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Just strung this one up, still needs some final set up, but I'd thought I'd share since there seems to be some fun interest lately in building `ukulele. The owner just wanted something simple on it, so his daughter's name it is. I wanted to do more (since he's also a friend), but this is what he wanted. Old English seems to be the font of choice when it comes to local stuff, especially Hawaiian bracelets. This is actually the sister to the owner's first one from me, a Tiple, with the same woods, except 10 steel strings of course.

Oooo, that's a pretty little thing!
I love maple, and your looks lovely.
Now, what's up with the peghead? Looks like expensive plywood?
And what sort of neck shaft/peghead joint did you come up with?

More details... need more!

Steve

P.S.--Oh yes, and treat us to a view of the back, while I'm asking favors!

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http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Hi Aaron.
What's a guy in Hawaii doing building ukes?
That maple looks like it is melting butter, neat.
Congrats!

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Gorgeous. We need more photos of the body wood. That maple looks hot
How about the head stock? Is that a laminated head that's butt jointed on the neck??

David, you would think I would've done more inlay since I got a whole bunch of bits available to me. . .

Anyway, here's more pics, as requested.



Okay, the headstock. This is the third one I've done this way, the first being my prototype Tiple, the second being another Tiple, that is the sister to this 4-string (same owner).


Laminated? Yes. Expensive plywood? Technically, yes (Koa laminations). Joint? None.

Here's the thought process on this one (I did this for the Tiple, originally):
If the objective of doing a scarf joint (other than saving wood) is to keep the grain as straight as possible in the headstock to avoid runout (I've seen broken Tiple heads), AND supposedly the glue joint is stronger than the wood itself, why not combine both.

Yeah, that's the story, and I'll stick with it. Actually, I think it looks cool, and everyone asks about it when they see it. No one could figure out the first one I did because I put "wings" on the outside of the headstock to widen it (so you couldn't see it from the sides), and you could only see the laminations from the end, and near the neck "joint" from underneath.

I call it the "Kenny B. headstock", and I thought I'd repeat it again for his 2nd build. The Kenny B. headstock is not for the single side, its for the laminations (can you imagine a Tiple with 10 tuning machines on one side).

I don't think I'll see this too often - its a big PITA to do. If I didn't have my Hitachi, this wouldn't have been born.

I think it is great Aaron!
The headstock is an innovation, which doesn't come around real often, and that quilt is nothing short of fantastic.

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[quote="Aaron Oya"]



OK! That's what I'm talkin' about. That's gorgeous.
Thanks for the fix.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[quote="Aaron Oya"]




OK, and this one's just clever.
So you cut a bunch of kerfs in the end of the neck shaft, into which you glued the Koa veneers...right?
But you would have to bend the sandwich into that peghead angle and let the glue set it to that angle...right?

No worries, I have NO intention of doing this. I can see the PITA factor. Just trying to envision your engineering process here.

Again, thanks for the pics. Most inspiring.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve,

Yes, and yes. Actually, I just smash it in the jig that I use to glue together scarf joints.

As for stealing the design, I'm sure someone somewhere is going to do this. Be nice if it got referred back to me (small way of saying I actually did something with my builds. . .).

Oh, did I mention how incredibly stiff that joint is, especially with the CF rod inside?

This one (and the one on the Tiple) is definitely for show (with Maple and Koa). The first Tiple I did this on has a Mahogany neck, with Koa laminations. That was more for function, than form (okay, I did have to use Koa, didn't I?).

The slotted headstock may look TOO cheesy with all those laminations, so I'm not sure if I'm going there, unless its a Tiple, of course.

Thanks Aaron.
Yes, I can just see some baggage handler trying his best to break off that head.
Only to smash his own knee, or ruin his forklift, while the Uke remains intact.
Bring it ON!

Good work, mate.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com