First Step into Realm of Acoustic Build - Uke or Guitar firs

[MatthewM]

Got the timber ready for both projects. I probably have more reference material on an acoustic guitar.

Initially thought that Uke would be easier but now i'm not so sure.

Any thoughts?

cheers

Matthew

[lauburu]

It's not necessarily easier to make a ukulele than a guitar. Both are difficult. Making a ukulele is a bit quicker because jobs like sanding and polishing take less time, bracing is simpler....
If you've got more information on making a guitar, go with that. It's easier to copy what an expert has written than to invent solutions to unexpected challenges.
Miguel

[Allen]

Building either is nothing more than a series of carefully executed woodworking procedures. In and of themselves, each of them are easily accomplished by anyone.

How successful the instrument turns out is determined by everyone of those procedures and the initial plan you have to put them together. I can build a guitar in the same time as it takes for a uke, except for a bit of extra time on sanding. But even that is not all that much more.

If you decide for a uke, I'd suggest a tenor or concert. Stay away from a soprano as they are the most diabolically difficult instrument to build well.

[MatthewM]

Thanks Guys

Time to start getting organisd with jigs etc. Will start with the guitar first.

Cheers

[DarwinStrings]

Pictures of your progress are compulsory once you have started a thread Matthew.

Jim

[Nick]

I agree with Allen. I was surprised when I built my first Uke after building several of it's full sized brother as to just how long it took! Remember it's essentially a scaled down full size so the same construction procedures are employed and if anything are more time consuming due to the smaller size (more fiddly).
Personally I'd start with a big'un.

[liam_fnq]

Why build a guitar?

[rocket]

Because Liam, if a little is good bigger is better!!
Rod.

[kalimna]

Having jumped in at the small end (mostly because I figured I would waste less wood if I mess up), I am in the process of building my first acoustic instruments (a pair of concert ukes, rippled maple B&S, spruce offcut tops). So far, so untidy, but I was wondering why it might be that a soprano uke is particularly nasty to build well?

Cheers,
Adam

[MatthewM]

Thanks guys

Received another stewmac order today. Amazing how fast they are. Prob one more order from them to go and ready to start.

Will go for the guitar as I at least have a better understanding of them. Will start a thread so you guys can laugh at my efforts.

Anyone purchased one of the fancy stew mac vises?

Cheers
Matthew

[Nick]

Will start a thread so you guys can laugh at my efforts.

Excellent! Would love to see a build thread Matthew, we won't laugh (everyone of us has had to start somewhere and you couldn't be any worse than most of us were/are ) and it would be good for other newbies to see a fellow beginner's build and maybe some of the inevitable problems found along the way and how you recovered from them (The person that has never made a mistake has never made anything).

Anyone purchased one of the fancy stew mac vises?
Cheers
Matthew

Fairly expensive bit of kit, useful in that they can be swiveled in pretty much any orientation but plenty of us have gotten by without them. Probably one of those purchases (if you can cough up with A: the initial purchase price & B: the shipping, I imagine it would be the equivalent of a small countries national debt to get it down under) that if you did have one, would think "How did I get by without it, it's so useful!" but to me it's a case of what I don't have I don't miss.