Timbuck
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Hey Vince! it looks as if you'll have to make a case that will fit that uke as well. 
Archtop Jazz style Tenor
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lauburu
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Yes. Archtops don't fit well in uke cases unless specifically designed to do so. The added height of the bridge is an issue. I solved that problem by buying a second hand viola case and performing a little surgery to adjust the width. Cost me $12.
Miguel
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JustVince
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Hi Kevin, I'm working on a rough 3D drawing with curved elevations of the top for the next build. I have software on hand to go from model to carving on the CNC but didn't want to get side tracked with this Uke while working on that model. The stepped carve was a quick 2D file I generated and was'nt sure how it would come out in the end. I appreciate the pictures and advice you've been posting as they serve as motivation for me. Keep it coming ! Thanks
Timbuck and Miguel, Yes I'll need at least a case with the foam/upholstery re-worked to fit the Archtop. I originally thought the neck angle would be a problem with a case, and now realize the bridge would sit higher than usual also.
Timbuck, I read you were an Engineer, our son goes off to Study mechanical engineering at the university in the fall. My wife and I are very proud of him.
Best regards,
Vince
Timbuck and Miguel, Yes I'll need at least a case with the foam/upholstery re-worked to fit the Archtop. I originally thought the neck angle would be a problem with a case, and now realize the bridge would sit higher than usual also.
Timbuck, I read you were an Engineer, our son goes off to Study mechanical engineering at the university in the fall. My wife and I are very proud of him.
Best regards,
Vince
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JustVince
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JustVince
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Glued the fingerboard on and installed the frets, well almost all the frets. I came up one short. A result of cutting frets late at night no doubt. I did some shaping on the neck, it still has a ways to go. I have to decide whether to go with a surface mounted pick up like originally planned or one under the saddle (Piezo) both are on hand but honestly I'm leaning towards the traditional pickup. I have to either make a mounting ring for it or have several 3D printed in plastic if the cost is reasonable. The Piezo came as a kit with 9v battery holder and an end-pin jack that uses a cool mini thumb wheel pot. If there's a way I could use that mini volume pot with the 4 pole pick up that would be great. -Vinny
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JustVince
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Cutting Pick Up Rings
Yesterday I worked on a ring to surface mount a pick up. The pick up is the same as used on a Fender Precision Bass at the neck location, I'm separating them and using one for now. The material is 1/4'' - 6mm PVC sheet. Lots of fuzzies on the cut out as my cutting mill was too aggressive and the feed speed could have been raised. overall it went good for a test piece. The last 2 pics are after I sanded off the fuzzies with 320 grit paper. The initial drawing was done in Google SketchUp. The final version will be cut from black material. Thanks for looking, -Vince
Yesterday I worked on a ring to surface mount a pick up. The pick up is the same as used on a Fender Precision Bass at the neck location, I'm separating them and using one for now. The material is 1/4'' - 6mm PVC sheet. Lots of fuzzies on the cut out as my cutting mill was too aggressive and the feed speed could have been raised. overall it went good for a test piece. The last 2 pics are after I sanded off the fuzzies with 320 grit paper. The initial drawing was done in Google SketchUp. The final version will be cut from black material. Thanks for looking, -Vince
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anthonyg
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Vince, Nice work. I'm a Johnny come lately to this thread but I quickly read through it and couldn't see where you stated if this instrument is using classic strings or steel strings or what string spacing you are using. Those bass pickups only work for steel/metal string at bass string spacing.
Classic strings won't work at all and ukulele string spacing will mean that the signals are week and uneven.
What strings, and bridge for that matter do you intend to use?
Anthony
Classic strings won't work at all and ukulele string spacing will mean that the signals are week and uneven.
What strings, and bridge for that matter do you intend to use?
Anthony
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JustVince
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Thanks Anthony, On these Fender pickups there are 2 of these staggered like in the pic I attached below. When one of the pair is used for the Uke's string spacing it falls into place as in the 2nd pic. I will need to ground the steel strings at the tailpiece to prevent humm. Separating the 8 ohm set of pickups left me with a scorching hot 3.75 ohms each LOL ! I'm still curious as to what sound I'll get. Glad you brought up strings as I'm open to suggestions on what to try. -Vince
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anthonyg
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OK, thats interesting. Those pickups may be designed for bass frequencies only though. I'm not sure what they will sound like with treble strings so you will have to see. I always use the top four stings from a 10-46 gauge guitar sting set on steel string ukuleles. Some insist on using the middle 4. The top four will have less tension than the middle four. What are you using for a bridge?
Remember that steel strings need more saddle compensation than classic strings do due the stiffness of steel strings. Adjustability is desirable too because if you change string gauge you will need to change the compensation and if you start out not being sure of what compensation you need in the first place then you really do need to design in some adjustability.
