My homemade ukulele collection

Dougf

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A couple shots of my four most recent homemade ukuleles (I've made five altogether). The two in my right hand are manzanita with McNab Cypress, the two in my left are manzanita with Incense Cedar.

homemade-front.jpg

homemade-back.jpg
 
Those are nice! Any details on the process?
 
Those are nice! Any details on the process?

Their design is based on the one I made in Rick Turner's class at the Crucible, I think he called it Spanish Heel. Although his was a pineapple, I've played around a bit with body shape.

All the wood comes from some property I have in the Sierra foothills. I think the manzanita is some really pretty wood, and I'm guessing nobody else is making ukes with it, since it's really hard to get good sized usable pieces.

The first one I made (not pictured here) I used mostly hand tools, although I had the manzanita for the back and sides milled by David Borson. Since then I've added more power equipment (band saw, jointer, thickness sander), and set up shop in that shed you see behind me.
 
They look great but got to ask why such a small waist?

I bend the sides by hand, without a mold, so they end up a bit assymetrical. I started off with pineapple-like shapes, but then started experimenting with adding a bit of a waist, sort of like a dreadnaught.
 
I'm guessing he watches what he eats, and gets exercise.
Great looking ukes, by the way!

I wish we had a "like" button so I could acknowledge my appreciation of this comment without making another comment expressing my appreciation of this comment.
 
They look great Doug. How do they sound?

I think they sound pretty decent. Almost all my videos from the last couple of years are my homemade ukes. If you want to check some out, my YT page is linked in my signature. Here's one I just did for season 77, a cover of Cole Porter's "Night and Day". It's my #4, tuned down two whole steps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCNccInRUvI
 
Nice work Doug! I think the shape looks really cool cause it's very different!
 
Those are amazing, Doug. I took Rick's class and I was befuddled by the process, and Rick had already done a lot of the work. My Rick Turner class build still needs some sanding and finishing, but I loved the building experience. Congratulations on some way cool ukuleles!
 
I think they sound pretty decent. Almost all my videos from the last couple of years are my homemade ukes. If you want to check some out, my YT page is linked in my signature. Here's one I just did for season 77, a cover of Cole Porter's "Night and Day". It's my #4, tuned down two whole steps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCNccInRUvI

Nice work Doug!

I really like the sound of your uke in that video.
 
Aloha Doug,
wow they look amazing...I know you did take RT uke building class....thank you for sharing..:)
 
I bend the sides by hand, without a mold, so they end up a bit assymetrical. I started off with pineapple-like shapes, but then started experimenting with adding a bit of a waist, sort of like a dreadnaught.

Oh ok. Still impressive non the less. Must be a good feeling playing a uke that you built yourself.
 
Even as a huge fan of only pineapples, I really really dig the shape! Nice work.
 
Doug that's fantastic! I watched your video too - beautifully executed! What a achievement to play and sing such a great song on a uke you've built yourself - lovely stuff!
 
You make me feel like a slacker Doug! I still haven't cleared my workbench of all of its life clutter:). Great to see and hear your work.

Are you going to WCUF this year?
 
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