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Been working on this a while. A friend asked me to make a uke and when I asked if I could build anything I want, he said yes.

:0

Very nice!
How did you arch the top and back?
Nice laminated neck.
What wood was used?

I am trying for similar results using an eight foot radius dish but my results are less effective.

Bob

Thanks Bob. I carved the top and back like a very thin mandolin or guitar, just kind of eyeballed the curves and used the shape of roughly a Martin concert size body. No bracing except a patch to reinforce under the bridge.

Thats a sitka top, flame maple back and sides, mahogany neck, pau fero headstock overlay, fretboard and tail piece, an ebony bridge and plastic binding. I finished it with EM7000 and blue and black trans tint dye.

Ray

Very nice work. How would you compare the sound to a standard ukulele sound?

Beautiful ! Sound clip Video PLEASE

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Thanks guys. I think this has a bit more percussive sound than flat top ukes, but still sounds like one overall. The top and back are somewhere between .060 and .080 inch thick and the back vibrates a lot when strumming.

I'm not a player but I'm pretty certain it will sound better in the hands of someone who can play. I did a little video but don't really have a way to upload it. If I figure it out later I'll post.

Ray

That's cool, Raymond. John D'Angelico made at least one arch top uke, too. Perhaps you've seen a picture of it. It's featured in the book ACQUIRED OF THE ANGELS. I don't believe there was any commentary regarding internal bracing on his. Yours is only the second one I can recall having seen anywhere. I'd say your friend was both smart and lucky when he said "yes".
Patrick

Carving at that thickness sounds scary.
I have to be careful at that thickness using my drum sander.

Bob

Thanks Patrick. No I haven't seen the book yet. I keep meaning to pick up a copy but never seem to get around to it. I've seen a few like this around on the internet though not many examples really.

Ray

It was scary for me. But I just carved the outside first, then marked the depth of the inside face with a drill-press set to about 3/32" before carving. I worked with forstner bit, scraper, plane and chisel until I lost my nerve then switched to a 5" random orbit sander to even things out. Then I kept going back and forth with that until I felt like I went a smidge too far. I'm actually pretty stoked the whole thing didn't collapse under tension.

That is a lot of work to achieve what you have.
I am impressed.

Bob