Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

My first Uke!
It's taken me a while to get this one completed & I'd like to thank Allen immensely for his sage advice & answering my really noobie questions.
Back, sides & headplate (with Maple purf strip) - highly figured Blackwood courtesy of John (Woodrat)
Top- Bearclaw spruce from Brent at Alaska Specialty Woods
Neck- Queensland Maple
Bindings- Figured Maple with BWB purfling
Bridge- a beautiful piece of Blackwood with Sapwood from Tim Spittle, I also used the offcut to turn up my own bridge pins to get a good colour match
Fingerboard- Ebony with maple purf strip
Rosette- One of Tim Spittle's beautiful pieces of York gum burl with black purf outline.
Tuners - Grovers
The neck had a couple of aesthetic flaws that didn't show up until shaping so I went with a burst. Doesn't come up so well in the pictures but looks the part in real life.

Well, just nice. Really nice.

Look forward to trying one of these out of the Qld maple I got off Tim at the last sale

Fine bit of craftsmanship Nick & great combinations of the good woods, AWESOME!!
Could you tell us what the finish is on this beauty uke ?

Gaz

Beautiful uke Nick
that blackwood is just stunning.

I think your almost banned for this effort Nick!

Beautiful in every way. The sunburst on the back of the neck looks so good.

Sensational set of Blackwood and I know it is your favourite wood to use. I love to use it too.

Thanks for sharing the pics

Cheers

Alan

Very nice Nick, love that bear claw spruce, and the neck, i like the way you've feathered the colour of the headstock into the neck.
Rod.

Hey Nick! Excellent work,gorgeous wood, beautiful uke!

Just bloody marvellous Nick. I love your rosette too.

Now tell us, are you hooked?

Lovely work Nick. I too am impressed with the rosette.

Regards

Allen wrote:Just bloody marvellous Nick. I love your rosette too.

Now tell us, are you hooked?

Thanks again Allen for your invaluable advice, it is much appreciated I tell you what, I hadn't got a clue on how to play one of these suckers but downloaded a chord chart & it's actually quite fun just plonking away on it. I intonated the saddle as per your technique but still some chords sound wrong to my ear but you know what? It's still fun! I can feel another "build for self" coming on, think I'll do one alongside my next build

Gazm wrote:Fine bit of craftsmanship Nick & great combinations of the good woods, AWESOME!!
Could you tell us what the finish is on this beauty uke ?

I used my usual two pot Urethane Gaz, that & a little of the Stewmac Colortone stains. Mixes straight into the clear,it doesn't show up too well in the pictures but I 'aged' the Uke slightly by spraying a couple of coats with a bit of vintage amber mixed in, it just warmed things up a bit & took some of the 'whiteness' out of the maple binding.

ozziebluesman wrote:Sensational set of Blackwood and I know it is your favourite wood to use. I love to use it too.

Yeah, I got two sets (one concert size, this one & one Tenor) off of John a while ago through a forum buy, beautifully figured stuff & again I don't think the pictures do it full justice, it has a wonderful figure & lustre.

Very nice Nick. Love the timbers you used.

Wow, this uke looks great!

But what a pity that you Downunder-ers only have this boring wavy blackwood stuff for back and sides!

Oh, and I think I am missing some precision milled aluminium parts on this instrument!

In any case, great craftsmanship Nick.
Good to see you back on the wood track.

Cheers,