UU Guys to make a new Ukulele Luthiers site?

Hey guys, Ryan from UU here. In the last year or so we've been seeing more and more interest from folks around the world getting into building their own ukuleles. We see it when we go to festivals, and from the types of emails we get.

Recently we're kind of throwing around the idea internally of creating a website dedicated solely to the craft of building ukuleles. We're not experts in building so we're actually looking towards the community here to help guide the vision and what kind of site you, the ukulele luthier, would want.

This idea is still in a very infant state, but we would very much appreciate your feed back on what would be your perfect website that you would go to everyday as an ukulele builder, and also be a place that you wished existed when you first got into building.

I set up a mailing list here,

https://tinyletter.com/ukeluthiers

We'll be using that list to keep those interested in such a site updated on the progress and also using it to get feedback on ideas.

If a site dedicated to uke building sounds like a great idea to you, please sign up for the mailing list.

Thanks in advance.

Let me be the first to say, that I LOVE this idea!
I will be looking forward to the updates on this and I can't wait to see what you come up with.
Thank you for thinking of us!

~Fred "Finkdaddy" Kroner

I'm not clear about the advantages a completely separate site would provide. Seems to me the current luthiers lounge is used for the purposes you intend for the new site. I would hate to lose the comments of the wide variety of professionals who comment here.

Even though they don't often participate in discussions, a lot of lurkers from the other boards visit the lounge. I see the link between builder and player as a positive thing and think it should be easy to facilitate that interaction. I even visit Uke Talk occasionally to see what people's preferences or beefs are. As the comment above, I see no advantage in creating a new web site. I think you guys just want to wash your hands of us because it can get pretty hot in here at times! In that case, I see your point.

I got the impression the new site would be intended as a reference and a resource for building, in the same way the UU main page is a resource for playing the instrument. I think that would be a big value-added feature to the UU web presence, judging by the interest the average users here have in the builders' forum already......

I could see it working. Maybe something like Official Luthiers Forum. It could be a way for you guys to generate a little advertising income from tonewood suppliers, and other building product suppliers. I would like to see a for sale or trade section where we could sell wood, tools and other supplies back and forth. The way they have it on Official Luthiers forum where you have to pay to get to the for sale adds is lame. If it were well linked to the current UU I don't see it as being removed from the players. You could keep the link appearance the same. My only question is are there enough of us that post to keep it vital with enough action going on to be interesting.

I think it's a great idea. I envision more than just a forum. Wouldn't it be great to have Luthier Minutes, like UU's Uke Minutes, in which a resident pro offers quick video tips and techniques. Or a tonewood gallery where wood suppliers can show their inventory in real time. Tutorials like they have on OLF. A classifieds section for lutherie tools, jigs and supplies. Separate sections for discussions of cigar boxes, kits and novelty ukes. The possibilities are endless. Sign me up!

mzuch said:

I think it's a great idea. I envision more than just a forum. Wouldn't it be great to have Luthier Minutes, like UU's Uke Minutes, in which a resident pro offers quick video tips and techniques. Or a tonewood gallery where wood suppliers can show their inventory in real time. Tutorials like they have on OLF. A classifieds section for lutherie tools, jigs and supplies. The possibilities are endless. Sign me up!

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The problem is most professional builders are busy actually building don't have time for that kind of input.
I wish you well whatever you decide.

As someone new to this forum and the ukulele, I have found the Luthier's Lounge here invaluable, interesting, and a real encouragement to buy from one of these guys when I get the chance. I'm one of those "luthier lurkers" Chuch was talking about. I have learned so much from them. I agree with Chuck and Jackwhale that the connection between player and builder should not be severed.

2 cents

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

Even though they don't often participate in discussions, a lot of lurkers for the other boards visit the lounge. I see the link between builder and player as a positive thing. I even visit Uke Talk occasionally to see what people's preferences or beefs are. As the comment above, I see no advantage in creating a new web site.

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This pretty much summed up my thoughts. This forum has been very helpful to me, but I also see a need to visit the other forums on this site. I think UU has as much of the "total package" as one could offer.

I too don't really see the advantage. There are so many luthier websites out there to visit, and have lots of discussions about uke building, but they don't have a uke community which is why I come here. If anything, make a luthier section that would include luthier oriented classifieds, the lounge and a section on resources. Maybe a video library that you could link to online videos.

23skidoo said:

I got the impression the new site would be intended as a reference and a resource for building, in the same way the UU main page is a resource for playing the instrument. I think that would be a big value-added feature to the UU web presence, judging by the interest the average users here have in the builders' forum already......

