Q418C enjo ukulele

enjo

My entry into the kit challenge.
I've built a partscaster before and that turned out great - it has me thinking of starting up my own business...

~~~~~~~~Wavy dream lines~~~~~~~~

I'm building beautiful hand crafted acoustics from a rural workshop only ever over looked by the local cattle/sheep.
My initial testing of the simple yet exquisitely beautiful instruments would be accompanied by the gentle bubbling of the stream that runs nearby. In the evening I sit just outside, able to simultaneously gaze in satisfaction at the days crafts and the beautiful Welsh rolling hills all the while sipping Jameson's from an unsuitable glass.
I think there is a spare tea cup somewhere if you'd like to join me?

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e5/7c/a2/e57ca267b3e17497a092b808dcda08da.jpg

 ~~~~~~~~Wavy dream lines~~~~~~~~ 

In the meantime I've busted the bank on this beauty:
https://www.shopbuilderpro.co.uk/imageServer/100108/products/1428484-main.jpg
From: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/StrummA-Ukulele-Uke-KIT-Easy-Self-Assembly-diy-byo-Basswood-UK-Stock/253600645024?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Just look at that neck joint! Phwoar.

The current plan is to sand it to remove any pore filling, dye & tru oil for finish and assemble it without too many modifications.

Just need to come up with a suitable 'brand' for the headstock, I understand this is vitally important. 

paulnb57

Interesting kit...outstanding property!...

LuttiS

That is beautiful (the workshop, not so much the Uke ) Which part of Wales are you in?

enjo

The part in my imagination is somewhere around the Gower or perhaps a little further north. I'll take a picture of the real workshop I'll be working with later on to show the enormity of the difference.

Hopefully by the time I'm done with it the uke will be just as picturesque... Maybe. 

enjo

So son number two was born yesterday!
It gave me a lot of idle time in the hospital...

My original idea was a scaled down version of this:
http://www.kennysmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/martin-ceo-7.jpg

But f-holes and an arch top are a classic look so how about a scaled down version of this?:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e4/ae/8b/e4ae8beb7169e475e875841a09cba18e.jpg

I've ordered a new plank for the top so I can decide later. It's flat and not thick enough to carve so we'll see how that goes.

Do you think Stradivarius or Guarneri sound holes would be better for the delicate tones of the ukulele? Or perhaps something more alternative...

WezV

Congratulations!   

I really like the re-top for F-holes idea.

enjo

WezV said:

Congratulations!   

I really like the re-top for F-holes idea.

Thanks Wez, I got a whole hours sleep last night, using tools in this state may lead to dificulty playing the thing later on. Do you need the same amount of fingers to play the uke? 

WezV

You don’t need any for the first chord, and loads you can play with only one

enjo

Perfect! 

enjo

My branding idea was to go about finding a rural place name and use that... 
https://i.imgur.com/lo7sceb.png

Erm...
New idea, The Cwtch Guitar Company. 
CGC

Cwtch:

noun

WELSH

1. a cupboard or cubbyhole.
2. a cuddle or hug.
   

Perfect - a sound box is like a cubby hole and a hug is what I'll need when I muck things up. 

paulnb57

Cwtch is such a great word and makes perfect sense!

Is the Cottage in the image above a holiday let? It looks our kind of place.....

enjo

paulnb57 said:

Cwtch is such a great word and makes perfect sense!

Is the Cottage in the image above a holiday let? It looks our kind of place.....

Of course not, it's the Cwtch Guitar Co headquarters!
...
I had googled 'beautiful Welsh barn' and picked it out. Apparently it is a holiday rental on a working farm in Snowdonia.
 

enjo

The Cwtch Guitar Company is pleased to announce the first model in the range, limited to just 1pcs world wide - the Geni - Welsh for birth according to my reliable source (Google translate).

So far I've spent more time translating Welsh words than I spent looking for the kit.

enjo

Geni's lovely ply top has arrived. It has flecks which seem to be in vouge for Q3-2108, I should put the price up.
https://i.imgur.com/HAqNCkJ.jpg

Lovely view out of the window this morning... What do you mean 'it's a painting'??

enjo

The rest of the John Mayer DIY kit has arrived!
https://i.imgur.com/h2YkRC2.jpg

enjo

So step one will be preparing Cwtch Guitar Co HQ for business.
https://i.imgur.com/Pyyoo8o.jpg
Preparing for son no2 meant it got a bit repurposed during redecorating a kitchen and a two bedrooms.

