Demick
Active member
Travel tenor. Just strung it up this morning. I ran into Vespa Bob at a uke jam a couple weeks ago and I mentioned that I was starting to build this, so he told me to post a few pictures.
Tenor scale. 21.5" Long. 4" wide. 1.4" thick. Similar in design to others, but I had several things I wanted to incorporate. Most to make it more playable like a regular acoustic uke:
- mini headstock. I wanted something beyond the nut that would simulate the beginning of the curvature of a headstock for playability.
- Width around sound hole. I wanted enough space below the soundhole area to be able to plant my pinkie finger for fingerpicking.
- Also wanted enough body beyond the bridge to be able to cradle the uke under my forearm when playing. I did not want to have to use a strap to play.
- Did not want tuners sticking out the sides or back as most similar ukes do.
- Enclose a small chamber with a thin back for better acoustics.
- Incorporate a fretboard that sits proud of the body, just like a traditional uke - instead of the frets pressed directly into the neck. That way the string geometry is the same (important when fingerpicking)
Body and neck is mahogany. Rosewood Fretboard purchased complete on Amazon. Rosewood bridge purchased on ebay (but modified). Bone nut and saddle. Grover friction tuners. Aquila strings. Passive under-saddle piezo pickup. Finished with satin wipe-on poly.
Demick
Tenor scale. 21.5" Long. 4" wide. 1.4" thick. Similar in design to others, but I had several things I wanted to incorporate. Most to make it more playable like a regular acoustic uke:
- mini headstock. I wanted something beyond the nut that would simulate the beginning of the curvature of a headstock for playability.
- Width around sound hole. I wanted enough space below the soundhole area to be able to plant my pinkie finger for fingerpicking.
- Also wanted enough body beyond the bridge to be able to cradle the uke under my forearm when playing. I did not want to have to use a strap to play.
- Did not want tuners sticking out the sides or back as most similar ukes do.
- Enclose a small chamber with a thin back for better acoustics.
- Incorporate a fretboard that sits proud of the body, just like a traditional uke - instead of the frets pressed directly into the neck. That way the string geometry is the same (important when fingerpicking)
Body and neck is mahogany. Rosewood Fretboard purchased complete on Amazon. Rosewood bridge purchased on ebay (but modified). Bone nut and saddle. Grover friction tuners. Aquila strings. Passive under-saddle piezo pickup. Finished with satin wipe-on poly.
Demick