greenscoe
Well-known member
I've been an avid reader of this forum for some months, so I thought it was time to tell my story and add to the number of UK participants.
In October 2013 I bought a cheap concert uke. I was bitten by the bug and within a few months had another used concert, a cheap Chinese tenor and a factory second Lanakai LMT solid mahogany tenor from Butler music in US.
In February 2014, I made a tenor mold. 2 weeks and 75 hrs work later I had made my first sapele/mahogany tenor from recycled wood. No 2 soon followed made of African Mahogany with a spruce soundboard (tonewoods this time). No 3, all sapele, was finished last week (recycled wood). I’m now able to make one in under 50 hours.
In between times I’ve removed the necks off 3 painted sopranos and given them new soundboards with rosettes and binding. But I think I’m a tenor sort of guy. I’ve made a few quick and easy but useful jigs with the help of this forum and Youtube. I’ve been making kerfing, braces and rosettes and collecting recycled hardwood.
Each uke has a differently constructed neck with a tapered dovetail joint. They all have a deeper than normal box with binding and a simple rosette. All have good volume and sustain.
Tenor no 3 is the first with a scarf joint neck/head and 5 rather than 3 fan struts. Everyone agrees that it sounds the best: its been described by a friend as harp like(?).
I’m now in the middle of no 4 tenor. The box is of tulipwood (American Poplar) which I know is not reckoned to be a tonewood ( its also recycled). It will also have my first 3 piece laminated neck and first slotted head. Its all for fun and self education, so why not?
I can’t play very well but I enjoy singing and playing strictly for my own consumption.
40 yrs ago I made 5 classical guitars. I have a little more patience now and find uke making easier than was guitar making back then. But I'm actually still impatient: as soon as I start I'm in a hurry to know how the next one will sound!
If you have read this far then you’ll want some photos:
In October 2013 I bought a cheap concert uke. I was bitten by the bug and within a few months had another used concert, a cheap Chinese tenor and a factory second Lanakai LMT solid mahogany tenor from Butler music in US.
In February 2014, I made a tenor mold. 2 weeks and 75 hrs work later I had made my first sapele/mahogany tenor from recycled wood. No 2 soon followed made of African Mahogany with a spruce soundboard (tonewoods this time). No 3, all sapele, was finished last week (recycled wood). I’m now able to make one in under 50 hours.
In between times I’ve removed the necks off 3 painted sopranos and given them new soundboards with rosettes and binding. But I think I’m a tenor sort of guy. I’ve made a few quick and easy but useful jigs with the help of this forum and Youtube. I’ve been making kerfing, braces and rosettes and collecting recycled hardwood.
Each uke has a differently constructed neck with a tapered dovetail joint. They all have a deeper than normal box with binding and a simple rosette. All have good volume and sustain.
Tenor no 3 is the first with a scarf joint neck/head and 5 rather than 3 fan struts. Everyone agrees that it sounds the best: its been described by a friend as harp like(?).
I’m now in the middle of no 4 tenor. The box is of tulipwood (American Poplar) which I know is not reckoned to be a tonewood ( its also recycled). It will also have my first 3 piece laminated neck and first slotted head. Its all for fun and self education, so why not?
I can’t play very well but I enjoy singing and playing strictly for my own consumption.
40 yrs ago I made 5 classical guitars. I have a little more patience now and find uke making easier than was guitar making back then. But I'm actually still impatient: as soon as I start I'm in a hurry to know how the next one will sound!
If you have read this far then you’ll want some photos:
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