Just finished building my first "real" ukulele

vetcvm · Oct 18, 2013

It's been an amazing journey, i'v just finish building my first soprano ukulele from scratch, it took me about 30 hours over a period of 2 months (waited almost a month for a rosewood fingerboard..), i this time i also build 4 cigar box ukulele but this one is the real deal!

this ukulele is made off of one piece of walnut wood and has a rosewood fretboard and bridge, and of course aquila strings.
i'll post some more pictures of the process later on...

orangeena · Oct 18, 2013

Very nice, and sounds sweet.
You can have some fun now designing a label and gluing it inside the soundhole. With serial number 00000000001 of course

vetcvm · Oct 18, 2013

indeed i tought about the serial number 1

here are some photos of the begining:

Gyozu · Oct 18, 2013

What are the vertical ribs for? Have not seen them before.

vetcvm · Oct 19, 2013

Just some extra reinforcment for the sides, i think it's more common to see those on acoustic guitars though.

some more pics:

jcalkin · Oct 19, 2013

orangeena said:
Very nice, and sounds sweet.
You can have some fun now designing a label and gluing it inside the soundhole. With serial number 00000000001 of course

Way back in the '70s Augie LoPrinzi suggested starting serial numbers at 10. That way if they become collectible you can build the first nine and cash in. I think he was only half joshing.

gerardg · Oct 20, 2013

So cool.
Well done - well played.

Go see here:

http://www.ukulele.fr/forum/index.php?topic=13935.msg188245#msg188245

Gerard - France

vetcvm · Oct 21, 2013

Thanks for the nice post Gerard!

last pics:

by the way, the choice of american walnut wood was done in order to get a warm sound, i'v had a couple Mahogany ukes, both of them warm sounded, but i'v play on some others (Koa, maple, cedar...) and i must say this uke has the warmest sound of all, especially considering it's a Soprano! so i'm very happy with the result soundwise and i'm starting to build a Pineaple from the same piece of wood, hope it will turn out good s well!

David Newton · Oct 21, 2013

Congrats! Looks easy doesn't it? Not so easy really...

gerardg · Oct 21, 2013

Interesting comments about Walnut.
I have two beautiful claro walnut sets waiting for soprano building to come.
Perhaps one will be pineapple design.
Realy love pineapple body shape.
I have made several pineapple soprano ukes, curly koa,
some with longneck, with different scales.
See here a pineapple soprano scale:
http://www.ukulele.fr/forum/index.php?topic=13935.780

gerardg · Oct 22, 2013

Hi David.
So, just to say you that I love the way you make ukuleles.
And the way you speak about your ukes, wood and so.
Just that.
Gerard.
France.

David Newton said:
Congrats! Looks easy doesn't it? Not so easy really...

vetcvm · Oct 22, 2013

Very nice pineaple Gerard!

ijust started working on the neck and a pineaple mold today

vetcvm · Oct 23, 2013

today i bended the sides and glued it into the mold, i also glued the top together (under the beer!)

BlackBearUkes · Oct 23, 2013

vetcvm said:
indeed i tought about the serial number 1
here are some photos of the begining:

View attachment 59983 View attachment 59984 View attachment 59988 View attachment 59989 View attachment 59990

I notice in the photos you did not tuck the transverse top braces into the kerfed linings, any particular reason?

vetcvm · Oct 24, 2013

No particular reason, the guy that teached how to build was doing it like this, didn't ask why

vetcvm · Oct 24, 2013

Some more pictures of my actual pineaple ukulele project,
by the way decided to make it a super soprano (concert neck scale)

BlackBearUkes · Oct 25, 2013

vetcvm said:
No particular reason, the guy that teached how to build was doing it like this, didn't ask why

I would highly suggest that in the future you consider tucking the braces into the linigs for the transverse braces. Why? In the future when the uke ages the braces may decide to let go on the ends and curl up. If the braces were tucked you can avoid this. If you don't think it can happen, it can and more than likely will. I have repaired many an older uke where the braces have come un-glued, the top starts to give way and then come the cracks. Its a simple thing to do and cheap insurance down the road.

vetcvm · Oct 25, 2013

thanks for the tip, will deffinitely do it next time!

vetcvm · Oct 27, 2013

started shaping the neck, finished the bridge and prepared the body
also received the tuners today, they sent me two pairs of lefties (ebay) so i had to figure out how to make it work...
the fretboard i was too lazy to finish yet...