Martin Uke End Graft

Early30Martin · Oct 18, 2013

How did Martin join the ends of the side pieces? Is there a seperate piece of wood that fits between the two sides? Does this serve a purpose other than looking good? I have an old Regal and a cheap Mahalo where the ends touch, and I have seen others with true end grafts. Is this a middle ground, a small basic end graft?

ksquine · Oct 18, 2013

End grafts are just decoration. Its all up to the builder how they want the tail end to look
Looks like that one has a piece of black purfling between the ends.

David Newton · Oct 19, 2013

On ukes:
If when the ends are glued on the tail block, they come together well, without unsightly gaps, it is left alone.
If there are gaps, then a graft is fitted.
On guitars:
The more expensive the guitar, the more elaborate the end graft.

Timbuck · Oct 19, 2013

David Newton said:
On ukes:
If when the ends are glued on the tail block, they come together well, without unsightly gaps, it is left alone.
If there are gaps, then a graft is fitted.
.

I agree with that :agree:

Moore Bettah Ukuleles · Oct 19, 2013

I use an end graft on everything just to add a bit of an accent to an otherwise dull area. If the instrument is unbound though it makes no visual sense to me and only exists to hide a poor joint.

David Newton · Oct 19, 2013

Chuck, your ukes are at that upper end of trim and finish that a fancy end graft is expected.

I like an end graft on a guitar even if the ends fit well, it seems incomplete without one.

On ukes, the opposite seems true, to me.
Now if I've somehow botched the joint, I meant to make a graft from the beginning anyway.

Martin Uke End Graft

Early30Martin

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ksquine

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David Newton

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Timbuck

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Moore Bettah Ukuleles

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David Newton

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