Official Luthiers Forum!

Well after a hiatus from some frustration ( and an ugly neck or 2) I am giving up on scratch building my ukulele. I am breaking down and buying one of the semi finished kits ( side pre bent but not boxed) anyone have any experience with these? I know woodcraft and stew mac have on as well as Hana lima ia they look to be all the same kit.

Thanks I will keep plugging away but maybe on something a bit easier

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Hi Zac,

I'm in middle of building me a Small Jmbo kit with sides pre-bent. I got my kit from Bluescreek but Stewmac, LMII, and other places carry them too. The kit I recieved did not come with plan or video but does come great customer service from John.

Initially I was leaning towards a scratch build too but decided to stick with this kit ater speaking to Todd Stock(member on this forum). Well I'm glad I did because I don't know if I can bare to add any more challange to what I already have with this kit. Not to mention I can actually see enough progress to keep me motivated. I don't know if my patience or motivation level can handle month(s) of carving necks, bending sides, making fingerboard slots etc etc etc.

Depends on how this one goes, I am going to attempt scratch or #2.

So far, I'm lovin it!

David

Zac- If I can actually get that "Wicked Sharp"(tm) #5 to you, would it inspire you to keep building?mt

Zac- If I can actually get that "Wicked Sharp"(tm) #5 to you, would it inspire you to keep building?mt

I understand how you feel, and I think you are wise to recognize that you are in over your head. Here is a website with lots of kits, I know they have a uke kit, as well as guitar and harp kits- http://www.larkinthemorning.com

Check with seller ASAA on ebay. He'll have some Uke kits
(Martin parts) very soon.......lovely curly Koa.
You can PM me for his email.

Well.....couldnt hurt I have just had alot on my plate and my work space was a mess (cleaning and rebuilding my main work area right now) I need to find some wood workers in my area so I can learn some elementary woodworking. Im not giving up on building just scratch..for now when I get some woodwork skills I will try again I just hate to ruin some nice would with my ham hands

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Hang in there Buddy and do what works best for you.

I haven't had a kit from John at Blues Creek Guitars, but I can second that he provides excellent customer service.

He'll do what he can to answer any questions that you might have.

Good luck!

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Thanks,
Blain

http://www.ullrichguitar.com

"89.67% of all statistics are made up on the spot."

Zak,

I understand how you feel. My skills, tools, and space are quite limited. Before I took the Hana Lima building school I hadn't worked with wood since the 7th grade. However, I left the school with a lot of knowledge and the most important thing I learned is that almost anything is repairable. Of course the OLF has taught me that even the pro builder has difficulties but they are most likely repaired.

Do you have the Hana Lima 'Ia ukulele construction manual? If you don't have one then I would highly recommend it. The manual is basically their 10 week building school in book form. It has photos and leads you in an organized step by step in the building process. Before you give up on scratch building you may want to consider getting the manual.

All those kit you speak of are the same kit. I would purchase from either Stew Mac because it is a sponsor here or from Hana Lima who sponsors the other forum you frequent.

I bought an early kit before I took the Hana Lima School. Only recently have I been building it. The quality of the parts is only ok. Maybe the newer kits are of better quality. My kit had the back and the top cut really close to the plans. In fact, the back was cut too short and I had to have it replaced. I also had to do some repair work on the head and tail blocks including gluing a strip of wood to give enough size. However, the neck was pre made and the sides were bent. Mine is pretty much ready to go as soon as I attach the neck. Time, time, time, it’s like money just never enough of it.

Best of luck

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Hey Zack, I know how you feel ,another option might be just to buy a neck , premade, and other parts you are having trouble with making from scratch .
I have been working with wood tools all my life, I built my first guitar with a master, and I am so happy I had a kit waiting here for me when I returned . the kit had a premade neck and a serviced top . and it has still been the woodworking challenge of my life to get all the parts together . I knew trying to make a neck from scratch and do a rosette, would be too difficult and most likly overwhelming . it has been 9 monthes now , and I think I am ready to put it all together very soon . . i will probably build at least a dozen before I try to make a neck . good luck .. let your heart lead you buddy! jody

For $100.00 bucks I'd just get the kit and be done with it. Its still a chore but once you have the box together, its almost done. That way you get the feel for building without the nitty gritty details.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Thanks for the advice guys! If anyone ofered a serviced kit I would check it out but I think I am going with the stew mac one. I do have the Hana lima ia book as well as 2 others and one on classical. After ruining 2 koa necks I will come back to scratch later I have a twin soprano baritone set in redwood and walnut burning to jump off the paper and be built but more experience before sawdust

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Neck profiles are overthought alot of times, It may help if they were faceted at first, with a 5 1/4 or so plane. Stop thinking in circles, think in pentagons then octagons. This was a trial test and it went pretty fast. You could do the same thing with a rasp, but go on a set angle, and check the angle alot in strong light.

Knock off the next set of "points" and you've got a pretty close neck off straight lines.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I