So my daughter is building a ukulele

[TelePaul]

I am reslacksed, yo!

I'll take this opportunity to pimp my Youtube instructional vidoe series:

https://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Mrmshilarious&view=videos

You should especially enjoy episode #5, I deal with the problems of the Irish people in that one

Oh god. That was...I don't even know what that was! Not sure what I find most disturbing...your accent or the way you pronounce Bodhrán! It's Bow-rawn...like, you know, 'bow' of a ship, take a 'bow' etc, and 'raw' with an 'n' at the end. the 'dh' is pronounced as a 'w', and a 'bh' is pronounced a 'v'. Here's how it should be done:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ChbigufBC8

 

[muttley600]

If MSH can pimp his own thread, just for Telepaul here is the latest in tele technology. I did a few and have one the same with chrome fittings I am going to gig with this weekend because I took the chance to build one just for me this time.

 

[TelePaul]

If MSH can pimp his own thread, just for Telepaul here is the latest in tele technology. I did a few and have one the same with chrome fittings I am going to gig with this weekend because I took the chance to build one just for me this time.

Wow...just...wow. Looks incredible. Can you give me a break-down of the spec? Interesting finish too, I presume the wood is stained? Have you considered a brass bridge-plate like the Andy Summers Tele? do you wind your own pickups?

And finally, if it's not too much to ask, how much does one of those go for? Feel free to PM if you'd prefer.

And congrats man, congrats!

 

[mshilarious]

Oh god. That was...I don't even know what that was! Not sure what I find most disturbing...your accent or the way you pronounce Bodhrán! It's Bow-rawn...like, you know, 'bow' of a ship, take a 'bow' etc, and 'raw' with an 'n' at the end. the 'dh' is pronounced as a 'w', and a 'bh' is pronounced a 'v'. Here's how it should be done:

{pssst . . . I do know that, just like I know that guitar strings aren't called cords, the Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame is not the same as the Christopher Walken character, Natalie Portman wasn't Carrie Fisher's mother, guitar amplifiers shouldn't have iPod docks, Chuggo isn't the greatest white rapper of all time, King David did not compose Song of Solomon for [Bath]sheba while playing with plastic dolphins in his tub, the Shure 55SH does not make everyone sound like Elvis, there was no blues harp player named Cripple Kiwi Fillmore, etc.}

Also, I don't think I ever attempted the whole word in the vidoe, I got hung up on the first syllable Oh, and that's also not my real speaking voice

That was actually a nice Irish-made bodhran, but the head is shot. I can't stand real skin heads (as opposed to skinheads), when I get around to it that's getting replaced with a Remo Fiberskyn, I don't care if it's traditional or not!

 

[mshilarious]

If MSH can pimp his own thread, just for Telepaul here is the latest in tele technology. I did a few and have one the same with chrome fittings I am going to gig with this weekend because I took the chance to build one just for me this time.

I'm guessing that body wood cost more than $20

Hey, where's the Bigsby?

 

[TelePaul]

That was actually a nice Irish-made bodhran, but the head is shot. I can't stand real skin heads (as opposed to skinheads), when I get around to it that's getting replaced with a Remo Fiberskyn, I don't care if it's traditional or not!

You mean it's worn? Or does it need to be re-tensioned? It's good you got a nice one...they're pricey over here and mostly aimed at tourists (massive guiness logos etc)

Man, 32-20 Blues is missing the best thread...I think he took the skin off one of his bodhrans to make a drum.

 

[mshilarious]

You mean it's worn? Or does it need to be re-tensioned?

Needs re-tensioning. Natural skins are better for a climate like yours; even living at the coast here is too much variation. It's like, oh it's autumn I can play the bodhran again. So if I'm going to the trouble to pull 30 tacks, it's getting a synthetic head!

 

[muttley600]

Wow...just...wow. Looks incredible. Can you give me a break-down of the spec? Interesting finish too, I presume the wood is stained? Have you considered a brass bridge-plate like the Andy Summers Tele? do you wind your own pickups?

