4 string mando/ukes

[pelone]

Two new projects that I completed this past month( numbers 16 and 17). Modified a 1935 Martin uke plan by widening the body and increasing the size by roughly 12% using a photo copier--this takes the scale to 15 inches but no problem tuning to normal mando GDAE. I softened the curve at the waist to give a nicer profile. Have tried using nylon concert uke strings and they were fine--just prefer the sound of the J-74's that seem to recruit much better tone on the bottom and more volume.

The one on the left in the first picture has a camphor back with a spruce top, quilted maple sides and walnut neck with walnut binding.

The instrument on the right in the first picture has book-matched redwood front and back with eastern holly binding. The neck is tiger maple and the sides are quilted maple. The fret board is purple heart. Both have modified banjo tailpieces from Stewart-Mc Donald and Grover tuning machines.

Comments appreciated.

[Jake Wildwood]

Cool stuff. These look very 1950s European to me, like something you'd see in the fancier Framus and Hofner models. I'll bet they sound 10x better though...

[Jim Garber]

I assume that these both have induced arched tops? Also, I was wondering why you extended the fretboard over the top if there were not to be any frets on that. I would think that you would have more top to vibrate without that extension.

[pelone]

Both the tops and backs have induced arch--perhaps more than appears in the photo. The extended fret board does not have frets (which I considered only necessitated by dictums of cosmetics) because I personally do not play above the 12th fret. The next one I build will have a floating fret board extension as I am interested in what this does to recruit volume and tone. also, by establishing about three degrees of climb at the juncture of neck and body will facilitate a bit more height above the top to generate more downward force of the bridge and perhaps, increase volume. However, based on earlier posts on this site, it seems that very little if any dramatic things are even generated in the upper bouts of guitars, so I saw nothing wrong with gluing the fret board extension to the top.

The building of these critters has become a bit addictive- every son, daughter, grand child has one now and I am running out of family for which to give them.

[Ed Goist]

Beautiful! Very well done.
What radius arch have you induced on the tops & backs?
I can't wait to see the 23" scale version tuned in octave mandolin GDAE!

[Tim2723]

Beautiful workmanship! Congratulatons.

[billhay4]

Cool instruments and nice wood in those. Mind if I ask where you got it?
Bill

[pelone]

I salvaged the redwood burl material from the Pacific Ocean about ten years ago off of a beach in Bandon, Oregon. The camphor and quilted maple and eastern holly for the binding was gotten from Gilmer Woods in Portland, Oregon. Again--the induced arch on the front and backs are actually pronounced but do not appear so much in the photos. I have, perhaps, over-built them a bit but did so with the intention of using J-74's to drive the tops. Two of my kids have put concert ukulele strings on theirs but to me sound a bit whimpy.