Very first build-Bridge? Saddle? Compensation?

Ok guys. Since I have received so much help with my previous posts, I decided to bug you again.

I'm getting ready to locate my bridge...but...I gotta make one first.

I've seen plenty of videos on how to locate the bridge and all that jazz but not much info on exactly how to make a nice looking bridge. I'm ordering a nut and saddle set from ebay and will need to know how to do it. I'm assuming you simply cut out the blank and cut the slot for the saddle first. Then rasp it into my desired shape. Not sure if that is right, but that's how it seems easiest??

Next question. What is the simplest definition of compensation and what is the easiest way to account for it?

Also, i'm fabbing up the fingerboard soon and was curious as to what the desired thickness was for it. I know guitar fingerboards are about 1/4 inch but one could assume that a uke fingerboard could be thinner.

As usual, thanks in advance for your help. It's nice to know that a young builder has some wise brains to pick. You guys are very generous.

Cody

Lots of questions.

I can answer with what I do, but since this is your first (seemingly), I'd say to follow your plan.

If you don't have one, read the "bible" of guitarbuilding (Cumpiano and Natelson - and understand that it was written a long time ago in a land far far away), then spec out an instrument you like and make your plan/templates.

Search David Hurd's (Kawika `Ukulele) site for all you want to know about compensation.

Of course this response doesn't provide any shortcuts. The fact that you're building from scratch and not a kit leads me to believe you're not looking for them anyway.

1/4 inch is a good thickness for fretboards. You can usually use a bit of the offcut of a fretboard to make the bridge and get a few strips of binding, assuming you get a guitar fretboard blank.

In simple terms compensation is the little extra amount you need to add to the given scale length for the instrument to play in tune when you fret the string. When you fret the string you are stretching it and thus raising it's tension and thus pitch just a little bit. You can get an idea of how much to add by using Stewart MacDonald's fret calculator.

For fret boards I think 1/4" is too thick for a uke. I like 3.5 mm on a Concert to 4 mm on a Tenor at the most. At 1/4" they look too clunky on such a small instrument. If I was building a soprano I'd be going down to 3 to 3.2 mm.

As for making a bridge, you need to decide on the style first before you start cutting wood. Will it be a tie block or using knots or beads under the sound board. Will you use bridge pins? Then it depends on what tooling you have on the method that suits. For most of mine ( a tie block style) I will use my table saw. Cutting across the bridge to define the edge of the tie block to the depth of the wings. Then cutting the saddle slot and the valley between the tie block and the saddle ramp / support on back side of saddle. Then the wings are shaped with rasps and files. Holes are then drilled for the strings at the appropriate spacing for your needs.

It's only then that I will make a saddle to fit the slot. I find it much easier to make a piece of bone fit the slot by sanding just a hair off of it's thickness than trying to take just that little bit of wood out of the saddle slot.

Regarding the fretboard thickness. I also believe 1/4" is too big. For a tenor 3/16" is the max I would go and I think that even looks a bit too much. My Glyph tenor is at about 4mm at the nut and tapers slightly down the length of the FB to 1/8". I know I'm mixing units of measure here but that's the way it works out. Nothing looks worse IMHO than a soprano with a 1/4" FB and I've seen a few of them.

Dominator said:

Regarding the fretboard thickness. I also believe 1/4" is too big. For a tenor 3/16" is the max I would go and I think that even looks a bit too much. My Glyph tenor is at about 4mm at the nut and tapers slightly down the length of the FB to 1/8". I know I'm mixing units of measure here but that's the way it works out. Nothing looks worse IMHO than a soprano with a 1/4" FB and I've seen a few of them.

Click to expand...

Yup! I try and aim for about 2.3mm (.090") as per Scott Antes drawings of Martin Sopranos....sometimes after sanding I end up with a fret board so thin that I have to re-cut the slots on the neck..so that the frets sit well, without bottoming.

Allen said:

In simple terms compensation is the little extra amount you need to add to the given scale length for the instrument to play in tune when you fret the string. When you fret the string you are stretching it and thus raising it's tension and thus pitch just a little bit. You can get an idea of how much to add by using Stewart MacDonald's fret calculator.

As for making a bridge, you need to decide on the style first before you start cutting wood. Will it be a tie block or using knots or beads under the sound board. Will you use bridge pins? Then it depends on what tooling you have on the method that suits. For most of mine ( a tie block style) I will use my table saw. Cutting across the bridge to define the edge of the tie block to the depth of the wings. Then cutting the saddle slot and the valley between the tie block and the saddle ramp / support on back side of saddle. Then the wings are shaped with rasps and files. Holes are then drilled for the strings at the appropriate spacing for your needs.

It's only then that I will make a saddle to fit the slot. I find it much easier to make a piece of bone fit the slot by sanding just a hair off of it's thickness than trying to take just that little bit of wood out of the saddle slot.

Click to expand...

I want to use bridge pins on my uke. It seems easier to make the square type bridge and tie the strings on the outside, but I want some design to my bridge. Not much, of course since it's my first, but just a little flair to it. I think I should've bought a book. HAHA.

The fretboard will be cut from the same wood as the rest of the uke. I started with 9' of rough cut cherry and cut everything on the bandsaw and thicknessed it with a machine planer. The only part that is different is the soundboard, because the original pieces were warped and it cracked when we clamped it to the drill press to cut the soundhole.

The tools that I have at my disposal are: Bandsaw, table saw, router table, machine planer, drill press, rasp, spokeshave, and some other stuff that I don't think I will need for the bridge. Basically, the guy thats helping me is a furniture and door maker so the tools are there. I just need a solid plan of action. I guess it would help if gave you a picture of what I'm looking for.


This is what I'm going for. Something clean but stylish.

I hope this clarifies things for everyone a bit. I may have just rambled on enough to confuse you all even more.

That bridge is dead easy to make. Start off with a rectangular blank dimensioned to the maximum length, width and depth of the bridge, and use either the table saw, or a router table to cut the saddle slot.

Then shape the angle on the ends and back to suit your taste. Layout your bridge pin holes and drill. For a good fit you are going to need a tapered reamer to suit the taper on the pins you have. The scary part now is when you see how much that tool is going to cost you unless you already have one. You just might reconsider using bridge pins.

If you think that using bridge pins is a bit much, then you can always do a similar bridge but just have string holes going through the top and tie on a bead to the string end that will pull up against the underside of the top. Gives you a similar effect without the extra cost of tooling. Should you decide that you want to go with pins latter, it's an easy modification that will not harm any work you've done up to that point.