So my Uke came back...

cashew

Well-known member
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
15,736
Reaction score
11
Location
Staten Island, NY
Heyas ya'll-- Hows it going?

I've a story that ends with a question for yous, and its an odd one at that...

In October, our wonderful Deach sent me a uke, unfortunately, It looked like the FedEx dudes were playing wiffleball with it or something ,because it arrived damaged. All in all, the poor uke was Decapitated!!! :eek:

To make a long story short, there were some issues with FedEx insurance, and I am one of little patience-- so I did what any girl should do....

I called my Mom.

My Mom ROCKS.... Turns out, and I never knew this, she's a bit of a luthier herself... Turns out that was something she studied when she was younger when she was playing Guitar all the time.

I brought the Uke to her, and had her look at it. Did I mention Mom Rocks!!!! Turns out it was an easy repair, but the refinishing of the headstock/neck junction would be the hard part. She glued the head back onto the neck, and clamped it carefully in an extremely well padded pipe clamp (long clamp to give pressure from 'stem to stern'), and we let it sit to set.

The break isn't visible from the front, and it has a little scar on the back of the neck-- but, truthfully its all fine by me :)

So-- now, my Deached uke is back! and playable!

I restrung it with my D'Addarios that were sitting around, and I'll tell you, these are not the best strings for this instrument-- they're buzzy--and I think I know why...

The strings sit in the inside of the instrument being held in place by a little bead.. I strung it by sticking the string in through the little hole in the bridge, pulling it out of the sound hole, then put the little bead on and tied a knot. I then ran it up the uke, and put it through the tuners, and bingo done. I think its buzzy because I left the string end by the bead too long, and I think its touching the soundboard somehow. But its wierd, that the uke sounds great strumming it open, it only gets buzzy when I start pushing down strings when I play chords. Any ideas? (and I'll be replacing the strings tomorrow, so I'll cover that angle)

So... Off to Mandolin Bro's tomorrow in search of new strings. I think the D'addario's are too firm, perhaps..

The final question:

I think I may have put the nut in backwards... (Its not glued, just the strings are holding it down...) it has a little slant to it-- I have the highest side is towards the fingerboard, Is this right? (None of my other ukes have a bone nut, so I wanna make sure its right.)

Last but not least... Pics!
3085649497_114c0134be_o.jpg
 
It's not a big branded Uke-- Its a handmade from Lori Espano, "Uke by Lori" out in San Diego :)

And yes, my mom never ceases to amaze me.. she seems to know virtually everything.
 
It's not a big branded Uke-- Its a handmade from Lori Espano, "Uke by Lori" out in San Diego :)

And yes, my mom never ceases to amaze me.. she seems to know virtually everything.

I really like that headstock. It reminds me of the Santo style ukes, such as the reproduction uke John King plays. Does this maker have a link?
 
I really like that headstock. It reminds me of the Santo style ukes, such as the reproduction uke John King plays. Does this maker have a link?

Her Ebay ID is Imakeukuleles and she puts some up with some fair regularity. She has a picaweb thing with pictures that she used to link in her listings, but I can't find it right now.
I've watched a few of her auctions, but never pulled the trigger. Always been curious though.
 
But its wierd, that the uke sounds great strumming it open, it only gets buzzy when I start pushing down strings when I play chords. Any ideas?

You've got one of more "high" frets, plus the action at the nut is at least a little bit high. Have your mom place a straightedge on the frets and she'll see the problem right away. Fix with a file.
 
You've got one of more "high" frets, plus the action at the nut is at least a little bit high. Have your mom place a straightedge on the frets and she'll see the problem right away. Fix with a file.

(insert Gameshow buzzer noise here "eeeeeehhhht")
Dave... the action is super low at the nut- 1.5 mm... I'd be super worried to lower it any further.

The straightedge sits evenly along all the frets, which tells me that they were inset evenly.... the buzzing is coming from under the other end of the strings... (plus i left them long)

Gonna try strings when the shop opens later.
 
Top Bottom