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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:16 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
I don't normally post builds, but since I VERY rarely do hardwood tops, I thought I'd share one that's following my recent direction of "simple", but not necessarily easy.

And here's a sample vid.
https://vimeo.com/175416845


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Last edited by Aaron O on Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:02 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:30 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Lovely golden hues! Well done on the uke, too!

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:33 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:42 am
Posts: 1135
Location: Hudson, MA
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Quine
City: Hudson
State: MA
Country: Usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Gorgeous ukulele. That Koa is stunning
I'm not sure I'd call anything with a bound headstock "simple". That's just tastefully understated


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 1:04 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:50 pm
Posts: 2246
Location: Seattle WA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Nice tone! Do you know how the audio was recorded?

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:23 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Thanks guys.

Pat, Andrew records it "dry", in a room, nothing special other than his mic, which I believe is a good condensor. You may be able to see it if uou search Vimeo for Hawaii Music Supply.

Ukulele Friend also does good audio samples, with the vid shot in the studio.


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:08 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Quine wrote:
Gorgeous ukulele. That Koa is stunning
I'm not sure I'd call anything with a bound headstock "simple". That's just tastefully understated

You know, it took me a LONG LONG time to figure out how to effectively, accurately bind the headstock and fretboard, when there is no gap because the nut is in the fretboard.

Suffice to say, besides the bwb purfling miter, I need to "make" the headstock binding go "into" the fretboard binding. I'm getting better at pulling off that joint.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:23 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Update on the recordings: Stereo pair of Shoeps CMC6.



These users thanked the author Aaron O for the post: Pmaj7 (Fri Jul 22, 2016 12:02 am)
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:03 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:42 pm
Posts: 1701
First name: John
Last Name: Parchem
City: Seattle
State: Wa
Zip/Postal Code: 98177
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Wonderful looking ukulele. Inspiring for me; your choice of trim woods, your bridge design, your head stock design and the attention to detail throughout really set your work off.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:39 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Thanks John. "Inspiring" is a heavy word, much appreciated.

And I recently redid my bridge to a much simpler design, without negative effects as the footprint is a little larger than what I used to do.

I know Andrew does a good job of showing the wood with his pics, and not highlighting the glare. Oddly enough, in not showing the glare, the images don't show how much work was done to gloss the finish. I think the vid shows it a little, but even then, you can't really tell.

Just realized, and nobody asked, but here are the specs:
Top/back/sides. Koa
Neck Spanish Cedar, Mortise & Tenon bolt on, Carbon Fiber Rod
Binding Rosewood
Bridge. Rosewood
Fretboard. Milo
Markers. Mother of Pearl
Rosette. Paua Abalone
Nut/Saddle. Tusq
Tuning Machines Hipshot closed geared
Finish Cardinal Gloss Lacquer
Strings. Savarez Alliance Normal Tension


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 7:47 pm 
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First name: Jay
Last Name: De Rocher
City: Bothell
State: Washington
Beautiful instrument! The rosewood binding looks great with the koa and I like your headstock shape. I've never seen a nut arrangement like that before. Is the piece of milo north of the nut a piece that's separate from the fretboard, or is the nut sitting in a recess in the fretboard?

It sounds great in the video and the audio quality is excellent. I looked up the mics and those are way more than I could justify, but they sure do record a nice sound.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:07 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Jay, you actually have seen a nut like that, more than likely - Fender.

There was a small discussion on the Underground about what this "solves" from a finishing perspective when the nut ends up between the fretboard and headstock veneer.

Truth be told, I didn't want to copy Fender, but oddly enough, most people don't make the connection. And the discussion was small because anyone who finishes an instrument where the nut goes in between the fretboard and headstock immediately knows the pro's of doing it like this.

Yours is the 2nd comment on binding, yet its the first time I've used Rosewood; I usually use Milo, or Koa (mostly). I have more that maybe I'll have to keep using.


Last edited by Aaron O on Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:43 am, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:25 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:47 pm
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First name: Jay
Last Name: De Rocher
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State: Washington
Aaron O wrote:
Jay, you actually have seen a nut like that, more than likely - Fender.


Ok, you got me there. :oops: I just went and looked at my Strat and sure enough....

I blame my failure to recognize it on the fact that on yours the nut ends are inset from the edges of the fretboard and the binding is visible from the top where it passes the nut. Even on Fender necks that are bound, the nut goes all the way to the edge.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:51 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
Posts: 376
Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
J De Rocher wrote:
Aaron O wrote:
Jay, you actually have seen a nut like that, more than likely - Fender.


Ok, you got me there. :oops: I just went and looked at my Strat and sure enough....

I blame my failure to recognize it on the fact that on yours the nut ends are inset from the edges of the fretboard and the binding is visible from the top where it passes the nut. Even on Fender necks that are bound, the nut goes all the way to the edge.

I was just about to comment the reason mine may look different because I run the binding on the outside.

If you do the "math", it has standard string spacing. This means the fretboard is actually wider than "standard" by about 1/8" (binding is about 1/16"). Yet, most comments about playability is "easy" and usually never anything about the width. In fact, I've had a few players try to figure out what makes it so easy to play. Fun stuff!



These users thanked the author Aaron O for the post: J De Rocher (Sat Jul 23, 2016 2:32 pm)
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