Ok, I've used this site as a guest a LOT during the creation of this instrument, so I figured I'd register and show the fruits of my labors now that it's done.
I make surfboards in my spare time (http://psychsurf.blogspot.com), and I'm a dedicated tinkerer, but this is my first experience with building and using a negative mold on carbon fiber. Usually I mold CF (and other stuff) over a finished surfboard via vacuum bagging. That was an experience in itself, let me tell you. Once the body was molded, the rest came together relatively easily and conventionally.
The extended neck cutaway was my big innovation (although I'm betting it's been done before by others), and while it ostensibly to make it easier to play higher frets (which I probably never will), I think setting it up like that will make for a stiffer neck to body joint. It seems plenty stiff, that's for sure! The neck is hollow all the way through to the headstock.
The finish is only about 80% of what I wanted, some bubbles and wiggles in the weave, and the Upol #1 from a spray can was a disappointment for a final gloss, but overall I'm happy with it. Most importantly, it sounds GREAT! Now I just need to get my guitar-centric fingers to get used to some uke chords!
I make surfboards in my spare time (http://psychsurf.blogspot.com), and I'm a dedicated tinkerer, but this is my first experience with building and using a negative mold on carbon fiber. Usually I mold CF (and other stuff) over a finished surfboard via vacuum bagging. That was an experience in itself, let me tell you. Once the body was molded, the rest came together relatively easily and conventionally.
The extended neck cutaway was my big innovation (although I'm betting it's been done before by others), and while it ostensibly to make it easier to play higher frets (which I probably never will), I think setting it up like that will make for a stiffer neck to body joint. It seems plenty stiff, that's for sure! The neck is hollow all the way through to the headstock.
The finish is only about 80% of what I wanted, some bubbles and wiggles in the weave, and the Upol #1 from a spray can was a disappointment for a final gloss, but overall I'm happy with it. Most importantly, it sounds GREAT! Now I just need to get my guitar-centric fingers to get used to some uke chords!