Top Radius?

Explorer77

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Do you put a raduis on your tops? If so, how much?
I know that most builds have flat tops..
 
I make flat tops (radius 0.0). Good enough for a guitar I figure it's good enough for an ukulele plus I detect no change in the sound. In my mind what a radiused top gives is added strength against the dreaded bridge rotation and possible bellying. A radiused top is just plain stronger. It's physics. You know, the triangle and all that...
 
I have been using a 15 foot radius dish from StewMac for four ukes now, top and bottom. On the first one I ended up with a reduced bridge height to compensate for the rise of the "dome" that it sits on, so now I've adjusted the neck angle slightly to make up for that.
This places the saddle at a slight backwards angle. So far they sound fine to my ears but should I compensate for that and cut the slot with a little forward lean to it?

Also, my favorite uke, a 2007 Kamaka baritone, has a very rounded back - seems to me about 6 foot radius. I'm not finding a dish for that for sale - does anyone know where to buy, or should I make one? (thanks to the archive here)
-Vinnie
 
This places the saddle at a slight backwards angle
Alhambra guitars are steel string guitars made in Spain. Wonderful guitars. One of their design features is a saddle that is angled slightly backwards to compensate for the forward pull of the strings.
(I know that ukes are not guitars but) I tried the idea on a couple of baritones and am pleased with the results.
Miguel
 
I have been using a 15 foot radius dish from StewMac for four ukes now, top and bottom. On the first one I ended up with a reduced bridge height to compensate for the rise of the "dome" that it sits on, so now I've adjusted the neck angle slightly to make up for that.
This places the saddle at a slight backwards angle. So far they sound fine to my ears but should I compensate for that and cut the slot with a little forward lean to it?

Also, my favorite uke, a 2007 Kamaka baritone, has a very rounded back - seems to me about 6 foot radius. I'm not finding a dish for that for sale - does anyone know where to buy, or should I make one? (thanks to the archive here)
-Vinnie

I use a 15' dish to brace uke tops but press them flat on the sides.
I made a 9' radius dish, and also a 3' cylindrical form for mandolins. They are fun to make. No idea where to buy them.
 
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