Official Luthiers Forum!

Well I took a break from this forum for about two months, but I'm back and in this challenge. My plan is to build a soprano ukulele from indian rosewood and Carpathian spruce.

Here's the price list of what I plan on using/what's on hand.

EIRW back and sides: $1.50
Carpathian spruce top: $1.85
Spanish cedar neck: $2
ovangkol binding, head plate, back plate, and back strip: $2 (side cutoffs)
spanish cedar kerfing: $5
EIRW fingerboard: $15
EIRW bridge: $2
ebony nut and saddle: $1
Grover tuners: $13.68
B/W/B purfling: $5

So that's a total so far of $44.03: I shouldn't have a problem staying under budget.

I'd love to know where you buy your materials ,

The rosewood is from ******, spruce from old world tonewoods, spanish cedar is from my local lumber yard, binding is just side cutoffs, kerfing is from a bulk buy, purfling is veneers from the lumberyard, nut and saddle are bridge cutoffs, bridge is whats left of a surprisingly big acoustic bridge blank, tuners and fingerboard are from stewmac. Hope that answers your question.

It didn't answer my question but I have not asked it yet.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

And this is why you are not allowed to buy wood for Costa Guitars any longer!! Offering 300% above what the guy paid? How will I shoe horn in my 10,000% profit if you keep doing that Filippo???

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I think you mean the economy tuners from Stew Mac, I'm not sure you'll find $13 Grover tuners

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-Marcus
http://www.bailieguitars.com
Instagram | YouTube

No. The Grover Ukulele tuners from Stew Mac are $13.68 in silver with black or white knobs.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Ukulele_tuners/Grover_Ukulele_Tuning_Machines.html

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

ah yes, it would help if i read what sort of instrument. thanks for the correction.

move along now, nothing to see here...

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-Marcus
http://www.bailieguitars.com
Instagram | YouTube

You wouldn't want my EIRW. I buy acoustic sets for $6 each, but they often have odd discolorations or odd figure

No kidding! I would happily by sets like that for $6 if I knew where. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

This is another $6 set BTW...

And these are $7.50 tops

Okay enough! Where do you get those crappy $6 sets because I'm sure that I'm not the only one that would like a few sets?

But then if I told you they might run out

time to start going through all his posts with a fine tooth comb..... < $20 guitars !!

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

I also have small ebony button schaller tuners that I bought brand new for $20.

Honestly, $6 for that second back/side set? Where's the defect? I don't see any knots or major grain squiggles, and it's darker colored and tighter grained than Allied's $50 sets. The first one has that color variation in the middle, and looks to go riftsawn at the edges, but still not bad.

And what's wrong with the $7.50 soundboard either? Looks like good quality spruce to me. Does it have major runout or something? It does look like there's at least a little reflectivity variance at the centerline.

Well, good work finding cheap wood You got me beat there.

Looking forward to watching the build

Come on!!! What's cool about this forum is that we "all" openly share information. Now I'm sure your source won't run out after all they must be in business to sell the wood...now cough it up!

Yes, we all openly share information on building and where to get good deals... but not freaking awesome deals... that would be foolish

BTW, I will tell you that the $7.50 tops come from old world tonewoods. Great customer service, awesome products, and amazing prices.

http://www.oldworldtonewood.com/catalog ... Path=29_54

Here are my materials:

What size ukulele are you building and where did you get the slotted board?
I am considering buying a matching FB and bridge from Hana Lima.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I'm building a soprano and I got the board from stew mac. Hana lima has some good stuff, but why not slot your own? Don't you have the stewmac jig? Also, why not make your own bridge? uke bridges are crazy simple:

check out the bridges Colin Symonds used on the two concert ukes he made last year

I don't want to thread through the box. I want to thread the strings like a classical guitar. That means I have to carve a bridge and I hate carving bridges. Ask Andy Birko.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I'm trying to get this guitar strung up before I start on this uke, but my plan is to build an instrument with some aesthetic appointments based on the work of my friend Jason Kostal.

So, exactly where does the nail gun fit in the guitar stringing process??

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"