Not Another Boat Model!-Update in post #16.

hsguy

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Actually not. I have posted a few threads about wooden boat models I have built. The last model I worked on for 16 months so I wanted a shorter project so I built a Ukulele kit. It took about 3 weeks, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I learned a few new skills.

I have never played or owned a music instrument and my sole musical talent is limited to selecting a radio station but it actually sounded musical to my tin ears. I am sure Rusty and other accomplished musicians here will at least have some belly laughs at the photos. I am actually thinking about trying a guitar next, apparently where Angels fear to tread this old fool often rushes in.
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Very nice! I believe it was Emerson who said, "The reward of a job well done is to have done it."

Not sure, but it looks like you made it out of koa wood. Of course, I'm not a pro when it comes to identifying various woods, but if so, that's an Hawaiian traditional for ukuleles Nice.
 
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It's actually some sort of Mahogany. I would love to find a Koa kit. My late wife and I traveled to Hawaii often and I think that inspired me to try a build. I always visit Ukulele shops when I visit Hawaii and my last visit convinced to try building one when I walked in a shop in September and the owner was playing this song and it always reminds me of our trips as we often walked many white sandy beaches. [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoRpWEE-E0Q[/ame]
 
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Bravo! I have sold many ukuleles in my day and that is as fine an example of a mid-priced one as any I've seen.

Just a tip on the guitar build; if you haven't already done so get familiar with StewMac (Stewart-Macdonald) a repository of tools, luthier supplies and knowledge.

I look forward to seeing the guitar.
 
Thanks Rusty, it is actually a StewMac kit. It is a Concert model and I just received a Tenor model with a Spruce top to build before I graduate to a Dreadnought, a bit scary as Dreadnought always make me think of the large lorries in England! I fear at some point my limited skills will result in a head-on-collision caused by a tourist driving on the "wrong side of the road".
 
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One of my favorite tunes.... along with Batman :D

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sn2szZakjQ4[/ame]

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oxeTH-OYI[/ame]

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OPTNwbBKjVI[/ame]
 
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As long as the strings don't slip the anchoring method doesn't really matter.

In the early 80's an old classical guitar maker taught me the Spanish loop-n-tuck method. It is my preferred method and they hold firmly. I've even put ball-end nylon strings on beginner guitars and eukes and they work fine. John, your string job looks fine to me.

My method:

 
Rusty, your strings are the way they should be but on the uke, the C string looks like it is sitting on top of the bridge as opposed to the way yours look.
Could be the photo.

When anchored like yours they shouldn't slip and never have on any guitars I've strung up, but I was taught in '59 at age 12, to always make sure the string's end never sits on top of the bridge.

Making sound posts and setting up the fiddles, large and small, was part of my schooling in '59 and was difficult yet doable with young hands.
By age 15 it was a cakewalk.

Pic of low end uke that was gifted to me.
Put a set of old open Grovers on to keep it in tune.
Batman will be wood burned and colorized, hopefully finished this week, and sent to the almost 5 year old grandson.
Kalimba was for his first birthday. :D

Baby fox playing the high notes on a floating keyboard to annoy the foxhounds. :eek:
I always give kalimbas to new family members with some artwork.
 

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Hard to tell from the picture, Mr Ukeman, but the C string needs to be over the back edge of the bridge after the twist.
South Lake Tahoe has a big uke group.

Thanks for the comment! I have no idea if this is right, followed the kit instructions as I have no experience with musical instruments.
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Not a guitar as threatened but another Ukulele, a larger Tenor model. I thought I needed more practice building and gave this one a go. My first was all laminated wood and this one has laminated back and sides but a solid Spruce top. I used it to try different finishing methods and it is a bit of a French polish. I quit after about 15 coats of Shellac that I mixed myself from the raw ingredients as the cans you buy may have sat on the shelf for 5 years and Shellac apparently has a fairly short shelf-life. It is not perfect by any means but certainly a learning tool. I also installed 2 markers at the octave and hopefully will get them straight on my next project.

My next adventure is a solid wood guitar that will have to wait for Spring so I can sand outdoors. I did much of the sanding on the pictured project in my 20 degree garage and had to walk slowly and not flick a light switch for fear of a dust explosion. I always enjoy learning something new or a different skill every day so this fit the bill. As I mentioned in my original post I have no clue as to how to play a musical instrument so perhaps attempting to learn that may occupy me until Spring arrives although I do have a couple of non-musical projects I may undertake until then.

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Absolutely stunning! It takes a lot of skill, patience and much repeated re-checking before the glues/finishes set to make a playable stringed instrument.

You should be button popping proud.

BTW... Leo Fender could not play a note.
 
Such fantastic work!!! Have you ever considered making rifle stocks?
 
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