anyone make ukes?

[kjbllc]

any info on making a uke would be appreciated . thanks

[ProfChris]

I make ukes. But you'll need to ask more specific questions, otherwise you're inviting me to write a book.

If you join ukulelecosmos.com (may take a wait to be approved, as that board is currently short of moderators to distinguish real people from spam bots) there are several threads by me and others detailing how we do it.

Also lots of information at ukukleleunderground.com.

Then come back and ask questions of the mandolin guys, because they might have interesting ideas.

There's no "standard" uke, or standard way to build one, so you have to decide what you're aiming at first.

[G7MOF]

For instance, I have a Ukulele Bass!!!

[k0k0peli]

I now own a dozen 'uke-like objects ranging from an ancient banjo-'uke to a 12-steel-string thingy, in soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone sizes. I plan to build more -- well, it's more like I'll bolt necks from salvaged 'ukes onto various bodies -- tambourines for more banjo-'ukes, a fiddle body for a violele, a ham can for a resonator 'uke, etc. See Indestructables.Com for many plans on building both normal and franken'ukes. And see the luthiers' forum at Ukulele Underground for knowledgable folks. Good luck!

[Rodney Riley]

Look for Hoffman Lutherie (former Boat Paddle Ukelele Company) in New Haven MO. Love his M-style Ukes. Same shape he made my Nylon stringed Mando. NFI. Just love his work. Some of his build techniques are very interesting.

[Londy]

Collings makes a good quality like.

[CeeCee_C]

I am working on my first ever build, which happens to be a uke, for my spousal unit.

I've collected a whole mess of information, which I need to organize before sharing. In the meantime, here are are a few things that I think might help.

1. www.ukuleleunderground.com is roughly equivalent to our own online community. I joined and spent some time browsing. In the process of doing so, I stumbled upon...

2. www.grellier.fr - a luthier who, according to pundits at ukeunderground, has a free single page pdf of plans for the original Martin soprano uke. I had a local printshop make some copies for me and it seems to be to scale.

3. Mya-Moe is a well respected builder of ukuleles in the Seattle area. They produced a series of over 100 Youtube videos, the series being entitled "Birth of a Mya-Moe". Here's the URL for the first episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trSbJQXP7uo. I found this series to be well worth the time I spent watching and answered any number of newbie questions.

Hope you find these bits of information to be of some use.

[David Newton]

Get an old uke, something disposable, and take it apart. You should be able to figure it out from that.

[kjbllc]

thanks for all the info.. kevin

[Sandy Beckler]

any info on making a uke would be appreciated . thanks

Kamaka Ukuleles Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.kamakahawaii.com/

If you are ever in Honolulu...by all means do the tour. Small informal, given by one of the family members ours was with Fred Kamaka.

Sandy

[mandolinplucker]

I built a stew mac soprano kit and a scratch maple/spruce tenor. Both were built as gifts for my son and granddaughter. Both turned out pretty and playable. The intonation was a hair off on both of them. That is the reason that I have not tried to build a guitar. You get one chance to glue the bridge on correctly. You just have to be a couple of thousands off and it won't play in tune. Not that big of a deal for those who know what they are doing but I am not one who knows. Mandolins and fiddles have movable bridges so even I couldn,t screw up placement.