Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Thank you, Jeff. This has been a good exercise. I'll post when I've made some progress with truss rod and saddle.

Sam

Jeff,

I'm showing a few thou under .5mm on top and bottom strings at the fret, mid point.

Jeff, Clearance at 12th fret is 1.5mm high E and 2mm Bass E. Guitar is primarily used for finger style playing. There is also a few thou clearance at 1st fret on either string when fretted, 3rd fret. I am seeing a slight reverse S bend along the length of the fretboard on treble side. Buzzing appear...

Thanks Steve & Jeff. My instrument seems to have 'fall-away' on either side of the 12th fret (body joint) and hence the buzz on notes below the 12th fret. I've been controlling and monitoring humidity, but wonder if natural ageing (shrinking) might be a factor. It has a traditional dovetail and hide...

I've been installing the Grover friction pegs on my first uke (photos to come). As noted by others, if outer bushing is installed as per photo (with raised boss outwards) the assembly screw will not be long enough to engage threads in upper spindle - even at minimum peg head thickness. I have revers...

Correction, Craig. My apologies. S

Timely topic, Chris. I'm also interested in the causes and fixes, though will probably look to someone with more experience to work on my 12 fret instrument. I'm getting buzzing above the 7th fret, mostly on treble strings. Sighting from the bridge, there is a slight bulge around the neck/body joint...

Hi Steve,

Sign me up as well. I guess you'll be able to make further contact via the messaging on the forum.

Thanks for your efforts.

Sam
Temora, NSW

Kim, the tape I used was probably the binding tape mentioned by Bob above. We just called it 'painter's tape'

Cheers S

Hi Kim. In my limited experience I've used blue painters' tape. It has limited tack and worked well for binding on a spruce top (did not tear out). Test whatever tape you choose on samples of your woods, just to be sure. I've also cut up a bicycle inner tube by 'peeling' around the circumference wit...

Darwin S,

Thanks for the heads-up on attachments. The file sizes were too large.
So here we go again. S

Sorry, folks. I guess it's back to the owner's manual....S

Interesting excursion with bracing on that guitar, Nate. Thanks for the photos.
If my photos attach correctly, they are courtesy of John Greven. The
top is (from memory) ex 1917 Martin.

Sam

I'm looking for a Melbourne supplier of Nitrocellulose and other finishing supplies. I'm heading down there from country NSW next week. My first build is nearing completion,
will have photos shortly.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Cheers,

Sam

Yesterday we were privileged to hear Candyrat Recording artists, Owen Van Larkins and Maneli Jamal in concert. They had our 'Hangar 38' audience on-side in short order. Thumbs up. They are headed to Sydney and then Brisbane. Owen plays a Gerard Chatelier (Nice, Fr) cutaway; Maneli a Cole Clarke cuta...

Marcus,

Those were two very useful links. Thank you.

I'm back on my bike again, thanks to you
chaps.

S

Thanks for your player/builder wisdom, Chris. I'm more relaxed about the results now, but would like to be able to cut frets slots more accurately. I have a jeweller's needle file with a knife edge that cuts a kerf approximating that of the saw. I might experiment with very shallow cuts, carefully l...

Thanks, guys. I'll have a fresh look at it in the morning.

Sam

Howdy, I've just cut fret slots for a soprano uke using the Stewmac mitre jig, their Japanese saw and a vernier. Checking slots as I progressed from the nut, I'm getting anywhere from .003" to .018" error in the slot centres (despite following the measure twice...three..four and cut once rule). I'm ...

Please count me in for the Bega course.

Regards,

Sam

Full marks for the coffee machine. Your logo can also be cut from heavy brass plate - as you would a pearl inlay - then silver soldered, in reverse, to brass bar stock as a backing. Tap a hole in the bar for a shank made from all threaded rod fitted with a file handle. Your branding iron can be hea...

I'm starting my first uke project, having been inspired by some picking at the Nariel Creek festival last weekend. I would appreciate wisdom re: -a fret spacing reference for the scale lengths of the common ukelele sizes? Is Trevor and Gerard's spacing formula applicable to this style of instrument?...

Looking back, it's been a ripper of a run-up to Christmas. The bandsaw and sander arrived and are ready for assembly; an 0-VS plan is hung the wall, staring me in the face; Gore and Gillet is being rubbed into the grey matter, and some top wood is burning a hole in the cupboard. The workshop looks l...

If you aren't 99.9% sure of your outcome, test pieces are great way to control variables
in your finishing.

All the best,

Sam

HI Bern, Last week a pickup was installed in my guitar. I had glued the end pin in place as it had shrunk, so there was a bit more work in cutting it off and levelling the surface beforehand. It did provide a good starting surface for a pilot drill. A sharp twist drill brought the hole up to the sta...