Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

So I joined up several years ago, got all excited about starting to build instruments, bought some timber etc... ...then went through a divorce, lost motivation, started a couple of different hobbies instead, and kind of forgot that this forum existed. Just recently though, I found the slab of Tass...

(I have actually made 2 electric ukuleles and a second, 100% custom design, electric guitar since this one. I need to get much better at posting updates!)

So it turns out I realised I never posted more pics of this, and it's been finished for quite a while now. When I have time, I'll try to go back and post some more of the progress photos, but here are some finished pics of my first ever build. It's definitely not perfect, and there are a lot of thin...

Some progress pics. Body glued up, shaped, and hollowed (as much as it's getting hollowed anyway...) I realised to late that I took this pic before I cleaned up the sides with a couple of chisels, but the top is glued on now and I'm not opening it back up! IMG_20220102_131501.jpg Top glued on, bridg...

Top and body blanks run through the thicknesser and glued up. Neck blank is sitting on top in both pics (there was plenty of the QLD maple for the neck - and another one for another project too...) I'll hopefully make a bit more progress soon. IMG_20211203_172918.jpg IMG_20211203_172908.jpg This is ...

56nortondomy wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 29, 2021 1:00 pm

Don’t forget some photos when you get going. Wayne

I already have a WIP thread started. I'll definitely be sharing pics as I go.

Thanks Ian. I hate to tell you but the the hardware is chrome, must be a optical illusion because it does look black in the photos. Black will look great though. Wayne :lol: it occurred to me after I posted that comment that that may have been the case. Still happy with my choice though - and I thi...

I'm just getting started on my first build, which will be a tele. I've been tossing up between Chrome or black for the hardware, and after looking at yours I just ordered black... That against the beautiful figure of that top is beautifully understated. Very nice work on all of these!

Had anyone tried the Pitbull kits? They look decent and the price is very good for a rough project...

Queensland Maple is a good neck wood...I use it a lot. Its easy to work, supply is good and its not too expensive. Thanks - that's handy to know! In this case, I think I may have enough left of that same length to get a neck out of it as well. I'll have to check. I can't argue with the price either...

Finally getting started on my first build. Only took 11 years or so. I'm making a semi-hollow telecaster style electric. Main body will be Tasmanian Blackwood with a stripe of Brazilian Bloodwood through the centre for contrast (and to get the width I needed...) with a cap of quilted Queensland mapl...

This is stunning. I have not seen Cedar with that level of figure before. I've been thinking about timber choices for a semi-hollow Tele I'm planning, and I have several cubic meters of well-aged Australian cedar that I'm going to have to have another very close look at, I think!

Love the "Stra-Tele" design. I am in the planning stages of a custom Tele build, and the sharp edges are one of the things that I am not a fan of too. Using the body sculpting on a Tele body shape works really well.

Thanks for sharing!

Hi all, I got all excited about instrument building a few years ago (actually something like a decade or more) and joined up here, but never followed through because I felt more than a little intimidated and didn't know where to start. I am once again getting interested and have been watching a ton ...

So I joined up several years ago, got all excited about starting to build instruments, bought some timber etc... ...then went through a divorce, lost motivation, started a couple of different hobbies instead, and kind of forgot that this forum existed. Just recently though, I found the slab of Tassi...

I'm just about to start building my first uke (it's only been at the planning stage for about 18-20 months...) and I'm not sure which way to go in terms of neck attachment. I've seen a few people seem to prefer Spanish heels and others prefer dovetails. Which one would be easier (ie less likely to g...

It will be in the paint section at Bunnings, where the sandpaper is kept. Usually on the bottom shelf...

ATM, there is only one Masters store in Sydney, which is the Narellan one (Gregory Hills, if you want to be picky).

Thanks for the extra tips there Graham! I can probably find a narrower pipe at work somewhere, too. I could set up a 2-sided jig that way as well. Hmmm...

Thanks for the tips, guys!

Cylinder is on its way from Matt, and I'll use a burner setup like Graham suggested to heat it. Looks like a pretty straightforward setup with some degree of adjustability temperature wise. Fingers crossed!

Ok, after some pretty major financial setbacks, I am FINALLY getting around to starting on my first uke... Money is still very tight, so I'm trying to save some money where I can. Being a carpenter I have most of the tools I will need (or at least ways and means of improvising) but one thing which i...

Hey guys, can anyone recommend a good (preferably cheap or free) set of plans for a tenor uke? I've had a look around the interwebs and have found several soprano plans that look good, but not any tenor ones...

Wow... Just googled reverse guitar to find that pic, and stumbled accross this...

Did you make this one too?

Well I can see the problem right off the bat - you've forgotten the tremolo arm...

Looks like I might have another celebrity order... One of her friends likes the design and wants to talk to me about designing one for her too. And a couple of enquiries already from fans asking if I'll be making them to sell... Looking like I might actually be able to make a bit of money from this ...