Ron's Ukelele

[Ron Daves]

I got it finished. I made lots of mistakes, but here it is anyway. I give myself an "A" for effort, but a lesser grade for symmetry. It took me 160 hours, which included jigs and fixtures and lots of sharpening. The soundboard is Western Red Cedar, Back and sides are Myrtle, Neck is douglas fir, peghead is spalted myrtle, Fretboard is ebony. Made it for Wife and she loves it. She wanted the fret markers on the side rather than the middle and I kinda like it this way.

[Neal Carey]

Congratulations! Nice job Ron. The first one is the hardest, but they do get easier. Any chance you could post a closeup of that soundhole?

[Darrel Friesen]

Very nice Ron. Is it a tenor? Looks like 14 frets to the body as well?

[Doug Sawyer]

I'd like to see the soundhole closeup too Ron. And the fretboard. Very nice. She will love it.

[Jon Whitney]

Nice job, Ron. Ditto on the soundhole close up - it looks very unique.

[Ron Daves]

Here are close-ups of the Sound Hole and Fretboard

This is a baritone uke tuned to D G B E. Thus I can teach wife because I play guitar.

[Mark Swanson]

Cool Ron. I hope you re-inforced that loop in the soundhole, or it will snap off very easily across that short grain.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Nice Uke Ron,
Reinforcing under the soundhole as Mark mentioned would be a good idea. A couple of small bars across the loop, similat to what they do for lutes should work. If you paint them black they won't be too noticeable.

[Ron Daves]

I reinforced the complete sound hole with a "carbon copy" of cross grained myrtle.

[Mark Swanson]

There you go!