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Here we have a 55min video of 2 very able musicians talking about and demonstrating the instruments and music which led to the modern guitar. To some it will be fascinating, others may find it boring(?) Its not about ukuleles but I know all string instruments are interesting to some forum...

This is the third in a series about using a floating bridge on a uke. In the first post I asked why we don’t see ukes with a floating bridge: https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?145302-Why-do-we-tie-the-strings-to-the-bridge-on-a-ukulele In the second, I showed a tenor...

On 19th May I asked why we all build ukes with the strings tied to the bridge. https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?145302-Why-do-we-tie-the-strings-to-the-bridge-on-a-ukulele After this forum discussion, I set about to build a flat top tenor with a floating bridge to satisfy...

When we pluck a uke string, the vibration is transferred via the saddle and bridge to the soundboard which then vibrates and amplifies the sound. To make this process efficient, we try to make the soundboard and bridge as light as possible. However, this is compromised by the need of the...

In 2016 I made a tenor uke from a Dunlop tennis racquet: https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?121544-Just-another-tenor-uke&highlight=tenor Initially I was happy with the instrument but over time I realised the instrument lacked fullness of tone. So here is my tenor racquet uke...

Here we have 2 tenors, the first conventional tenors that I have made since August 2018. Both are made from recycled materials. One is in sapele, the other sapele with a mahogany soundboard. They have a rosette, head strip, purfling/binding in walnut and maple The sapele came from a mantle...

Today at 2 pm here in Cumbria, NW England its a glorious day! The sun is shining and it's nudging 20 C (68 F). Its too nice to be in the workshop and with the whole of the Uk confined to home it is time for some work in the garden. It's been a long wet Winter this year and there's been no...

Over the last few months I've been very productive, building several conventional shaped ukes as well as several alternative style ukes. This post shows the first of the conventional ukes to be finished. It's a soprano. The last soprano I made was a super or long necked soprano built after a...

Between Christmas and New Year 2019, I made my first box uke, a concert scale instrument using the lid of an Indian jewellery box. The other half has now also been made into an instrument and will be posted in a day or two. Since then, I’ve made two proper cigar box instruments, one ply and...

Here’s another alternative shaped uke made by repurposing an acacia chopping board. I bought 2 of these maybe 3 years ago with the intention of creating ukes. The chopping boards were all made from at least 3 pieces: I sorted through the pile trying to find something close to quarter sawn wood...

I recently found this large (teak?) pineapple bowl on Ebay. It was clearly suitable to use as a tenor soundbox. It was first reduced in depth and the top surface levelled with a 80 grit sanding board. Shaping of the outside with rasp and block plane reduced wall thickness and weight. Shaping...

If you haven't heard of this boy from Taiwan this ought to convince you that its time you did! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9YLOlUa7ro&list=RDl9YLOlUa7ro&start_radio=1

I get the impression that the USA is awash with old cedar cigar boxes and that many would be music makers have used them to knock up some kind of instrument. Here in the UK we have neither the supply of boxes nor the tradition of such instruments. With this in mind, I set to with an old Indian...

I decided to convert a souvenir mask into the body of a tenor uke. It wasn't hollowed out much so that was the first task along with checking and correcting for symmetry so that the soundboard would look OK. It was still too shallow so a quick mould was made for a neck block and 18mm high...

Recently I bought a pear-shaped fruit bowl in a charity shop (£10). It is made from a wood similar to acacia and shouted, ‘Soundbox’ as soon as I saw it. It was a little on the large size for a tenor box, too deep, too thick-walled and heavy. So, I reduced the box depth and spent a few...

I am a hobby maker and have previously posted the use of an Ammoon kit (Amazon/Ebay) as a shortcut/cheap way to investigate a new soundboard bracing system. https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?130546-Ammoon-uke-kits&highlight=ammoon+soundboard A few members have already posted...

What sanding material do owners of the Jet 10-20 drum sander use? A Google search shows only suppliers in the USA of precut sheets. Is there a UK supplier of these or do UK owners simply buy a 76mm wide roll and cut to size? If so what brand do you buy and what is the name of the supplier...

As a hobby maker, I like to try new things, learn new skills and generally enlarge my interests in instrument making. Over the last few months I’ve taken to collecting and renovating guitars from the 20s and 30s. These are cheaply made instruments by unknown makers so I don’t feel I have an...

Here’s my latest tenor which was influenced by instruments from the past. It’s made of sapele with the decoration in walnut and maple. It was made with a temporary mould put together in a couple of hours. I am interested to know what others reckon to this design. The box has a tighter waist...

My latest tenor is made of spalted beech. Beech is often considered hard, heavy and uninteresting and pros may say they couldn’t sell a beech instrument. I like spalted beech: I used it to make a pineapple soprano in my first year and have been using it for decoration on my other instruments...