12/14 fret mix up!

I am building a tenor uke for each of my wife and son, and also a practice one as I have never built one before. I got the Stewmac plans and also bought the fretboard template for their fretsaw jig which I already had. I built the bodies and all went well, then made the first neck for the practice uke. When I went to mark the bridge location I realised that the plans are based on a 14 fret to body uke, but the fretboard template, and subsequently the neck I made is 12 fret to body! When I now line up the bridge location it is obviously further down the body, but what the main problem is that the plan called for a bridge plate even though it is a tie bridge and obviously the bridge no longer lines up with the plate! I know that some people build without any bridge plate but would it be detrimental having one forward of the bridge? When I make the necks for the 'proper' ones I will naturally make the 14 fret to bodies!

I don't think you'll have any problem. The patch will resist the top sinking in front of the bridge, so it is a "feature" not a "defect".

It's good that this happened with the practice uke as opposed to one of the "proper" ones.

I agree with David on this one, while not ideal, I wouldn't worry about it. Although I've never built an instrument without one, I'm constantly questioning the need for a bridge patch as such on a tie bridge anyway.

Thanks for the feedback chaps, I will press on!

Just one comment. The fret spacing (template) is the same for 12 fret or 14 fret body to neck joint. It is the neck length and bridge location that make the difference. By the way I built my tenor with a 13 fret neck joint a la Nick Lucus Special. I don't do normal very well.

Actually the fret spacing are different! The plan lists a 17" scale and the template lists the tenor as a 17 3/8" scale. On the other side of the template is a scale for a baritone and that does line up with the tenor plans frets albeit ignoring the first few frets!