Patrick DeGreve's tenor uke

[Patrick DeGreve]

Thanks Hans, I appricate your encouragement. I worked on my projects all last weekend, and all week, but I failed to post this week, so I have quite a few posts here now. I had a rosewood bridge blank that I messed up by routing the saddle slot too deep (on a prior project), that I used to make the bridge for the uke. I knew I saved it for a reason! The bridge for the uke is small enough that I was able to trim off my prior mistake. The plans I am using for the uke had two options for the bridge, I decided to make the "classical" bridge version.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the "classical" bridge.

[Patrick DeGreve]

On the guitars I have made I have always glued the bridge on after I glued on the fretboard. On the uke I felt I must glue the bridge on before I glue the soundboard to the sides because the soundhole is so small I don't think I could get a clamp in there to glue it on. I will have to be very carefull when I glue on the fretboard to make sure the scale length is right.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I drilled two holes through the bridge, soundboard, and bridge brace and then glued in two dowells. I like the look, and think it gives a little more stability to a classical bridge.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here I glued the soundboard to the sides using my go-bar press.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I routed the soundboard flush to the sides with a flush bit on my trim router. The uke is beginning to look like a uke now.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I have now started the neck. I cut two lengths from the mahogany block 3/4" X 1" x 24". I cut a 1/2" x 1" X 24" piece from a scrap piece of maple I had left over from a previous neck. I also cut two 1/4" X 1" X 24" strips from a dark walnut scrap piece. I like the look of a blocked up neck, and believe it adds strength to the neck. Here I am gluing up the neck blocks.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I had a good weekend, and got a lot done on both projects. I cut braces for the back from the pine, pre-shaped them and glued them to the back using the go-bar press.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I next glued the back to the sides and let it set overnight. While it was drying I bent the bindings for both the projects using both the small fox bender and the full size fox bender. I am using binding I bought in bulk on Ebay. The uke binding is maple with black-red-black.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Next I routed a recess for the bindings using a jig I made a couple of years ago. It is simple, and tricky to get right, but if I take my time I get good results.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the uke with the tape holding the binding until dry.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the uke after the tape was removed, and the uke has started to be scraped and sanded. Still much more prep to do, but it is starting to come together.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I routed the dovetail mortise in the plywood jig.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here I have cut and prepared the scarf joint for the neck.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I have now glued up the neck scarf joint and the heel.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I routed the dovetail tenon in my tenon jig.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the tenon jig. I set the neck angle with blocks, and clamp it in place, then I set the dovetail form to the proper fit. I use a straight bit first, and slowly lower the depth until I reach the final depth. I then use the dovetail bit to finish off the route. I alwasy leave the tenon a bit large to allow me to fine tune it into a good fit, always checking the string action angle and the right to left angle.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the neck fit from the back.

[Patrick DeGreve]

I am using a rosewood fretboard blank that was a "reject" from Fender. My local hardwood dealer sells them for 5 for $20.00. I used a scrap piece of maple to bind the fretboard.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Here is a shot of the uke with the neck set in place, and the fretboard taped on.