Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi all.
so, here's my first build - a pretty simple tenor uke. My only other real contribution to this forum to date were the electron microscope images Allen showed of timbers from the Cairns uke build course he and Micheal ran last year. It's not as impressive as most of the instruments shown here, which quite frankly blow me away, but it's my first go and I'm a sensitive soul, so be nice
I had an absolute ball on the Cairns uke build for 2012 and would have happily stayed another week and done it all over again, but they wouldn't let me stay, so I had to go it alone !

Body, soundboard & headstock veneers: Blackwood (thanks Allen, too late, you can't have it back!)
Neck: Queensland Maple
Fingerboard, rosette & bridge: Rosewood
Finish: hard shellac

Anyone want to see some extreme close-ups (electron microscope scale)?

Hi Kevin
Great job looks fantastic.
I havent built a uke yet but i think it would harder than a guitar in a lot of ways
Keep up the good work.
Regards Steve

It looks pretty good to me and you get bonus points for building it in a log cabin.

Nice job, Kevin. Looks fantastic for a first solo build. Interesting to see you've got a fretboard dot on 9 rather than 10. Guitarist history perhaps?

Would love to see some more of your photography. How about doing a string comparison - nylon, fluorocarbon, nylgut .....? Or perhaps Worth vs Aquila vs D'Addario vs ...... Or perhaps a string when new, then after 3 months' playing, then after 6 months playing, then....... Or perhaps............the list is endless. There's a whole new microscopic world of luthiery waiting to be explored.
Miguel

I can't believe I handed that set to Kevin on the way out the door. What the hell was I thinking.

I'm just so pleased to have had the opportunity to help people like Kevin, Miguel and even Liam on their way to a lifetime obsession with building instruments. And the best part is they're mates that are always welcome to stop in for a chat and a beer.

...Oh, and the uke looks too good for a first effort.

I think it looks great, I reckon the rosette suits it perfectly - makes me want to build one.

Col

Terrific Tenor Kevin, for # 1. As a matter of recent string interest, what breed of strings are you running on this melody box??

Gaz

Kev3 wrote: It's not as impressive as most of the instruments shown here,

Not true. Although kept simple, this seems to be a very nicely made ukulele. Problem is that one, as the builder knows and sees all the imperfections and mistakes made, which others can not see, at least not at first sight, leave alone by looking only at a picture.

Kev3 wrote: Anyone want to see some extreme close-ups (electron microscope scale)?

Yes, please show some more. I'd like to see some intervessel pitting (if you can do that, no problem if you can't or don't have the time to do it).

Hi Kevin,

What a cracker of a first instrument!!! hope its the first of many.
all the best!

Christian.

Great looking uke Kevin! How does it sound? I assume the all Blackwood approach gives a fairly crisp sound.

Thanks everyone - your kind comments appreciated
In answer to the questions/ comments. Yep, Miguel, guitar for ages, ukulele only in the last year, so fret marker on the 9th seems more natural to me. Gaz, Martin - combo of Blackwood and D'Addario black nylon strings (steel wound third) do give it a nice clear, crisp sound and a pleasantly surprising amount of sustain. Going to try some other strings and maybe a low G too just to see how things change, but so far I like the sound. It's only been strung up a week and I was away for 1/2 that, so we'll see how things evolve with time/use. Steve- harder than a guitar to build? Don't know, not tried (yet!), I'd assume all styles of build have their own challenges, but those that do build both suggest some of the harder parts are due to relative scale of build. - curves are tighter, not much room to get hands / tools etc in and once the box is closed forget trying to get access via the sound hole. This was only a tenor, I saw a soprano on Allen's bench last week - now that looked a tough build....all the above in spades plus keeping it extra light and in balance too - gosh, golly and other non-offensive expletives
... and Markus - intervessel pitting huh? Now we are getting technical, but for once on this forum it's in an area where I actually have some experience ! I'll take some images and keep a look out. At this scale of imaging its often pot luck to get a section exactly through what you are looking for. But give me time and I'll try and oblige.
Cheers

Great first build Kev, loving the Blackwood and think that was a good score from Allen
I've had the pleasure of seeing a Koa Soprano of Allen's just recently and must admit I love the binding less look, it seems to suit these smaller bodied geetars.

Thanks Nick,
Yeah, think Allen may be really regretting the generosity
The Blackwood didn't really come alive 'till a way into the build. I had originally intended to go with binding, but once the box was closed and I'd laid a sealant of shellac the grain pattern and figure with the rosette seemed enough on its own somehow.

Cheers

Very nice indeed.
Beautiful timber!!! Think I'll be trying to buy my next lot of Tassie Blackwood from Cairns (although maybe its not from Tas??)

Kev3 wrote: ... and Markus - intervessel pitting huh? Now we are getting technical, but for once on this forum it's in an area where I actually have some experience ! I'll take some images and keep a look out. At this scale of imaging its often pot luck to get a section exactly through what you are looking for. But give me time and I'll try and oblige.

That would be great - if you really like to do it.
But of course there is no obligation, and no problem if you don't find the time to please my a bit exotic request. Of course, I don't really need such a picture, but I am curious and it really would be an interesting view. My optical microscope surely seems to be like a hand lens on the side of a SEM!

OK Markus,
Will give it a go. Gotta be more fun than a weekend @85% humidity trying to work in the garden between the rain and being bitten by....

Well done Kev You have posted two pictures Beauty and the Beast

Nice work on number one mate. Ive made three and none of them are worthy of THE GALLERY hopefully the next one will be.

Phantom, anything can go on THE GALLERY just have a look at the crap that I post