Building my first ukulele (An electric solid body travel concert) step by step

Hey sorry forgot to get back to you. I have nothing that would work to help as far as grips go.

There are cheap piezo pickup complete with a preamp for around $10 coming from China all over eBay. Dont know where you would mount the thing though.

~peace~
 
Hey sorry forgot to get back to you. I have nothing that would work to help as far as grips go.

There are cheap piezo pickup complete with a preamp for around $10 coming from China all over eBay. Dont know where you would mount the thing though.

~peace~

Thanks for looking into it for me. I have found a bunch of pick ups and preamps ranging from about $10 to $200 or so. I just don't think I want to put all the time into making this and then stick in a crackling low quality pick up. So unless someone can recommend an inexpensive pickup that they have had good luck with, I'll go with the $60 shadow.

Daniel's instructions go into detail as to where the pick up goes.
 
Mind if I borrow this thread a little UkuLincoln? I've started making one of these as well, or rather I've started aquiring the supplies I need :).

So far I've bought a pine board that I will do a test run on and a L-profile in oak. If I fail to find maple, cherry or something else suitable for the main body, do you fellas think pine could work?
It's soft, I know, but maybe it could work anyway? Would I need to bake it to make it hard enough if I can't get a hold of better wood?
Many questions here and I really appreciate your input :)!

I'll go the other route with the pickup. Since this is my first attempt, I'll go with a cheap one and if I like this instrument, I might replace it later!

Here's what I've got so far:
 

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Most piezo pickups with a preamp have a large box usually mounted into the side of an acoustic ukulele. The cheaper ones use a 9 volt battery. The box holds the battery and the volume or EQ knobs or sliders. I know where the pickup goes but on a stick like design I dont know where that will look good.

CML there is a thread on a 2x4 challenge. There were links to baking wood in that thread. The tonal quality of the wood in such a ukulele design floats around zero influence on the sound of the ukulele. I think pine would be fine but a harder wood or different wood might be nice.

I happen to think one could machine the body from solid Lucite or even aluminum and have great results.

~alronto~
 
Thanks for your advice Al, I'll definetely try to find that section on baking :)!

I managed to get an hour in the shed today. You can see the progress so far below, I've roughed out the main body. It's slightly longer than the original design, which is due to the pickups I am looking at being longer than what Daniel used in his uke.

Working in the shed today (it's very much just a shed and not a workshop at all, its a shared working area for the town house community where I live) I realised how much I've missed some practical work :). Prior to moving to our town house we lived in an appartment and it was difficult for me to do things like this!

What do you guys reckon, it must be easier to cut the fret slots before shaping the neck no?

What's your progress Ukulincoln?

BR,
CML
 

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I'm losing track of who said what.

The shadow pickup mentioned earlier in this thread is it one designed originally for the sound hole of an acoustic guitar? If so it is a magnetic pickup which will only work with steel strings.

Or is it one for under saddle on a ukulele?

The longer body for a larger pickup than the original design comment made me wonder. The neck is fairly short so if you wanted to use steel strings and a humbucker you could likely pull it off with some inexpensive grommets and get away with no trussrod.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_string_thru_body.jpg

Otherwise it looks good. I think you need to flatten the fret area before cutting slots. Easier to clamp something square than a taper.

This make me want to build one but I really dont need it.

EDIT: Search: inexpensive under saddle pickup site:ukuleleunderground.com The google site switch will limit whatever search terms to whichever site you name.
 
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Sorry, might be my fault for using the same thread as Ukulincoln but I figured it was better than starting a new one! Was thanks to him I got the inspiration to start =)!

The fret surface is planed on the top, I've already tapered the sides so looking on it from above, it has the right shape. I am going to use a cheap piezo rod pickup, which is why I made it slightly longer. Wouldn't fit in the body otherwise.

Who said anything about needing one =)? I am doing this just because it's fun!
 
The fret surface is planed on the top, I've already tapered the sides so looking on it from above, it has the right shape. I am going to use a cheap piezo rod pickup, which is why I made it slightly longer. Wouldn't fit in the body otherwise.

Who said anything about needing one =)? I am doing this just because it's fun!

Ah OK I think I would have cut the fret slots before tapering the sides, as you pointed out it might be easier.

You must mean the jack to the pickup, I understand now.

I have many projects perhaps I should have said I do not need another project. I have a 50's harmony deluxe that needs the neck reset a Risa soprano and concert I would like to refret with jumbo frets and an old 60's ish Regal that needs a 12th fret.

I built tattoo machines from scratch even hand wound coils once. I still refuse to use mass produced clip cords and fabricate my own from various things repurposed from scrap like the old timers. Watching this and the 2x4 thread gets my fabrication cells horny as a 16 year old. lol

~peace~
 
Hi CML,

I don't mind that you came into the thread to ask your question, but I think if you want to post any more about it it would be better to start a separate thread. It seems like it is causing some confusion. My aim for this thread is to document the stages I go through. I don't think it would be a bad thing at all for you to start a separate thread for your project. You are already ahead of me, so while I am glad that I inspired you to do this, I may end up learning more about the process from you than you from me. hehe So, I'd love it is you started a thread to show your progress. Just give it a different enough description that people can tell which thread is which. :)

I am still waiting on parts and I am still brainstorming different shape ideas for it. I am torn between doing something very elaborate or just keeping it simple. If it comes out just like my Risa stick, I don't see much point in doing it. But making one with a very personal design is something that really appeals to me. So, while I have made some progress, none of it is worth posting about yet. A new paid project popped up out of nowhere so I am spending most of my time on that since it has a deadline.

INKSPLOSIVE AL- The shadow pickup is the same under saddle pickup in the Risa Stick I already own. It is meant for nylon strings and ukulele. Do you think if I went into a Tattoo shop someone there might sell me the handle I need for the string turn around? I can order it on Amazon, but I would have to order a bunch of them, or pay a lot more just to get one.
 
The tat gun handle... ;) Cringe worthy lingo right there. Sadly there are some tattooers who actually use it.

While you shouldn't be able to walk into a tattoo shop and buy anything related to tattooing their might be a few suppliers that would help. The chances of them having a four groove grip identical to the one used in the original project are slim to none. You also might walk into an old school shop and in the least be made very uncomfortable for asking questions about buying supplies.

There is a link to the grips used in Daniels build on this page post #6. Just under $11 for 10 pieces which is really dirt cheap. Maybe you can share an order with CML and split the cost or see if Daniel still has any extras he might want to let go.

Check the link in the thread and look around there are at least two sellers offering single grips for under $1.50 shipped. If you cannot find them I will assist.

Funny I own two Risa sticks with a third on the way and I never knew who made the pickup.

~AL~
 
Fair enough, I'll back out of your thread, it wasn't my intention to hijack it. Sorry mate, if you feel I did.

Al, I'm not using a tattoo grip but thanks for your support =).
 
Good find and an interesting build eliminating the crossbar yet adding a head stock. I imagine it would sound as good as the strings and pickup.

The light might add some interference I'm not certain. With Lucite you could put interesting things into the body as you pour it. Coins or insects come to mind. Maybe ants or fleas?

~peace~
 
Hey man been a week or so but when I read this I thought of you. Kissing wrote in another thread that he has had very good results with this Piezo pickup.

He has owned a few Risa sticks and seems to know the difference between quality and junk when it comes to piezo pickups.

How are you coming along?
 
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