tonyturley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2018
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I don’t think I’ve done a build thread on any of my previous projects, so I thought I’d do one on my 6-string baritone scale kiku. If my count is correct, this is my 14th instrument overall, 4th baritone scale instrument, and 11th uke or uke-based instrument. The 20” scale neck profile comes from a free set of plans I downloaded for an Oaktown Strings baritone. One of the images shows the fretboard and a Rosewood neck profile template I used for one of my previous baritones. I’m going to widen the neck to have a 1 7/8” nut. The body comes from a set of plans for a 1940 Gibson L00 parlor guitar, which I reduced to 75%. I used that body drawing for a steel string baritone I built about a year and a half ago. I was very pleased with how that instrument came out, so I’m using that body drawing and body mold again.
The body will be Redwood over Black Walnut. The neck will be Honduran Mahogany, and the fretboard & bridge Ebony. The end graft, bindings, and rosette will be spalted Sycamore. I was down in the shop very early this morning working on jointing the top and back plates and gluing the Redwood top. I’ve adopted Jay Lichty’s method of attaching sticky back sandpaper to the edge of a level to joint the plates. I’ve had mixed success using a jointing plane. I previously thickness sanded all the plates down to .125” for gluing; once the glue is set, I’ll sand the Redwood down to .100” before installing the rosette, and the Walnut down to .085”. I’m planning to string this one eaDGBE. Haven’t decided yet if I will install a pickup.
The body will be Redwood over Black Walnut. The neck will be Honduran Mahogany, and the fretboard & bridge Ebony. The end graft, bindings, and rosette will be spalted Sycamore. I was down in the shop very early this morning working on jointing the top and back plates and gluing the Redwood top. I’ve adopted Jay Lichty’s method of attaching sticky back sandpaper to the edge of a level to joint the plates. I’ve had mixed success using a jointing plane. I previously thickness sanded all the plates down to .125” for gluing; once the glue is set, I’ll sand the Redwood down to .100” before installing the rosette, and the Walnut down to .085”. I’m planning to string this one eaDGBE. Haven’t decided yet if I will install a pickup.