Anthony
Remember that steel strings need more saddle compensation than classic strings do due the stiffness of steel strings. Adjustability is desirable too because if you change string gauge you will need to change the compensation and if you start out not being sure of what compensation you need in the first place then you really do need to design in some adjustability.
Anthony
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JustVince
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Thanks Anthony for your insights on steel strings, I wouldn't have thought of those options and they'll surely help getting this Uke sounding good. Yes its true I may end up with a very deep tone from this pick up. I also have the Piezo under saddle kit here, maybe the solution is to install both, Ha! . I will be making the bridge in the style of an Archtop guitar, either from maple or walnut with adjustable thumb wheels and a bone saddle. I attached a SketchUp drawing I made of the general idea. Thanks again, Vince
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anthonyg
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If you work it so that the bridge assembly floats then it will be OK but if the bridge needs to be fixed you will have problems. If your going for linear tuning then tilting the bridge assembly should work but if you want reentrant tuning there won't be enough adjustability in that design to deal with the reentrant string.
A couple of years ago we did a group order here for arch top steel sting ukuleles from a builder in China. They used a somewhat similar bridge design and the number one problem with the design was that the bridge was fixed on in the wrong position.
Anthony
A couple of years ago we did a group order here for arch top steel sting ukuleles from a builder in China. They used a somewhat similar bridge design and the number one problem with the design was that the bridge was fixed on in the wrong position.
Anthony
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JustVince
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Wow ! Super useful information Anthony, I greatly appreciate you sharing your experience with archtops. Sorry to hear about getting those ukes with glued bridges, what a disappointment. I didnt plan on gluing this bridge as that's the beauty of a floating bridge, you loosen the strings and can adjust them. The plan is to go with low 'G' tuning for this and tilt the bridge back as you mentioned. As I get on with making the bridge I can use advice on adding a little compensation to the bone saddle when I shape it. Also there's no radius on the fingerboard. Does the low G string buzz more or less when using steel and nylon? Thanks again, -Vince
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JustVince
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Hello everyone, I hope you are all safe and in good health. We're home (quarantined) and in the middle of going through boxes I came upon my unfinished Jazz Uke. I plan on getting back to this and look forward to hearing from fellow members. Take care, Vince
You don't know how I wish I had a CNC machine, but at least I have a great builder in Eric's Guitar near me. Your project is fascinating, I'll keep watch of your progress. I was the spearhead for the group buy that Anthony mentioned. After all was said and done, I'm glad we only paid $165 each for an order of 20 instead of $400 for one from the Chinese company, or $750 from Kamoa in Hawaii for the exact same one, since they were not all that well built, on mine, the metal saddle was for a 6 string with dents added for a 4 string. I changed the tailpiece and knobs and ended up selling mine a couple months later.
This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 6 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 41)
• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 6 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 41)
• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
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BuzzBD
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JustVince
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Hello Michael, I read with interest the details of the group buy of archtops. Thanks for posting a picture of yours, I wonder what kind of weight balance it has, with the pickups, vol & tone pots, tail piece and bridge all adding their small part. The shape is very Les Paul like, and if I saw one on a hanger in a shop, I'd definitely reach for it and check it out.
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Hi Brad, your archtops are really cool, thanks for posting!
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I've been going thru my original drawings of the Jazz Uke and filling in missing information, it was a bit scattered as I made changes along the way during the build. I found a better top carving file which I forgot I had created. Its not completely smooth but it gets me more than halfway there, a lot further along than the 1st stair-stepped cut file. (See pic of simulation attached) I don't remember actually cutting this newer file of the top on the CNC. The 1st pass rough cut on the CNC takes 17 minutes, the 2nd Finish Cut takes 22 minutes. I may cut a top over the next coming week as I'm curious to see the outcome, I have the wood on hand here and certainly the time. Stay safe everyone. -Vince
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Hi Brad, your archtops are really cool, thanks for posting!
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I've been going thru my original drawings of the Jazz Uke and filling in missing information, it was a bit scattered as I made changes along the way during the build. I found a better top carving file which I forgot I had created. Its not completely smooth but it gets me more than halfway there, a lot further along than the 1st stair-stepped cut file. (See pic of simulation attached) I don't remember actually cutting this newer file of the top on the CNC. The 1st pass rough cut on the CNC takes 17 minutes, the 2nd Finish Cut takes 22 minutes. I may cut a top over the next coming week as I'm curious to see the outcome, I have the wood on hand here and certainly the time. Stay safe everyone. -Vince
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If I remember, it's been over six years, the balance was not a problem. It was also not quite tenor size, slightly shorter. Yes, Les Paul is a good comparison. They also have a double cutaway.
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