Harold O.
Well-known member
Hey guys, I finally got around to building a Hana Lima tenor kit I bought three years ago. Too much other stuff got in the way.
What I mostly learned was that it's not too hard to build a ukulele. Building a NICE ukulele takes more practice and probably some instruction. But there's no substitute for actually doing it. Story and photos here: http://www.westhillswood.com/hana-lima-ukulele-build.html
Top is spruce, neck is mahogany. Hana Lima supplied bubinga sides and back, but I had to use walnut instead. This uke sounds good and will one day be displayed up high out of reach.
Lessons learned:
what a scarf joint is
making jigs will keep you from making ukes
thickness matters
it's good to have a fully equipped shop
dark wood should be sanded first
dark wood should be finished shiny
etc.
What I mostly learned was that it's not too hard to build a ukulele. Building a NICE ukulele takes more practice and probably some instruction. But there's no substitute for actually doing it. Story and photos here: http://www.westhillswood.com/hana-lima-ukulele-build.html
Top is spruce, neck is mahogany. Hana Lima supplied bubinga sides and back, but I had to use walnut instead. This uke sounds good and will one day be displayed up high out of reach.
Lessons learned:
what a scarf joint is
making jigs will keep you from making ukes
thickness matters
it's good to have a fully equipped shop
dark wood should be sanded first
dark wood should be finished shiny
etc.