Official Luthiers Forum!

Not much to post, but I'd love to generate a little more traffic on the resonator side.

Pictured is the top to a concert ukulele resonator protoype. It's built around a National cone. Woods will all be curly cherry, perhaps with a curly maple binding and a walnut purfling.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of your project ... I've thought about making one of these ever since I picked up and played an old one from the 1930s.

Is your National cone the same one that Elderly instruments sells with a biscuit bridge?

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D..

I dropped the cone in and re-shot this morning.

This is the same cone that Elderly stocks. I picked it up directly from National before Elderly stocked it. National will sell most parts. I think I paid about $50 for it.

Eventually I'd like to experiment with spinning cones and making faceplates.

Cool project Geoff, very innovative!

Thanks Serge...Don't know how innovative....I'm flyin' blind.

I like to have reference instruments for these projects, but I can't lay down the dough for a reference National.

Something will come of it. I'm waiting for a National faceplate before I go on. I need a better idea of how high the bridge will be above the "soundboard" to determine fretboard thickness, neck angle, etc.

As a uke builder trained by a classical guitar luthier I've never built anything but Spanish heels. This may be the first resonator with a Spanish heel or I'm going to be picking up some new skills soon.hoosierukes38789.7877430556

Looks good Geoff. Are you using a National cover
too?
What about the internals, neckstick or bolt-on?

What's the depth on the well for those?

Mike-

I dunno...baby steps.

I am ordering a National cover plate. Other details are still up in the air.

I'll post as I move on.

Cool... Isn't National now starting to make a reso-uke also? I think I saw a prototype for one a year or so ago. Cool idea.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

National has made really fine reso ukes since the early days. Here are some fine old Nats and Dobros..

Note Cannons

Some really fine eye candy..and the inspirations for my project.





I owned a great Beltona Blue (fiberglass) ukes and really liked it.



Beltona Blue

Since I began building I've sold some really nice ukes ao that I'd be motivated to build and replace them.