Soprano Back Bracing

hilly01 · Jun 4, 2018

Hello everyone,

This year I started the journey of building a soprano uke (based on early Martins etc) using some recycled timber and have thicknessed the 2 piece tops and backs at 0.075" and I'm starting to look at bracing them. I'm going with the standard ladder bracing and was going to try and put a dome in the back as per the Martins and was wondering if I needed to attach a thin cross grain reinforcement brace down the back seam as done with guitars etc seeing it is not one piece. Looking at pictures online I notice some of the Martin tenor ukes have them. Is this needed on soprano or would be it overbuilding it you think?

Regards,
Paul Hill.

Titchtheclown · Jun 4, 2018

Shouldn't hurt might prevent splitting. It will at least help you sleep better.

hilly01 · Jun 5, 2018

Thanks Ian, good sound advice.

Timbuck · Jun 6, 2018

No back seam on Martin Sopranos all one piece .. with just two braces 5/16" x 1/4" and the top wants to be .0625"....well that's how I do em

based on the Scott Antes plans and observations and measurements taken off the original ukes.

hilly01 · Jun 7, 2018

Thanks Ken,

Yep I based my measurements for the back and sides from one of your previous posts a while back where you specified 0.075". The soprano I'm building is roughly based on the Martins which I'm using mainly as a guide for dimensions etc as this is my first build and using it as a learning exercise using wood that I reclaimed from an broken antique piano and some old dovetail drawers. Unfortunately there weren't any pieces big enough for one piece top and back. The top is made from what I think is either spruce or cedar, and the back and sides are from an Australian hardwood (probably some type of eucalyptus). It's all quarter sawn at least. So all in all a bit far removed from the Martins I guess. Do you think the top could go thinner (0.0625") in this case not being mahogany? I guess I was just being cautious.

Timbuck · Jun 7, 2018

hilly01 said:
Thanks Ken,

Yep I based my measurements for the back and sides from one of your previous posts a while back where you specified 0.075". The soprano I'm building is roughly based on the Martins which I'm using mainly as a guide for dimensions etc as this is my first build and using it as a learning exercise using wood that I reclaimed from an broken antique piano and some old dovetail drawers. Unfortunately there weren't any pieces big enough for one piece top and back. The top is made from what I think is either spruce or cedar, and the back and sides are from an Australian hardwood (probably some type of eucalyptus). It's all quarter sawn at least. So all in all a bit far removed from the Martins I guess. Do you think the top could go thinner (0.0625") in this case not being mahogany? I guess I was just being cautious.

The first ukulele I built was a soprano made from an old Kitchen door ..the sides and the top and back were way too thick it was not symetrical and sounded rubbish and the finish was horrible and the bridge was in the wrong place :wallbash: but I soldiered on with the project and learned a lot in the process..I still have it hanging on the wall..Nowadays Ten years later they are turning out pretty good

and it must have been a couple of years now since I last burned one that went wrong.

ld: I hope this story will help you on your first build.

hilly01 · Jun 8, 2018

Thanks Ken,

Hopefully mine won't end up hanging on the wall. Although there's a strong possibility of that

Time to soldier on!

Soprano Back Bracing

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