A Soprano for Howlin' Hobbit - Complete

Dominator

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Hobbit's Soprano is complete. Sounds pretty good. It has considerably more volume, depth and projection than the prototype. I’m more partial to the wider range and fuller tones of the tenor size so any soprano takes a bit of getting used to for me.

Put some lights up and tried to get some better pictures. I would've liked to have gotten a sound clip recorded but it was too late by the time I got home from opening up for Brittni Piava at her show in Cool last night. The main reason though is because we woke up to water damage in the kitchen the other day (my laminate floor is trashed) and the Serv-Pro people have got blowers screaming in the kitchen right next to where I record. I will see what I can come up with though before it ships.

EDIT: Here is a quick Sound Sample

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Some specs:
Western red cedar top
Figured cherry back and sides
Mahogany bolt-on neck
Ebony fingerboard and bridge
Peghead© geared tuners
Ebony peghead overlay with MOP logo
MOP side/fingerboard markers at the 5th, 7th and 10th frets
Top finish is lacquer
Balance of instrument finished in Tru-oil and wax
 
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Nice work Dominator. Really like the look of those Peghed tuners and the nice use of the grain on the back. Can't wait to hear it. Thanks for sharing!
 
Haaa..... it sounds really sweet, HH may have to become nice and smooth to fit it ;)

The light look is something different as well, very cute with the little accent in the back and that fretboard inlay. I would like to know more about those Peghedz some time, visited their site but still couldn't grasp what they are. Geared pegs like the banjo thingies? They look good as well.
 
I would like to know more about those Peghedz some time, visited their site but still couldn't grasp what they are. Geared pegs like the banjo thingies? They look good as well.

They have an aluminum housing and are geared at a 4:1 ratio. They look authentic, especially if you change out the buttons for ebony, which I did not do on Hobbit's uke and they work great. A little pricey at $80 a set retail but worth it IMHO.
 
I have to catch Hobbit Live and get a look at that beauty Dom. The cherry and red cedar look awesome together. Good work!
 
just an incredible sound, ahat a great choice of woods!! Did I mention beautifulllll!!!!!
 
Dom that is a beauty, I bet it has a really warm tone.

On another note I have a question I saw a concaved sanding disk tutorial that you made to make the disk, What is it used for in the building process? I guess it gives a arched type curve to the front and back. Would you be able to do a tutorial of the processes you go through when using it, and again that uke is a beauty.
 
Would you be able to do a tutorial of the processes you go through when using it.

I don't know that a video tutorial is necessary but here are a couple of pics of the dishes in use. You will note that in one pic the dish has sandpaper on it and the other does not. When I make my dishes I make two of each radius of which one gets the sandpaper applied. It is used for sanding the radius on the bottom of the braces prior to gluing to the soundboards or backs etc. Either one can then be used for the actual gluing process.

A shop made "go-bar deck" is used in the process. It is just 2 pieces of plywood with threaded rod between them on the corners. I happend to use pieces of pvc sprinkler pipe to encase the threaded rod which created a shoulder for the top piece of ply to sit on while attaching the wing nuts to fasten it down. I used T nuts on the bottom piece of plywood for the threaded rod.

I used some scrap poplar to make the thin flexible strips that provide the downward clamping pressure. You just cut them long enough to be able to flex them between the part being glued and the top piece of plywood. They provide the pressure needed to conform the top or back to the radius of the dish.

Hopefully, that helps you understand the process.

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ok so your not actually sanding an arched sound board, you are sanding the bottom of the brace and it gets glued to a flat board on a concaved surface.

Do you mind if I pm you some more questions?
 
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