Attention uke builders! At 02:50 Dan says to install the bridge at 14-3/4”, but really it should be at 14-29/32” for the concert ukulele. See our instructions for the soprano, tenor, and baritone bridge locations. Thanks, and apologies for the mix up!
If you buy a kit (with no experience) as I did, make sure you don’t just sand the neck joint to fit as in the video and the instructions without mocking it up and ensuring that the neck angle is correct. My kit neck didn’t require a lot of strip sanding, but I attached it without checking the neck angle and it is just high enough that it is ruined. So I didn’t know, and it didn’t look drastically wrong and raise a flag, but it was wrong so make sure that you both make it fit as shown AND you check for the right neck angle.
I am at this point with my uke. Your comments have me a little confused. Not wanting to ruin my piece are you saying that if you lay a straight edge along the top of the body the fret board should match exactly with this angle? If this is not correct can you explain with a little more detail please. Thanks
David R when I put it together, the straightedge, laid on the frets, it met the bridge below the top edge of the bridge. Almost a 10th of an inch. This meant that I glued it on with the headstock end up too high. (If you look at it from the side) I should have had it so that the straightedge, when sitting on the frets, was angled so it was above the bridge, not hitting it below the top edge of the bridge. When I put the saddle on, the action was terribly low. I simply didn’t know, and that angle was mentioned only on the last page of the set up section at the end, but not explained and no number like 0 degrees was given. The neck sanding page showed to sand it so it is centered, and that there’s no gap the other way, but it didn’t show what the actual angle should be. In the video, I didn’t see anything about it either, except dan saying in the set up one that “oh that looks pretty good.” I had the most perfect looking joint but the nut end was too high. So make sure you will have the right relief before gluing it. My second one fit with almost no sanding, and works, so I think there was an error cutting the neck in the first kit.
When you sand to make the neck fit correctly, aren't you also changing the angle of the neck and the scale length? I see that he had the neck clamped down, but it would seem that when you sand and close that gap, that the neck would be ever so slightly closer to the bridge. I would think you would want to re-measure everything and make sure that the scale length is still correct and that the angle of the neck wouldn't make the strings to hit some of the frets.
I sure would like it if Dan talked about how much compensation he thinks should be added on these ukes. Ignoring the #'s that Dan gives in this video - and working from the instructions provided w/ the kits...they say place the bridge 16 31/32" from the nut which adds NO compensation at all
Had to go look this up. It’s either “a ukulele” or “an ‘ukulele.” If you give it the Hawaiian pronunciation, oo-kulele, then it gets “an.” If you pronounce it “you-kulele” it’s “a.”
Had to go look this up. It’s either “a ukulele” or “an ‘ukulele.” If you give it the Hawaiian pronunciation, oo-kulele, then it gets “an.” If you pronounce it “you-kulele” it’s “a.”
Attention uke builders! At 02:50 Dan says to install the bridge at 14-3/4”, but really it should be at 14-29/32” for the concert ukulele. See our instructions for the soprano, tenor, and baritone bridge locations. Thanks, and apologies for the mix up!
Isn't this because Dan is measuring to the front of the bridge and the measurement in the instructions is to the center of the slot?
As far as I can tell....Dan's numbers for the tenor uke are wrong too!! You should really give these #'s in millimeters as well as fractional.
If you buy a kit (with no experience) as I did, make sure you don’t just sand the neck joint to fit as in the video and the instructions without mocking it up and ensuring that the neck angle is correct. My kit neck didn’t require a lot of strip sanding, but I attached it without checking the neck angle and it is just high enough that it is ruined. So I didn’t know, and it didn’t look drastically wrong and raise a flag, but it was wrong so make sure that you both make it fit as shown AND you check for the right neck angle.
I am at this point with my uke. Your comments have me a little confused. Not wanting to ruin my piece are you saying that if you lay a straight edge along the top of the body the fret board should match exactly with this angle? If this is not correct can you explain with a little more detail please. Thanks
David R when I put it together, the straightedge, laid on the frets, it met the bridge below the top edge of the bridge. Almost a 10th of an inch. This meant that I glued it on with the headstock end up too high. (If you look at it from the side) I should have had it so that the straightedge, when sitting on the frets, was angled so it was above the bridge, not hitting it below the top edge of the bridge. When I put the saddle on, the action was terribly low. I simply didn’t know, and that angle was mentioned only on the last page of the set up section at the end, but not explained and no number like 0 degrees was given. The neck sanding page showed to sand it so it is centered, and that there’s no gap the other way, but it didn’t show what the actual angle should be. In the video, I didn’t see anything about it either, except dan saying in the set up one that “oh that looks pretty good.” I had the most perfect looking joint but the nut end was too high. So make sure you will have the right relief before gluing it. My second one fit with almost no sanding, and works, so I think there was an error cutting the neck in the first kit.
Im olso making a ukulele!!! Its my first luthier craft
Do any of these measurements change if it’s the “cutaway” concert?
When you sand to make the neck fit correctly, aren't you also changing the angle of the neck and the scale length? I see that he had the neck clamped down, but it would seem that when you sand and close that gap, that the neck would be ever so slightly closer to the bridge. I would think you would want to re-measure everything and make sure that the scale length is still correct and that the angle of the neck wouldn't make the strings to hit some of the frets.
I sure would like it if Dan talked about how much compensation he thinks should be added on these ukes. Ignoring the #'s that Dan gives in this video - and working from the instructions provided w/ the kits...they say place the bridge 16 31/32" from the nut which adds NO compensation at all
An ukulele
Had to go look this up. It’s either “a ukulele” or “an ‘ukulele.” If you give it the Hawaiian pronunciation, oo-kulele, then it gets “an.” If you pronounce it “you-kulele” it’s “a.”
Had to go look this up. It’s either “a ukulele” or “an ‘ukulele.” If you give it the Hawaiian pronunciation, oo-kulele, then it gets “an.” If you pronounce it “you-kulele” it’s “a.”
@@JS-rp7qb Thank you very much! English has subtle rules... What is correct? A hotel or an hotel... Allow me the opportunity to ask... Thanks!