Vita Uke

Ages ago I was planning to build a vita uke and searched for dimensions. I found a site that had it all but struggling to find it again.
However I think it was 14 inch scale with 21 1/2" long x 7 3/4" wide x 2 1/4" thick

Hopefully someone with a tape measure and the real thing in front of them can chip in as my numbers could be rubbish.
 
I'll see if I can get the dimensions from a friend I sold mine to. Also it had a slightly curved sound board that the copies left out. I had to match the curve of a top to the bottom of the bridge when replacing it. Just a thought, how about a radiused fret board to match?
 
Thanks.Look forward to confirmation. I can't see the point of radiuses fretboards for ukulele. I always radius my fronts. The original fronts have probably 'pulled' into a curve. Anyway, we are nearly there with the project.
 
Here's a page of measurements I took from a lovely Vita uke that came in for repair a few years ago

Vita uke 4.jpg
 
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Brilliant RPA - I thought my proportions were a little out. Now for the re-draw and programme.
 
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Did Harmony make soprano versions of the Vita uke, and were the bodies the same size as the concert?

John Colter.
 
The Vita uke has a 14" scale, so it's a little hard to call it a concert or a soprano. It just is what it is.
 
The publicity in a 1930's ad shows a range of these instruments but I have only ever seen the sopranos... and yes, those measurements come within my 'range'. It was the scale length that was confusing. Also I am not making a reproduction - my neck joint is at the 13th fret because it brings the bridge to a better position on the front.

Having said all that, I blew up the binding channel today...
 
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Pete Howlett said:
The publicity in a 1930's ad shows a range of these instruments but I have only ever seen the sopranos... and yes, those measurements come within my 'range'. It was the scale length that was confusing. Also I am not making a reproduction - my neck joint is at the 13th fret because it brings the bridge to a better position on the front.

Having said all that, I blew up the binding channel today...
Click to expand...
The last time I ruined a uke was due to me not being happy with the binding..so I decided to rout out the binding and start again...And then the binding just shattered taking away chunks of the uke with it (Nice Koa job it was too)...So I've gone off binding. (It doesn't make the uke sound or play any better either) sour grapes ? I know but I'm past caring.:)
 
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Looks OK to me, at least, consistent with the rest of the sketch.:confused:

John Colter.
 
Hi Ken, welp it doesn't seem the body measurement is one I'd flub up, but I might have!

Anyway, I took a Vita uke photo and laid an inch scale over it. You can see it lines up with the 14" string scale length, and if you count the markers, the body falls right into that 9-5/8" measurement. But still, hopefully someone who has one will measure and confirm.

Vita uke 3.jpg

I certainly wish I had one!
 
go back to the first drawing it shows the back bracing pitch at 3 inch from the base then 6 inch to the middle brace this only leaves 5/8 inch to the neck joint. Dunnit?
 
I see what you’re saying. Unfortunately it’s not clear in my sketch but the six inch measurement of the upper brace is from the bottom of the body, not from the top of the lower brace. These are an artists drawings, not an engineer’s :eek:

Note: I made a modification to the drawing to reflect this.
 
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I'm not aiming at a reproduction like Ken's Martin copies so vectorising an image copied from the internet I have arrived at something that closely resembles the picture posted by RPA. The length is 9 5/8" but the width needs to come down to around 8" in my design and the scale length increased to 14"... My aim is to get it looking near enough. Let's face it, the construction and bridge position, headstock and fingerboard, 13th fret neck join.... need I go on? It's not a copy. See here:

 
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