Lo_4
these days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj6QgNGM-dI

here's a nylon strung stick dulcimer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxnhV5u6NLU

uke (saddles a little high, but I like it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6rNkNcuoW0

mandolin (needs some dampening, but cool nonetheless)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzlHIWTg7-Q

thats why I like to look at pics

cornfedgroove said:

Send us some pics of this thing, I'd like to see it..

Click to expand...

In a single work session, I managed to completely root both neck and body through bad clamping practice. I guess I was getting a litlle cocky.

So its back to the drawing board and I think I'll keep the pictures to myself. Oh, the humanity...

Having said that, its not such a bad thing. As my knowledge and skills improve I've become gradually less satisfied with my initial design. It'll just be moving on to version 2, skipping version 1.

I really dug the video links you posted too. Those pieces have given me some great ideas, if imitation is indeed the sicerest form of flattery, then I'm about to get seriously sincere.

@thistle3585 - Thanks for the link, I'll have to spend some time on that one. A lot of info to take in.

I've also met a lot of people n the sydney metro area who have been incredibly heplful. Their advice and assistance has been invaluable in helping to shape my thinking in the right direction. So for anyone looking for help with builds you could do worse than speak to the guys from;

http://guitarwoods.com.au

A great workshop, the guys were happy to discuss my project at great length and offer advice without a great deal of snickering. (Some snickering involved, these are professional guitar manufacturers and awesome craftsmen. Its kind of understandable)

http://www.sydneyguitarsetups.com

Both of the guys I met there were keen ukulele enthusiasts, they too had trouble understanding why I was doing what I was doing but did everything they could to remedy and ameliorate the looming disaster that was my original draft plan.

Its been a real eye-opener to see how passionate people are, this forum not withstanding. My profoundest thanks to everyone.

Pictures of V.2 coming real soon.

E.E.

Plans for v2. The tuners will either be mounted on the side of the head or with a further piece added under the head to mount them vertically. Neither option is great but since I can't do a scarfed joint...

Image is full scale. Wood is blackbutt, another day another hardwood.



E.E.

now with pics!

So for anyone interested in my progress. The new design is coming along very smoothly.



The neck and half of tthe body sitting on my el-cheapo portable workbench. You'll notice I drilled six holes. I must have just stopped thinking at some point. It was only when I was doing the holes on the flip side for the string holding bits (I'm sure they've got a name but I don't know it) that I actually realised.



The body with back piece. These will be joined together with glue, screws and as much pressure as I can bring to bear.



A wonderfully ground-focussed shot of the head. I'll be mounting machine heads sidewise.



With the fretboard and Strat bridge. Fretboard is mahogany and was slotted by the great folk at http://guitarwoods.com.au. AU$30 for the fretboad and slotting. Bargain! They also have (relatively) cheap blackwood for acoustic ukes for anyone who is on the lookout.

I'm sure they'd be horrified by my workspace but its getting the job done.

I'm a little shy of space on the front now however, so I'm buggered if I know where the pots and plug will go but I'm mostly just pleased to have made it this far without cracking the blackbutt I'm using.

More pics to come.

E.E.

Further progress









Despite its weapon-like appearance. its getting closer and closer to done. I just need to confer with a mate for the electrics and then I'm pretty much on easy street.

Except of course for the tuners, which I'm absolutely dreading.

As you can see from the shot of the recess for the strings above, my drilling is pretty poor. Although, to be fair, the reason one of the holes is so far off is because I broke a drill bit in the wood and had to rout around it.

I'm still loving this project but my hands are black from the tannin and I can't play uke because my hands are too clumsy from all the chiseling.

If anyone has any hints for finishing the wood, let me know. All I can find out about this stuff is that people only seem to use it for floorboards and decking, so the usual finishing advice for this wood doesn't really work for me.

More to come.

E.E.

I just stumbled across this thread just now. I love it! i want to have a go at making something like this when my exams are over in the summer! keep up the excellent work, i look forward to seeing the finished project.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm drilling the tuner holes today (no bench drill, so fingers seriously crossed), so as soon as the shops reopen tomorrow, I can finally string this baby up and see what's what.

E.E.

I love it.
shades of Les Paul and his log.

ee - that is too cool. Like Bo Diddley's, but with a cooler headstock.

Thanks for all your encouragement guys. I'd have been done by now but the oil needed three days to get three coats on. All done now however and its sitting under my dining-room table with the fretboard glued and clamped to it .

It's strange but I wouldn't have expected the hardest part of this to be the waiting.





The colour of the Blackbutt looks really nice now. I was worried that it wouldn't pick up any colour but the Tung oil really accentuates the dark lines of the wood and makes it look quite nice IMHO.

I also bought a laminate trimmer but having nothing to use it on, I built the below to to keep myself occupied in between coats of oil (and more sanding, of course).

Heaps of fun, took only a few hours and doesn't sound completely like crap. Great project, highly recommended.

Also, with this as practice, I got my soldering up to speed for the real challenge of the uke.

The smoking warning rather ruins the look of it but I couldn't seem to get it off without leaving wads of sticky crap, so I just ignore it.

I tried a few different ways of removing it;

Freezing - did nothing, if anything seemed to make it worse.

Wetting - Laid a damp towel over it and kept it moist for few hours. Made the label run and bubble a little, did nothing to the sticker.

Heating - this seems promising but since both my girlfriend and I shave our heads, no hairdryer.

E.E.

Well its been quite a while but I finally got around to finishing this one off, once I was finally able to craft a nut that didn't have a whole lot of buzz to it.

It actually sounds pretty awesome. I can't believe it myself.

So here is the final product.







I hope I've inspired some other talentless folk to have a go. I've enjoyed the experience immensely and am planning an even less advisable design for my next outing.

Cheers,

E.E.

Looks good EE. Now if you could just manage to pass over those cinnamon buns, that would be great.