@@customukuleles I only wish I had the funds right now. I've been trying to teach myself how to build ukuleles, with the assistance of your videos, and I've spent way too much towards that goal. Maybe some day I'll purchase one from you if I decide building is not for me.
@@red58impala I would respectfully ask - Do you have any prior woodworking experience? If so that is helpful. If you have never built a ukulele and want to get started I would recommend getting a kit from StewMac or someplace similar. With a kit you would see the basic construction and wouldn’t have to bend the sides, make the bridge or cut fret slots. I’m also willing to help you along the process if you would like. If you are anywhere near the Corvallis, Oregon area I invite you to come to my shop and I could give you some first hand tips. I spend anywhere from 80 to 100 hours building a ukulele from start to finish depending on the design. Also feel free to email me if you would like a more private conversation - oliverpijoanukulele@gmail.com .
@@customukuleles Thank you for the generous offer to help and let me drop in to your workshop. I do wish you we were closer geographically. I'm down near Jacksonville, FL so there won't be any unannounced visits from me 🙂. I'm sure I will drop you an email at some point. I do have some woodworking experience. Not as much as I would like, but I do have some. I'm primarily a hand tool woodworker so thicknessing the back/sides/top will be the biggest challenge for me, at least to start. I won't lie, I would love to have a drum sander. I might build one and use my lathe as the platform for it. I'm gathering the materials to make my molds and forms. I'm expecting my first few builds to be questionable at best, but I'll keep going. I've had two Stewmac kits and both have had some issues. The sides were so twisted bad enough I was concerned it would introduce unnecessary forces in the body so I sent it back. The kit I'm working on now is OK, but it has issues as well. Even though the kit is frustrating at times, I'm staying positive because I'm learning how to work around those issues to make a completed product, plus I'm learning new skills. It'll make me angry and I'll take a break from it for a while, then get back to it. I have a few braces left for the top and then I'll be ready to start closing up the body. I made a mold for it, instead of the L-brackets/plywood they recommend, and I'm going to drill some holes along the mold, per your suggestions in another video, so I can use my spool clamps to close it up. I have not built a go-bar deck yet.
That is just stunning! May I enquire what you used for the soundboard? I’m normally quite good at identifying woods but it seems to have a shade similar to spruce but figuring I’ve only really seen with sinker redwood....I thought yellow cedar but I’ve never seen it with such figuring....put an old guitar and ukulele wood fanatic out of his misery? 😂
Thank you for your interest - the top is commonly known as Port Orford cedar, which is also known as Lawson’s cypress. I have a friend who goes into old logging sites and finds incredible tone woods in old stumps. This top is probably close to 100 years old and was thus sustainably acquired.
Now that is drop dead gorgeous, tip of the hat to you sir.
Thank you! It is available . . . .
What a stunning ukulele.
Thank you, it is available. . .
@@customukuleles I only wish I had the funds right now. I've been trying to teach myself how to build ukuleles, with the assistance of your videos, and I've spent way too much towards that goal.
Maybe some day I'll purchase one from you if I decide building is not for me.
@@red58impala I would respectfully ask - Do you have any prior woodworking experience? If so that is helpful. If you have never built a ukulele and want to get started I would recommend getting a kit from StewMac or someplace similar. With a kit you would see the basic construction and wouldn’t have to bend the sides, make the bridge or cut fret slots. I’m also willing to help you along the process if you would like. If you are anywhere near the Corvallis, Oregon area I invite you to come to my shop and I could give you some first hand tips. I spend anywhere from 80 to 100 hours building a ukulele from start to finish depending on the design. Also feel free to email me if you would like a more private conversation - oliverpijoanukulele@gmail.com .
@@customukuleles Thank you for the generous offer to help and let me drop in to your workshop. I do wish you we were closer geographically. I'm down near Jacksonville, FL so there won't be any unannounced visits from me 🙂. I'm sure I will drop you an email at some point.
I do have some woodworking experience. Not as much as I would like, but I do have some. I'm primarily a hand tool woodworker so thicknessing the back/sides/top will be the biggest challenge for me, at least to start. I won't lie, I would love to have a drum sander. I might build one and use my lathe as the platform for it. I'm gathering the materials to make my molds and forms. I'm expecting my first few builds to be questionable at best, but I'll keep going.
I've had two Stewmac kits and both have had some issues. The sides were so twisted bad enough I was concerned it would introduce unnecessary forces in the body so I sent it back. The kit I'm working on now is OK, but it has issues as well. Even though the kit is frustrating at times, I'm staying positive because I'm learning how to work around those issues to make a completed product, plus I'm learning new skills. It'll make me angry and I'll take a break from it for a while, then get back to it.
I have a few braces left for the top and then I'll be ready to start closing up the body. I made a mold for it, instead of the L-brackets/plywood they recommend, and I'm going to drill some holes along the mold, per your suggestions in another video, so I can use my spool clamps to close it up. I have not built a go-bar deck yet.
That is just stunning! May I enquire what you used for the soundboard? I’m normally quite good at identifying woods but it seems to have a shade similar to spruce but figuring I’ve only really seen with sinker redwood....I thought yellow cedar but I’ve never seen it with such figuring....put an old guitar and ukulele wood fanatic out of his misery? 😂
Thank you for your interest - the top is commonly known as Port Orford cedar, which is also known as Lawson’s cypress. I have a friend who goes into old logging sites and finds incredible tone woods in old stumps. This top is probably close to 100 years old and was thus sustainably acquired.