And finally, if it's not too much to ask, how much does one of those go for? Feel free to PM if you'd prefer.

And congrats man, congrats!

Maple body, capped with quilted maple and bound with walnut.
The neck is flame maple set not bolted with a single action rod set at the body join.
14" radius board and the whole thing finished in clear nitro no staining anywhere all natural.
Hardware is Gotoh bridge and Kluson tuners. The Pickups are hand made by a place not far from me. Not cheap but simply the best. I do wind my own on occasion but only for unusual stuff. All dimensions are pretty much standard fender

I don't build many solid bodies so I haven't played around with bridge alternatives the Gotoh stuff is pretty much my first choice. The spec on this was entirely down to the guy that commissioned it so I couldn't really fiddle too much. I do have another one as I said that I might try stuff out on if I get the time but first I want to get her out and playing. As to cost now I'm jigged up and have the required jigs you'd be looking at about 1.6K adjusted for hardware choice and finish. Solid body a bit off that.

 

[muttley600]

I'm guessing that body wood cost more than $20

Just a tad over, add a zero and you'd be closer.

Hey, where's the Bigsby?

I'm sending it over to metalhead so he can put it on your block constructed Neapolitan style flowery guitar.

 

[ausrock]

Firstly, I'll apologise to MSH for interrupting his thread. Secondly, I think it's great that his daughter has the interest in instrument building especially a ukelele.

My first stringed instrument was a '50s Kamaka pineapple uke which I still have although it really needs to be "rebuilt". My parents, hoping I'd stop bugging them for a guitar, bought it for me around '60.

Excellent. What do you have planned. Any help or advice just ask.

Working off Benedetto's book and plans. My aim is to stick as close as possible to a "traditional" style jazz/archtop........something I've wanted to do for a long time. Should I have the opportunity to build a second (or more), then I'll probably do something a bit more "contemporary" with Aust., timbers. Just ordered Euro Spruce wedges for the top which should be here within the week. Dollars allowing, back and sides will be figured Maple.

At one stage or another I'll probably start a thread about it and many thanks for the offer of help, etc............I'm doing this at a local guitar making "school" although a lot of the work will be done at home so I may contact you for advice .

Cheers,

ChrisO

 

[mshilarious]

Hey, free and open thread for all! Guitar/uke building, Youtube, Jesse Michael Garcia, whatever you like!

Anybody have any thoughts for maple as a solidbody material? Weight?

 

[skiscem]

Hey, free and open thread for all! Guitar/uke building, Youtube, Jesse Michael Garcia, whatever you like!

Anybody have any thoughts for maple as a solidbody material? Weight?

well, rickenbacker basses have a solid maple body, and they are alittle on the bright sounding side, i have another bass made of rock maple... very whimpy sounding and almost no sustain, i guess maple is way to hard and doesnt like to resonate with the strings.
What about Swamp Ash, beautiful grain and my favorite wood on basses and guitar

 

[muttley600]

Hey, free and open thread for all! Guitar/uke building, Youtube, Jesse Michael Garcia, whatever you like!

Anybody have any thoughts for maple as a solidbody material? Weight?

Maple is fine for a tonewood. It does have a touch more treble or top end than the generic mahogany or other hardwoods. You stick a mahogany neck on it and you hardly notice the difference. Weight is the biggest factor which is why the one I pictured is chambred and built thinline style. The weight of that one came in at around 5lb without hardware. The sound is classic tele.

 

[muttley600]

well, rickenbacker basses have a solid maple body, and they are alittle on the bright sounding side, i have another bass made of rock maple... very whimpy sounding and almost no sustain, i guess maple is way to hard and doesnt like to resonate with the strings.
What about Swamp Ash, beautiful grain and my favorite wood on basses and guitar

Maple is plenty good enough at "resonating" or colouring the strings vibration which is what we are talking about here. It is also perfectly good at vibrating when excited by a string. If you want proof have a look at the preferred wood for the backs sides and necks of violin family instruments for the last 450 years and before that on Viola da Gamba. It is no better or worse than other timbers it is just different. Around 90% of the archtops I build have maple back and sides as well as maple necks. They work just fine.

