Back Brace on a Lanikai CKC?

TigerUke

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Hello Everyone,
I recently purchased a preowned Lanikai CKCGC, circa 2012. It will be shipped this week and I'm really looking forward to playing it. It appears to be in really good condition and I got it at a good price.
In looking over the photos provided by the seller, I noticed this particular uke has a back brace installed right down the center of the back (the factory label was glued over the brace). I have 5 other ukes (3 other are Lanikais) and none have a brace like that. Nor do photos of other CKCGCs I've seen online.
This uke was made in Indonesia, like another Lanikai Concert size I have. Any idea why they installed a back brace on it?
Just curious... and is it a good thing or bad? lol...
Thanks in advance,
TigerUke
 
I don't think that is unusual. I have 3 ukes, all different brands, that have a center brace running the length of the back.
 
Thanks for your reply. So, what's the purpose on a laminate uke? Just curious... the more I learn, the nerdier I get... hahah...
TigerUke
 
The back of the uke is usually made with two pieces of wood or laminate butted together. The internal back brace is glued over that join to provide additional support and strength. Plus, along with the horizontal braces, it makes it a little stiffer.
 
A back joint reinforcement is somewhat of a hand-me-down from guitars and larger acoustic instruments where it makes more sense - on a wide back, the forces due to wood naturally expanding and contracting can be huge, and a reinforcement on the center joint can help resist. The reinforcement is traditionally made from cross grained wood, with the grain oriented across the strip instead of along it, otherwise it would be apt to just split along the seam if stressed.

On a uke, the back is small enough (and typically rather over braced) so reinforcement isn't really as much of a requirement. As such, many builders leave them off. The one situation where they are common on a uke is if there is a strip of purfling inlaid along the seam - the inlay requires a channel cut in the wood, which weakens the joint, and the reinforcement helps compensate for that.
 
A back joint reinforcement is somewhat of a hand-me-down from guitars and larger acoustic instruments where it makes more sense - on a wide back, the forces due to wood naturally expanding and contracting can be huge, and a reinforcement on the center joint can help resist. The reinforcement is traditionally made from cross grained wood, with the grain oriented across the strip instead of along it, otherwise it would be apt to just split along the seam if stressed.

On a uke, the back is small enough (and typically rather over braced) so reinforcement isn't really as much of a requirement. As such, many builders leave them off. The one situation where they are common on a uke is if there is a strip of purfling inlaid along the seam - the inlay requires a channel cut in the wood, which weakens the joint, and the reinforcement helps compensate for that.

Great info.

I had a 2013 Pono Cedar Ebony tenor that was loaned to a friend 2 winters ago. He kept it in a back room that was only heated to 50 deg F. His room humidifier broke and he didn't replace it. When I got it back, it was fine. But When I put it in a humidified room, the back developed a 2 inch crack along the seam. I had that repaired and put the uke in a hard case with an Oasis humidifier. To my horror, the entire back and butt split apart, except where it had been repaired! The only thing holding it together was the back longitudinal brace. And the bottom block. I gave it away to someone who needed it.
 
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