Supplier of 'Serviced' wood in UK/Ireland

steveholt

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Hi Folks,

I am about 2/3 of the way through my StewMac Soprano Kit build.
Im thinking to take the momentum through and do another build while I have glue, time, patience, clamps and lessons learned to hand.

Can anyone recommend someone who would be able to supply something akin to the LMII kit but in the UK or Ireland.

I'd be looking for jointed top and back and a squared off neck blank and fingerboard. Im happy to purchase linings/brace material off a luthier who is happy to deal with me, or happy to get the sundrys somewhere else if needs be.

Thanks regardless folks for all the learnings us lurkers garner in this forum.
 
Thanks for the recommendations folks. Nice to know there are options close to home.
 
Kit supplier

Hi all,
Newbie here.
I've recently completed a Tenor ukulele built from a kit supplied by 'Tommicool', real name Ken Smith.
Kit contained everything that you need to make your instrument. Front and back are already bookmatched, glued and thicknessed. Neck is partly shaped, ready for you to complete. Sides are pre-curved. All the bits and bobs are there. It's up to you what level of finish you fancy.
Contact Ken to find out what timber he has available. He will try to put a kit together to suit you. Could not have been more helpfull, answering all my daft questions promptly.
Geoff
 
And at £75 he cannot be making any profit! Sheeesh... don't you just love it when someone cuts the feet from under you. I'm sorry folks but this sort of thing gets me riled up.
 
Kit supplier

Pete,
As a lifelong maker of fine jewellery, I do understand where you are coming from. I was once presented with an illustration ripped out of an Argos catologue and was asked to reproduce the design for less than Argos were asking. UK readers will understand the significance if this!!
I have looked at your website and you do make some very fine instruments with an extreemly high skill level.
Ken freely admits that some of his components are 'budget' in order to keep the price of the kits down, and although some of the parts are partly worked, its up to the builder to provide the time and labour. Few amateurs have access to such things as wide sanding machines , so, I for one was gratfull that the top and back were part finished.
I don't think that Ken is aiming at the same market as you, so please don't condem him for being 'cheap'. He's hardly a competitor.
Geoff.
 
And at £75 he cannot be making any profit! Sheeesh... don't you just love it when someone cuts the feet from under you. I'm sorry folks but this sort of thing gets me riled up.

Pete, you have seen the ‘quality’ of the components supplied here.`
the 1st 2 ukuleles I made were from with these sets. Make of that what you will.

Its funny, I recall you asking me to show you the person who managed to bend the 3.5mm thick sides for me lol
well... here you are!

Acceptable for a starter, very rough and ready, but a build is achievable. I'm guessing there is a small amount of profit being made.. just not much.
 
I find this discussion of kits interesting. My story is a familiar one on this forum but illustrative. My young wife bought me an LMI Martin dreadnought guitar kit for Christmas back in the 1980s. I'll never forget the dread as I opened up box after box: The neck was just a solid 3x3 by 25 inch of block of mahogany, the sides and back were rough unjointed plates of 1/4 inch rosewood, the fretboard and bridge were just one monolithic chunk of ebony. No blocks cut which had to come out of the neck blank obviously. No bracing of course and just 1 by 3 pieces of rough spruce. Assorted parts I had no idea what they were. No directions other than a blue print with dimensions. In other words a complete nightmare in happening. It was way beyond my skill level and the boxes lived in my closet for 30 years until I cannibalized for uke parts.

I think a kit should be hard but not too hard. I think the new SMD kits are too easy and the LMI kits are still to hard for the beginning builder. There has to be a better sweet spot in there for the enterprising kit supplier.
 
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