Concert Uke out of the gate

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:45 pm

This is a huge departure from the last guitar I built. This uke was a semi timed build with another having parts and assembly done in unison, or in the case of rim assembly, one after the other. I was trying to get an idea of how long something really plain would take to build, and the other has just some plain bindings added. It's still in the spraying stage, so is a few weeks away from being strung up.

The body is a guitar set that makes 2 Concert Size Ukes. Sapele from Uncle Bob.
Neck is some undetermined local hardwood. Much like Mahogony in it's working proporties.
Ebony Fret Board is one of Uncle Bob's that I resawed into 4 Uke fret boards. Good value in that.
Fret wire is Gold EVO
Finish is Miratone 3220

Bolt on neck from the outside, because my hands are just too big to do it from the inside.

Tried out a zero fret on this instrument after talking with David Hurd about how he sets his ukes up. It does make for easy set up of the action at the first fret.

My take on semi hemispherical frets. Level, bevel, round over and buff.

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:05 pm

Lovely little thing. Gee my mate Mark would love to get his hands on that.

I've been working on another concert uke too, but I've abandoned it temporarily. After I glued the top on I noticed it's out of shape.

How long did it take?

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:28 pm

That's the thing, I kinda lost track, as I went to Albany during the build.

Also, while things were drying I was starting on 2 Soprano Ukes that are to the closed up and bound stage right now. But I was making enough parts for 4 instruments.

I'll try and break it down.

Building the 2 sets of rims and inlaying the rosettes in 2 tops - 1 weekend.

Bracing tops and backs, voicing, and closing the boxes - 1 weekend

Necks, and fret boards - 1 day.

Finishing, well that takes ages with little bits of work, then wait for things to dry. Hard to estimate in actual hours but I think that it's at least 1/3 of the time to build an instrument spent in the finishing stages.

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:40 pm

The Concert Ukulele's look grand Allen. The Sapelly and ebony look so good together.

I also like the idea of batch building too. I have started two concert size guitars and two Concert Ukulele's myself. Over the past months I have been preparing the wood for all these instruments. The humidity is down to an exceptable level here in Townsville now so with all parts ready, it's time to assemble. Makes sense to me if your set up for bending then why not bend multiple sets or join tops and backs in a batch.

Thanks for sharing

Cheers

Alan

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:55 pm

Great job Allen . I quite like the simple unbound ukes.How does it sound with the Mahogany top?Do you think the zero fret is quicker overall or just different in its time to get right?

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:23 pm

Allen,

Lovely little uke,

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:19 pm

I'm really liking the simple look on this one, as does my better half.

I'd say that the zero fret is quicker. By how much....well it really depends on how good you are at set up.

I use the regular mandolin - uke wire for the frets, and some heavy guitar wire for the zero fret. Setting the action was pretty simple. I set my straight edge on the zero fret. A spacer of desired thickness on the 12th fret, and drew a line on the saddle. Strung it up, and action was bang on. As it settles in I may have to go back and tweak it for the 12th fret relief, but this was really quick and simple.

The instrument sounds really good. There is a surprising amount of sustain in something so small and nylon strung.

Still only been strung up for 8 hours, and these nylon strings take forever to settle down. I made the top 1.5 mm thick in the bridge area, and down to about 1.2 - 1.3 in the lower bout perimeter.

Bridge patch and 2 finger braces as per the plan. The finger braces got shaved down a lot. I hear again and again to build ukes light, so this one certainly is.

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:36 pm

Allen , I got stuck into the braces on a baritone top yesterday and it loosened up nicely with not much wood left on the fan braces.I think it shows the plans are way overbuilt.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:40 pm

This is a really, really nice Uke Allen my friend - Great job!!!

hilo_kawika · Post by **hilo_kawika** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:10 am

Lovely job there, Allen. The sapele reminds me of the figure in many of the oldest and best Martin ukuleles from the 1920's and 1930's before they ran out of that stuff. And the simple look is also great IMHO.

Thanks also for trying the zero fret. I'm glad that it worked out for you. That trick of putting the action spacer on the 12th fret and using a straightedge to determine saddle height is a great one. So easy...

aloha,

Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:10 pm

Allen, you're making me want to try a uke.
That sure is pretty... nice job!

Steve

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:39 pm

Another great looking Uke Allen, the finish as always is remarkable.

Aside from easier set up, having experienced the problem of strings wearing down into the nut slots requiring repair or replacement of the nut, the benefits of a zero fret becomes even more tempting to adopt into acoustic guitar construction.

Cheers

Kim

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:35 pm

Thanks everyone for you comments. It's encouraging to know that simple inspires too. It sure is easier to build.

After installing the zero fret, I'm not sure why we don't see more of them? I don't think that it looks odd, but maybe others do, and just don't like them.It also take a most of the fiddly work on the nut out of the equation.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:48 pm

That's sensational Allen.

True about the lack of zero fret instruments around.
For me the difference and I guess the element I'm grappling with is the
difference you hear in an open note or chord with a conventional nut compared to a zero nut.
In reality, a struck open chord with a conventional nut will always sound different to a fully fretted chord so I guess the zero fret rids us of that discrepancy.
Granted this is more noticeable on steel stringers.

Did it take long to do the semi-hemispheric frets on this one compared to
usual techniques? Very nice.

Cheers, Stu

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:00 pm

What is the usual technique? I've never been able to determine what it is that people are doing to get them to look like that.

I once tried to make them the exact size with the ends done and then press in, but that was really unsatisfactory, as I found it impossible to get all the frets to be spot on in length. Perhaps I'm just a bit slow, and don't understand the technique.

All I did here was to press the frets in over length, nip and then file flush. Bevel at about 30 degrees, then use a flat needle file with a safe edge and just roll over the ends.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:07 pm

Usual technique meaning 30 degree bevel without the semi-hemispheric rounding.

I've been reading a bit about it on this forum and it still looks like alot of work. Nevertheless it's very impressive and I'm keen to try..

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Concert Uke out of the gate

Concert Uke out of the gate

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