 

[muttley600]

Working off Benedetto's book and plans. My aim is to stick as close as possible to a "traditional" style jazz/archtop........something I've wanted to do for a long time. Should I have the opportunity to build a second (or more), then I'll probably do something a bit more "contemporary" with Aust., timbers. Just ordered Euro Spruce wedges for the top which should be here within the week. Dollars allowing, back and sides will be figured Maple.

At one stage or another I'll probably start a thread about it and many thanks for the offer of help, etc............I'm doing this at a local guitar making "school" although a lot of the work will be done at home so I may contact you for advice .

Cheers,

ChrisO

Benedetto's book is a good starting point and his plans and method will build a fine guitar. There are alternative approaches to a lot of the stuff in there and in some places it is a bit vague such as the method for determining the isolines for the arch. Just yell when you get there and good luck. It's a very rewarding thing to do and I bet you can't make just one. Once you start your hooked.

 

[skiscem]

Maple is plenty good enough at "resonating" or colouring the strings vibration which is what we are talking about here. It is also perfectly good at vibrating when excited by a string. If you want proof have a look at the preferred wood for the backs sides and necks of violin family instruments for the last 450 years and before that on Viola da Gamba. It is no better or worse than other timbers it is just different. Around 90% of the archtops I build have maple back and sides as well as maple necks. They work just fine.

I dont dislike maple, its just a very different sounding wood, i understand it has been used on facings, but he is asking about a solid body, that changes the character from just being a facing to being a solid piece.

 

[32-20-Blues]

Tell him to get his self over here soon we miss the old git.

I'm here!

That uke kit is great. I'm just trying to psych myself up to put the bridge on. Other stuff got in the way of me finishing it, but I think I'll go back to it now.

Regarding bodhrans - they're nasty, unpredictable, needlessly expensive little instruments. I have a very nice one that I got on clearance because the skin was discoloured, but as MSH rightly points out, maintaining constant tension in a natural skin head is a pain in the ass. (I presume you know the tricks of the atomiser of water, and holding it over a radiator, right?)

 

[muttley600]

I dont dislike maple, its just a very different sounding wood, i understand it has been used on facings, but he is asking about a solid body, that changes the character from just being a facing to being a solid piece.

Please explain in understandable terms what you are claiming.

See my comments earlier and also the pic of the tele I posted.

 

[muttley600]

I'm here!

That uke kit is great. I'm just trying to psych myself up to put the bridge on. Other stuff got in the way of me finishing it, but I think I'll go back to it now.

Regarding bodhrans - they're nasty, unpredictable, needlessly expensive little instruments. I have a very nice one that I got on clearance because the skin was discoloured, but as MSH rightly points out, maintaining constant tension in a natural skin head is a pain in the ass. (I presume you know the tricks of the atomiser of water, and holding it over a radiator, right?)

Good to see you back and don't leave it so long next time. And get that uke finished. The bridge is no problem on those.

I hope your not addressing the bodhran comments at me. I hate the things. They are in todays hands played and sold almost exclusively to people who think it would be a fantastic idea to join in a session without the need to learn an instrument. The tenor banjo of the traditional music world. The best sign I've seen recently was at my local that has a weekly session. "No dirty boots or bodhrans, Irish welcome"

 

[mshilarious]

Regarding bodhrans - they're nasty, unpredictable, needlessly expensive little instruments. I have a very nice one that I got on clearance because the skin was discoloured, but as MSH rightly points out, maintaining constant tension in a natural skin head is a pain in the ass. (I presume you know the tricks of the atomiser of water, and holding it over a radiator, right?)

Water is great in the wintertime, but again the summertime climate isn't conducive to radiators--since you have to have AC, everybody has forced-air heat as well. therefore no radiators. And I don't really want to turn on the heat in the summertime! The skin today is completely flaccid. I suppose it's a good hydrometer, that's about it.

Hot today--33C, 35C on the mainland!

I find the bodhran sit-in player problem is well solved by only being capable of playing the instrument on the one!