mr roper
Well-known member
I've started assembly of the kit. It's a unique design and looks like it was designed as a kit from the beginning. This is their first run so I needed some clarifications from them before I started. So far so good.
Harpkit/Musicmakers baritone kit build
- Thread starter mr roper
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tospace2006
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looking goooodddd I have looked at this kit before and definitely want to try it but broke after my stewmac kit 
BaldEagle5556
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Ed,
Great start! The contents of the kit look quite good...just like on the website. Are you pleased with the quality of the kit? One thing I would be tempted to do is to make templates of the gluing blocks in the event you ever want to do a build like this from scratch.
I am watching with interest.
Tom
Great start! The contents of the kit look quite good...just like on the website
. Are you pleased with the quality of the kit? One thing I would be tempted to do is to make templates of the gluing blocks in the event you ever want to do a build like this from scratch.I am watching with interest.
Tom
BashfulPuppet
Well-known member
I'm nearing the completion of a stewmac build and I have to say that the exciting step was gluing in the neck and tail blocks. In that step the body got its shape. The build had really started. Other steps were harder but that one was very cool.
Very interested in seeing you non-traditional body shaped uke come together. Looks great so far.
Jon
Very interested in seeing you non-traditional body shaped uke come together. Looks great so far.
Jon
ksquine
Well-known member
Is it just me....or do the sides look really thick?? And are there really 3 bolts to hold the neck on?
Nice shape though, hope it sounds good
Nice shape though, hope it sounds good
mr roper
Well-known member
The sides are about .130" while the top is .125 as it comes with the kit. The screws are only used for clamping while the glue cures. The instructions say to remove the screws when done. Fingers crossed on the sound as this thing is going to be fairly heavy. Should I thin the top?
I am curious, how much do you pay for this kit ? Harpkit WebSite shows around 250$ ?
In perspective, my kit cost me around 102$ (shipping included), now that I got it, I believe I can get all these woods and materials for 50$ to 60$.
I will remember this for my second ukulele build.
In perspective, my kit cost me around 102$ (shipping included), now that I got it, I believe I can get all these woods and materials for 50$ to 60$.
I will remember this for my second ukulele build.
Hobo
Well-known member
You're making good progress Ed... I angled the corner blocks to avoid the points making contact with the sound boards. They said they are making this modification in future instructions. I clamped the block in a vice and used a mill file to trim them back. It took awhile and I wanted to be careful of not stressing the glue-up:
mr roper
Well-known member
Hobo,After you told me what Jacob said about the corner blocks here's what I did. I like yours better.
mr roper
Well-known member
I've got a problem. As careful as I was glueing up the head block, corner blocks, and sides, the body is skewed to one side and the head block and tail block are not parallel. When I put the neck on and project towards the tail block the neck does not line up with the center line. I can correct this by adding a crosswise spreader at the lower bout as shown in these two pictures. I spread it by about 1/8". If I glue on the top and back and then remove the spreader the top and back will be in a little compression. Way bad or maybe ok?
Attachments
Hobo
Well-known member
At this point the assembly is flexible. It can be moved and flexed to a certain degree. Getting it aligned before gluing the sound board on is important... I don't think I'd worry much about the slight compression pressure to get it aligned. I think it will be good to go.
ksquine
Well-known member
What type of top wood is it? I would probably thin it to 0.10 for softwood or 0.09 for hardwood....depending on the bracing.
mr roper
Well-known member
Its spruce. I'm going to assemble as is and then thin it a little while sanding.
Hobo
Well-known member
My Stewmac stuff came today and I dove in and routed a channel and added purfling around the sound hole. It went well.
mr roper
Well-known member
Great job! I may not get to it today as I've got to replace the kitchen faucet and plumbing rarely goes well for me.
mr roper
Well-known member
Did you use the "wick in superglue" method ?
Hobo
Well-known member
Yes, I used the method described in the Stewmac tenor instructions which I recently built.
