**Massive apologies for the typo- it should be Van Pelt!
After seeing Steve Van Pelt’s ukes on MGMs video, I knew he would be the go to guy for a new tenor ukulele. Steve is extremely passionate about building ukes and takes pride in his attention to detail and is constantly refining his lutherie skills.
Here’s a detailed look into the birth of Van Pelt ukulele which I'll post up over several days..
1. Steve’s Build Philosophy
2. Specs
3. Materials
4. Pictorial Build diary
Steve’s Build Philosophy
Secret ingredient is passion for the work. Seriously.
* Materials:
o I use only the best materials I can find.
o For bracing, I buy split billets of Sitka spruce from Alaska, then I split them the other way, so they are perfectly quartered and runout free.
o I sometimes make my own linings, but generally buy kerfed lining of spanish cedar or mahogany.
o Head and heel blocks are mahogany, but lately I’ve been playing with laminated blocks of Baltic Birch.
o Back seam reinforcement of spruce or matching to back.
o Of course I like my top/back/ sides perfectly quartered and runout free, but that’s rare with koa. Pretty easy to get one or the other, tough to get both. I’ll take 10 off quarter and no runout any day. Runout weakens koa far too much and looks horrible under finish. especially on the tops. I prefer all six pieces cut from same board. If it doesn’t look like a set has wood good enough for a top, I’ll use a softwood top.
o I like the highly figured koa, so that’s pretty much all I buy. I sticker it, weight it and keep it in a dry room with a fan for at least a year before using it.
o My favorite fretboard and bridge material can’t be shipped out of country, so my next choice would be MadRose or African Blackwood. I have some ebony, but find it heavy.
o For fret wire, StewMac 764, the small mando wire, and also have other options. I bed each fret in Hot Hide Glue while installing. Polished fret ends.
o For necks I like one piece Spanish Cedar. I have about two years worth of perfectly quartered neck blanks ready to use.
o I use both peghead veneer and backstrap. I believe the backstrap is extremely important to pick up the tension of the string pull.
o Polished bone nut and saddle.
o Black/pearwood/black purfling, 10/20/10. I find even the maple centered stuff too stark.
o I cut all my own bindings so I can book match and sister the bindings, top to back. Fretboard and headstock binding, too.
* Construction:
o I build in a humidity controlled environment and to your string preference.
o I install 2 carbon fiber rods in the necks. This allows me to use 1/4″ pulltruded rods giving me more room to carve a thin, fast neck. Volute or smooth transition neck to peghead.
o I use a cross dowelled bolt on neck, with glue.
o Waverly tuners koa buttons.
o I love the segmented rosettes, and can leave the cells empty, or fill them with similar, or contrasting wood. Ring rosettes are always a possibility.
o Endgraft inlay can be matched to sides, or match to headstock.
o I use Hot Hide Glue wherever I can, I’ll talk to you about the weather and the life this instrument will lead before choosing a glue for this build.
o My finish of choice is Cardinal UV Gloss, leveled and buffed to a mirror finish. Nitro lacquer also available. Satin finish for either adds the step of taking the gloss down with bronze wool and Howard’s feed n wax.
After seeing Steve Van Pelt’s ukes on MGMs video, I knew he would be the go to guy for a new tenor ukulele. Steve is extremely passionate about building ukes and takes pride in his attention to detail and is constantly refining his lutherie skills.
Here’s a detailed look into the birth of Van Pelt ukulele which I'll post up over several days..
1. Steve’s Build Philosophy
2. Specs
3. Materials
4. Pictorial Build diary
Steve’s Build Philosophy
Secret ingredient is passion for the work. Seriously.
* Materials:
o I use only the best materials I can find.
o For bracing, I buy split billets of Sitka spruce from Alaska, then I split them the other way, so they are perfectly quartered and runout free.
o I sometimes make my own linings, but generally buy kerfed lining of spanish cedar or mahogany.
o Head and heel blocks are mahogany, but lately I’ve been playing with laminated blocks of Baltic Birch.
o Back seam reinforcement of spruce or matching to back.
o Of course I like my top/back/ sides perfectly quartered and runout free, but that’s rare with koa. Pretty easy to get one or the other, tough to get both. I’ll take 10 off quarter and no runout any day. Runout weakens koa far too much and looks horrible under finish. especially on the tops. I prefer all six pieces cut from same board. If it doesn’t look like a set has wood good enough for a top, I’ll use a softwood top.
o I like the highly figured koa, so that’s pretty much all I buy. I sticker it, weight it and keep it in a dry room with a fan for at least a year before using it.
o My favorite fretboard and bridge material can’t be shipped out of country, so my next choice would be MadRose or African Blackwood. I have some ebony, but find it heavy.
o For fret wire, StewMac 764, the small mando wire, and also have other options. I bed each fret in Hot Hide Glue while installing. Polished fret ends.
o For necks I like one piece Spanish Cedar. I have about two years worth of perfectly quartered neck blanks ready to use.
o I use both peghead veneer and backstrap. I believe the backstrap is extremely important to pick up the tension of the string pull.
o Polished bone nut and saddle.
o Black/pearwood/black purfling, 10/20/10. I find even the maple centered stuff too stark.
o I cut all my own bindings so I can book match and sister the bindings, top to back. Fretboard and headstock binding, too.
* Construction:
o I build in a humidity controlled environment and to your string preference.
o I install 2 carbon fiber rods in the necks. This allows me to use 1/4″ pulltruded rods giving me more room to carve a thin, fast neck. Volute or smooth transition neck to peghead.
o I use a cross dowelled bolt on neck, with glue.
o Waverly tuners koa buttons.
o I love the segmented rosettes, and can leave the cells empty, or fill them with similar, or contrasting wood. Ring rosettes are always a possibility.
o Endgraft inlay can be matched to sides, or match to headstock.
o I use Hot Hide Glue wherever I can, I’ll talk to you about the weather and the life this instrument will lead before choosing a glue for this build.
o My finish of choice is Cardinal UV Gloss, leveled and buffed to a mirror finish. Nitro lacquer also available. Satin finish for either adds the step of taking the gloss down with bronze wool and Howard’s feed n wax.
Last edited:
