Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

My eldest daughter Becky asked me to make a uke for her to give to her best friend as a Birthday present. So I looked through the scraps pile in the shed and three weeks later ended up with this Concert uke. He's called Merry to go with Pippin - the first Concert uke I made earlier this year. Top back and sides are Mahogany reclaimed from an Edwardian Bureau - the top and back are one piece and the sides aren't bookmatched . The neck is a scrap of Sapele with an ebony centre "truss rod" that was a fingerboard off-cut. The fingerboard, headstock veneers, bridge and heel cap are Macassar ebony offcuts, the binding and end-graft some Old Rio Rosewood off-cuts and the braces Euro spruce brace trimmings. The only "bought" parts are Gotoh ukulele tuners (re-fitted with Stew Mac ebony buttons), Aquila nylgut strings, the bone saddle (the bone nut was a reject from a larger instrument) and the black/pear/black purfling and rope purfling (used in the rosette). The finish is hand rubbed pre-catalysed lacquer over Z-Poxy apart from the neck shaft which is Tru-oil over the Birchwood Casey Sealer/Filler. The neck is a single bolt M/T and there are carbon fibre flying buttress braces (offcuts again). There is a page here on my website showing the build. The main difference from Pippin is the shape (this is how Pippin should have looked ) and a single saddle slot that intonates much better than the "fancy pants" split saddle I did on Pippin.

Here's some pictures:



And here's Merry and Pippin together:
I did a quick recording of Merry today - I didn't feel up to Tiptoeing through the tulips so the next obvious choice had to be "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head" in honour of the weather we're currently experiencing here in the UK - it could have been "Blowing in the Wind" too . Send in the money and I'll take the vocals off the mix

Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head

Looks and sounds great Dave. And what a great gift.

Inspired me to download the music go and learn that song. The monsoons will be starting up here soon, so I'll need to practice that one at a bit faster pace.

I'm just starting my first uke from wood that I actually bought. Up to now they've all been reclaimed from off cuts. It's one of my favourite parts of building them. Cost almost nothing other than a bit of time.

Bum! Your site or server must be down Dave, your pics have broken links and the link to the build on your site fails to load. I'm sure if it's one of your builds it'll be fit for the queen to play but I'll check back later and sus it out.

Beautiful little instrument there Dave. I like building uke's as well. They are a lot of fun and don't take near as long to build as a guitar.

Thanks for the pictures.

Cheers

Alan

Ok, sites back up and you didn't disappoint Mr White. Interesting "aerodynamically designed" bridge on them both, don't let NASA see them Do you find it gives them a different sound from the 'normal' ukes? It sounds a little 'fuller' but then that could be the sound that size is meant to make? I know bugger all about ukes.....but I'm learning!

Wonderful work Dave and the sound clip is very cool as well.

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I bet that bureau love its new shirt Dave.

Jim