Dave,
Sorry I've been slow in responding. Here are a few observations that I've found. But beware, this is the first uke I've built, and it is a concert sized uke.
1. I set the neck just like a guitar. For some reason, I had a slight curve on the top even though I glued my braces flat in the go-bar. This is how I set my neck angle...take a sliding bevel and have it extend all the way to the bridge location(you can do this on a smaller body, but a baritone may make you build your own sliding bevel that will reach). Move the sliding bevel until it contacts 1 1/2mm to 2mm above the sound board at the front of the bridge location(so there is a 2mm gap here). Transfer this reverse angle to your neck. This will give you the correct height of your bridge if you use a 5-6mm thick fingerboard. Obviously you can adjust this as necessary.
2. My action at the 12th fret is 2.5mm which is very low on a uke. Usually it is around 3mm, and books say 4-5mm. I can't even play it if it is over 3mm. So whatever works for you.
3. My neck joint was a simple 1 bolt insert into a butt jointed neck. Make sure you flatten the area of the neck before putting in the binding, so the neck joint is flat and true to the soundboard. You will get a much better looking joint, and it will be easier to fit.
4. My bridge was 5/16 tall, and my saddle was sticking up about 3/16" above the saddle. It was a little on the tall side, but this helped give it some power. Also, I used an old Martin style bridge. Since it was my first, I thought I would stick to tradition. But my next will probably be a pinned bridge.
Here are some questions I asked Edward Dick regarding compensation and neck angle:
Do you need to compensate for a uke?:
YOU ALWAYS NEED TO COMPENSATE A LITTLE BIT. FOR THE UKE I WOULD ADD APP 1MM (.040"). Maybe you can go 1.5mm for a baritone.
When I put the bridge on the uke and set a straight edge on top of the frets, should the straight edge be even with the top of the bridge, or should it be 1/16" higher than the top of the bridge?
IF ANYTHING IT SHOULD BE LOWER THAN THE BRIDGE BY 1/16 OR SO. TO CALCULATE START WITH THE HEIGHT OF ACTION YOU WANT AT THE 12TH FRET (IN THIS CASE 2-3MM) IF THE NECK ANGLE IS SET SO THAT A STRAIGHT EDGE HITS THE TOP
OF THE BRIDGE YOU NEED TO DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT FOR SADDLE HEIGHT AT THE BRIDGE. 5-6MM SADDLE AT THE BRIDGE IS A BIT TOO HIGH. IF YOU SET IT 1/16 ABOVE THE BRIDGE YOU WOULD NEED AN 8MM HIGH SADDLE - WAY TOO HIGH. THE BRIDGE
DESIGN DICTATES THAT 3 MM IS ABOUT RIGHT. ON GUITARS YOU ALSO HAVE TO FACTOR IN HOW STRING TENSION WILL MOVE THE TOP AND THE NECK BUT ON THE UKE THIS IS NEGLIGIBLE.
Here is a pic of my bridge before polishing it up:
Good luck, and can't wait to see it! You will love playing it, they really are fun.
Tracy
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). I have some small pieces of wood that have been looking at me sadly wanting to become a musical instrument and I have in mind a baritone uke.
