Treble Viol

I have begun making a Treble Viol under the instruction of Renate Fink.

Uke building has slowed a bit lately...

Things have been a little slow on the uke building front as of late.  At the begining of this year I started working as a self employed upholsterer,  which has taken up most of my space and time in the workshop.  I do hope to get some new ukuleles underway again soon.  In the meantime why not have a look at my upholstery work?

Visit My New Upholstery Blog to see examples of work in progress and learn more about the craft of traditional upholstery.

Cigar Box Soprano

This cigar box was completed before the Dodge Brothers uke, but I've only just got some decent photos.

Cedar top, nice bright, springy sound.

Electric Uke Finished

Electric Uke

The body is made from Ash, the stripy grain hides the joins between the pieces.  The frets are pressed directly into the neck Hawaiian style.  This will have steel strings and a magnetic pickup, not quite a ukulele any more, but may sound interesting.

Dodge Brothers Uke, Complete

Several coats of Tru-Oil later, it's finished...

Dodge Brothers Ukulele, Nearly Finished!

Here it is.  This is probably my best so far in terms of fit and finish, sounds great too.  Just needs a few more coats of Tru-Oil and it will be finished... This one is going to The Dodge Brothers, check them out at their website.

Installing The Frets, Installing Pickup

The Pickup will be glued to the soundboard before the box is closed.

In The Local Paper.

There is a feature in the current Salisbury Journal about my ukulele Building exploits.  The lovely Anne Morris and Tom Gregory came and spent some time in the workshop.  I talked them through my process of building ukuleles and showed them around the workshop.

The article is also available online:

http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/leisure/entertainments/9250695.Crafting_music/

Making The Neck

Having cut the fret slots I began to rough out the shape of the neck....

Using a rasp to rough profile the neck....

Planing the headstock flat....

The neck is now ready for fretting....

Cigar Box Soprano, Bracing The Top

Soundhole cut, top ready for bracing...

Douglas Fir braces glued in place, Cherry bridge plate.

Cigar Box Soprano, Continued

I've selected a lovely piece of American Cherry for the neck.  The plans show the scale of the neck.  This will be a 14" scale, slightly larger than my normal sopranos.

I've changed my mind on the top, abandoning the Cedar for a piece of English Cherry.  It will be rather more hard-wearing and will be a better match for the Cherry neck!

Cigar Box Soprano, Continued

I've removed the top of the box, tidied up the joints and glued the lid shut...

Top of Western Red Cedar being planed to thickness.

Next Project...

This battered old Henri Wintermans box will soon be a lovely soprano cigar box ukulele.

I'm going to try an English cherry top this time...

Cigar Box Soprano

Another cigar box uke under way, soprano scale this time.  American Cherry neck, island style with no separate fretboard.

Cigar Box Sopranino, Nearly Finished...

This is serial no. 4 and my second cigar box uke.  Western red cedar top, laburnum fretboard, sapele neck and ash bridge.  Sopranino scale.  Sounds fantastic in D tuning.

Finished!

The second pineapple strung and set up, resting on No.1.

These are currently for sale, looking for £350 each plus postage.

Labels...

Finally - I've sorted out my label design and printed it onto some lovely acid-free parchment, looks lovely.  Serial numbers (if I can call them that) are handwritten onto the label.  The font is Eccentric Standard, designed in 1881, it has a great arts & crafts vibe.

2nd Pineapple Finished!

Finished!  Just need to put the tuners back on and string him up.  Expect a video soon...

Closing the box