Ukulele Mania! (Yet another one)

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:15 pm

I have just finished applying the hard shellac finish to this little concert ukulele. It will be left to dry for a month before it's final make over. It has a spanish heel, Queensland maple neck, Australian Cedar top and opportunity grade EIR from the forum buy. The fingerboard, rosette, headplate and bridge is Tasmanian Blackwood. There are a few different shades of blackwood as they are all scrap pieces from other builds. Looking forward to stringing this little fella up in the near future.

I think the dot markers are wrong too!! Whoops!

Here are two pic's

Thanks for looking

Cheers

Alan

obmit · Post by **obmit** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:28 pm

Very Nice

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:44 am

I just love that EIR body on that one Alan. Looks very classy.

I can't wait to hear this one.

hilo_kawika · Post by **hilo_kawika** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:17 am

ozziebluesman wrote: I think the dot markers are wrong too!! Whoops!

Maybe time to slow down a little...

What are the four holes in the top for?

aloha,

Dave Hurd
http://www.ukuleles.com

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:47 am

Now that is a very tidy uke Alen, nice choice of woods there and it seems the Au cedar is popular for tops.

I also notice you use the same species of shade tolerant grass as I do.

Jim

Mark McLean · Post by **Mark McLean** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:08 pm

It is always good to be able to locate the 11th fret when you need it.

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:37 pm

Yeah that's - well, unconventional. Silly sausage.

Cute though.

It's hard to tell if the top is bookmatched or one piece.

Where do you get that Australian cedar?

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:07 pm

Thank you Tim, Allen, Jim and Mark.

G'day Dave. Yes the dot dilema was a silly mistake. I noticed it before the fingerboard was glued on and could have replaced the board. The uke is just to give me building experience so it dose not matter as it is not a commission. It will go to one of my niece's or nephews as a present. I wanted to get it finished so I could work on the two concert guitars over the dry season. The holes in the top are to locate the bridge and also I will string the uke up from under the bridge plate and out through the bridge over the saddle. I used this method in my last uke and it seemed to work well.

Hip the top is two piece bookmatched. The top sounds like it is going to be very responsive. I bought the Australian Cedar from Barry Kerr. I have enough for another uke and a OM sized guitar. Our forum member Allen introduced me to Australian Red Cedar. He built a guitar and used it for a top and the guitar sounded so good I thought I would try and get some to try myself. I think if you ask our Oz wood venders you will be able to get hold of some. I really like it for tone.

Thanks again everyone for your support.

Alan

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:44 am

I like it Alan!
If the dots bother you, just put three at the 12th fret, and two more at the 13th, to look like an intentional pattern.
And I suppose one at the 10th and one at the 14th to complete the look.

Or not....

Anyway, it is a sweet little uke.

Steve

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:30 pm

Well the dots thingy dose bother me and I like your idea Stephen. I also thought maybe turn the mistake into a smiley face. Here is a pic of what I mean. What do you reckon?

I have been tossing around ideas for a signiture logo for my instruments. The smiley face is some abaloney rosette shell segments you can buy from most lutherier suppliers. I wanted to have something simple that I can re-create the same each time and with these it is just the matter of inlaying the pieces. I was going to leave the tails on the H logo which is my surname, Hamley. I spose someone already has H guitars as a logo. What do you think?

Thanks Steve.

Cheers

Alan

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:12 pm

I like it all Allen, the uke, the logo, and the solution you come up with for the misplaced dots. Very clever

Cheers

Kim

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:24 pm

Very cool Uke Alan - nice job!

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:21 am

Alan, I love your solution.
The pic produced a burst of laughter...the good kind I assure you.
Man, I'd do that in a heartbeat.

Steve

Mark McLean · Post by **Mark McLean** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:59 am

That is the perfect solution. You'll be doing it deliberately on all your instruments from now on.
Mark

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:00 am

FWIW, that smiley face ROCKS! The headstock logo instantly reminded me of some asian-pacific alphabet letter. Both made me smile.

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:31 am

Thank you all for your kind comments!

Hi John! Funny you say that as I sent that headstock pic with the logo to a mate of mine whose wife is Japanese. I asked the same question to her to see if letter, symbol has another meaning.

Cheers

Alan

Dave Anderson · Post by **Dave Anderson** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:03 am

Hi Alan,
Very cool lookin' uke. That's perdy great how you fixed the dot error!

Love your logo too...

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Tue May 05, 2009 7:15 pm

very nice timbers you used there!

I love a good uke

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Sun May 24, 2009 3:18 pm

The Ukulele is all finished. I didn't proceed with a headstock logo on this as planned but the smile face has been inlayed.

When I do have a go at the logo it will be inlayed on the headplate before it is glued on to the headstock. There is a two cherries micro 1.5 mm chisel on it's way to me so that little tool will do the trick I hope. If not, it's a precision router base from Stew Mac.

Thanks for looking

Cheers

Alan

Clancy · Post by **Clancy** » Sun May 24, 2009 3:43 pm

First thing I saw when scrolling down was the smiley face.
Love it!

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun May 24, 2009 3:53 pm

Sure, they look good Alan, but you know that we all want to know what you think of the sound?

obmit · Post by **obmit** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:28 pm

Go the uke looks great.

Sound it up...

Better get my second uke finished

Cheers

Tim

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Mon May 25, 2009 4:35 pm

Thanks Craig, Allen and Tim. It sounds good and is improving every day. Give it a few weeks and see how it goes then and I may do a rough recording.

Cheers for now

Alan

Joe Sustaire · Post by **Joe Sustaire** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:40 pm

Great uke Alan!!!
I love that australian cedar top, and the smily face fix is perfect. The H will be great also.

Joe

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Ukulele Mania! (Yet another one)

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