While I wait for a break in the weather let's have a look at the kit.

Body looks pretty good. All laminate but I didn't expect anything else (and will match the new top). 

https://i.imgur.com/zgUIg8R.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qDQQHPw.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/z6aMxGT.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5cUMfds.jpg

Neck is made up of a fair few parts! 
Headstock seems a bit off to me... 

https://i.imgur.com/vtUtCnp.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MACyEEf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/dMjb2mS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rTdMdXS.jpg

Fretboard is actually really nicely figured. 

https://i.imgur.com/k5oD31N.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Xhrh7mb.jpg

But doesn't fit the neck that well so will need some neck reshaping.

https://i.imgur.com/lqJbbi9.jpg

Nut and bridge look fine. 

https://i.imgur.com/reSW6xa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wOPL8iy.jpg

Tuners aren't bad either, I might have a go at aging the buttons. 

https://i.imgur.com/KFTmidT.jpg

Finally drew an outline on the top - I want to try and make a forming tool and bend the top then add braces to hold the shape. This could go terribly wrong!

https://i.imgur.com/VMYwESk.jpg

I'll be doing a dark dye near the top so it should hide the dark spots if I get to use this piece. 

Hopefully tomorrow I can do a couple of tip runs to empty the workshop.

Roland

enjo said:

The rest of the John Mayer DIY kit has arrived!
https://i.imgur.com/h2YkRC2.jpg

Reminds me of the hand positions in Picaso’s guitarist picture:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_guitarist_chicago.jpg

enjo

Perhaps I should do my own version - 'The Young Guitarist'

enjo

Some space has been created in the barn and we are ready to get luithereringy. We'll see some more of the facilities today. 

Due to the small scale of Cwtch Co and the fact the owner and managing director spent most of the last 3 weeks Cwtching the client for this build I decided to outsource the logo creation to a well renowned marketing company. 
 They have proposed the following logos for market research ... So which one do you like? 
A. 
https://i.imgur.com/BGpR126.jpg
Or

B. 
https://i.imgur.com/AFQa29f.jpg

On to the important bits!

For a Cwtch instrument this headstock was way too pointy.
https://i.imgur.com/EElQPZu.jpg
...
https://i.imgur.com/u411VCl.jpg
That's better!


I wanted to create an arch top and had some idea that you could form ply so I've had a go with some ideas that seemed like they would work and... It sort of did.

First step was to get the ply soaking in warm water to make it more malleable - I was going to do this for longer but the 'wet chamber' started leaking and threatened to cause water damage to the 'grounds maintenance building'.
https://i.imgur.com/EPLKbXp.jpg

While the top was soaking I made up my bending jig.
https://i.imgur.com/lhTT1lY.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YVg4Wac.jpg

Clamping it up slowly trying to keep even pressure...
https://i.imgur.com/LhzbgBP.jpg

Once tight it was on to the 'acoustic drying kiln'
https://i.imgur.com/7HRv2ut.jpg

It was looking great but started to show the squareness of my jig underneath so after a few hours I bottled it and took it out of the jig. Here's the underside showing where I should have put a radius on the 'bending bar'.
https://i.imgur.com/jxanNQm.jpg

The top is not massively domed but it has worked in both directions!
https://i.imgur.com/BfJbKNr.jpg

Now I need to work out if I need to brace it and how the f$%^ I'm going to cut it out and cut the sound holes (any suggestions welcome).


 

roundthebend

to cut the sound holes, use a saw. maybe draw a line with a pencil first, and try to follow it.
no idea about bracing, shouldn't be much more difficult than the cutting bit.

enjo

roundthebend said:

to cut the sound holes, use a saw. maybe draw a line with a pencil first, and try to follow it.
no idea about bracing, shouldn't be much more difficult than the cutting bit.

Do you have a pencil I can borrow?