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Yeah, in no way are we trying to get rid of the luthiers lounge but instead do something completely different and create a site that would help beginners get started in ukulele building in addition to providing a way for more experienced luthiers to make some extra cash off their passion

This is my first rough concept for the site:

in UU+, we've begun contracting other professional ukulele players and teachers to teach their tricks and techniques for playing the ukulele. Our idea was to take the same concept to a new site and allow experienced luthiers to sell their plans to help beginner builders get a quick start into building without having to wade through the information overload the internet can sometimes bring. if you don't feel like others should have to pay for a plan you designed and just want to share it, that option would be available as well. We would also be shooting videos of great luthiers here in Hawaii or abroad who want to share their knowledge about specific tips, for example tips on properly dressing a fretboard, or methods of attaching necks to bodies. Basically try to create as good a learning resource for building ukuleles as UU is for learning how to play them. We'd also have a place where luthiers could sell their ukes sort of like a marketplace.

The main advantages would be that it would be a much easier site to find for beginners looking to get into ukulele building. Finding the LL is kind of hard unless you had the path of, ukulele player > ukulele underground > forum > Luthiers lounge.

I think that will also help to keep this board as a little safe haven for you guys who have come to love it.

Once again, this is just an idea we're tossing around the office, we're super grateful of all input positive or negative because we're still deciding if we want to build this thing.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

Even though they don't often participate in discussions, a lot of lurkers from the other boards visit the lounge. I see the link between builder and player as a positive thing and think it should be easy to facilitate that interaction. I even visit Uke Talk occasionally to see what people's preferences or beefs are. As the comment above, I see no advantage in creating a new web site. I think you guys just want to wash your hands of us because it can get pretty hot in here at times! In that case, I see your point.

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You guys are civil compared to some of the other boards. I like the club house feel thats developed in here.

rayan said:

You guys are civil

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Please know that is not our intention.

But seriously, if you are trying to provide an easy access portal for beginning builders, there has been a lot of conversation around here lately that, if anything, it's too easy as it is now. Many "suggestions" have been made that people put a little sweat and energy into their research before asking questions here. Maybe it would work, I'm just not sold yet.

You know, I can make this really easy on you Rayan. Just pay me a dollar for every word I type and I'll keep typing. I'll give you half.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

Please know that is not our intention.

But seriously, if you are trying to provide an easy access portal for beginning builders, there has been a lot of conversation around here lately that, if anything, it's too easy as it is now. Many "suggestions" have been made that people put a little sweat and energy into their research before asking questions here. Maybe it would work, I'm just not sold yet.

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I don't think the problem is that people aren't willing to put the energy into finding the answers for themselves, it just may be the answers are not easy to find for someone who has never looked for this answer before. People don't ask questions for the sake of asking questions, they ask questions because theres some knowledge that they feel they need to acquire and don't know another way to gain said knowledge. If this is the case, the new site would either function as a preemptive question answerer and minimize these types of questions or an easy, "just go here for the answer" link which would then minimize the follow up questions that would come from it.

rayan said:

I don't think the problem is that people aren't willing to put the energy into finding the answers for themselves, it just may be the answers are not easy to find for someone who has never looked for this answer before. People don't ask questions for the sake of asking questions, they ask questions because theres some knowledge that they feel they need to acquire and don't know another way to gain said knowledge. If this is the case, the new site would either function as a preemptive question answerer and minimize these types of questions or an easy, "just go here for the answer" link which would then minimize the follow up questions that would come from it.

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What you're talking about has actually been the source of MUCH discussion and hurt feelings here in the recent past. It is the feeling of many contributors that many people are lazy (lazy enough not to do a simple Google search) and want quick and easy answers here. Even though it sometimes brings out a lot of frustration in some contributors they usually respond with intelligent answers anyway because we are just a nice, loving, caring and giving bunch of people here.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

Your comment has been the source of MUCH discussion and hurt feelings here in the recent past. It is the feeling of many contributors that many people are lazy (lazy enough not to do a simple Google search) and want quick and easy answers here. Even though it sometimes brings out a lot of frustration in some contributors they usually respond with intelligent answers anyway because we are just a nice, loving, caring and giving bunch of people here.

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I'm one of the lurkers who hopes to build some day and I agree with Chuck. Many times I see questions posed that I know the answer to because I've done my due diligence in searching the luthiers lounge boards or by doing a simple Google search. Some times I'll see contradictory advice so there are times when yes, I actually have to think things through and discern which information makes the most sense to me. Rick Turner posted a substantial list of magazines, books and websites to use as a resource for learning and I think I've only used two so far, yet I find that I know the answers to many of the lurker questions. so it seems to me that there are many " lazy" people looking for quick answers and not willing to invest a little effort to find it on their own.

It sounds like a really cool idea, but I hardly have time to comment on this board. I feel like if our attention were split between two boards, the activity on this one would slow to a crawl. I just don't know if there is enough interest to keep both boards active.......when boards move slow, I get bored.

If you think you have the audience for it, then go for it. I would just hate to see the "Lounge" suffer.

I've read through this thread a couple of times and while at first I was dead set against it, I can see some potential in the idea. I'll continue to watch this space with interest and have a think about what I would have liked to see when I started out.

I'm not in favour...