Here's the top:
http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/Toprosette.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/Topbracing.jpg

Are the thick sound hole braces to mitigate neck reset worries (on a nylon string? Or is this going to be a SS, which would be cool.) or the beef up the bottom end? Love the wood.

I do like the look of the Acacia. With finish do you expect the colors to blend or to become even more different?

Which size are you building? Concert ... Tenor ... Soprano?

It is to be a concert (15") uke. Although this is the first instrument I have made form this tree, I have made a number of architectural pieces from it. It is beautiful wood and resembles Koa though with muted, or as I like to say it, "pasteled" coloration.

The soundhole supports are not as massive as they appear, bear in mind that this is a Ukulele! The top is well under .050" thick and would fold up across the soundhole much like a guitar without this feature.

This Uke is being built a bit differently than my steel strings, more like my nylon stringed guitars. The neck to body connection is what's often called a "Spanish heel", and the whole thing is built as a unit. Here are a few pictures of the neck and how the top is glued to it:

Bandsawn:
http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/neck1.jpg

Routed ledge for .045" thick top:
http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/neck2.jpg

Clamped on top:
http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/neck3.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/neck4.jpg

Ebony or carbon fibre in the neck?

I consider ebony in the neck a waste of resources, this is carbon fiber, which works very well to stabilize the relief.

I made a little more progress this afternoon:

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/peone1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/peone2.jpg

That makes sense now knowing how thick the top. I was debating on the Spanish heel for the guitar I am building right now. I did one for the previous nylon I made, decided to go for a dovetail just because I have not done one yet. The guitar is the same size as a Martin 5 body made out of pine. Why? I had a quartered board with minimal late wood and at the widest it has three grain lines per inch. Curiosity got the better of me.


Don't want to add another post but wanted to thank Bruce again. Used Titebond rather than HHG to glue in the tentalones for the top as he used for his daughter's guitar. I did not have any HHG made up and decided to give it a try, seems fine.

Very cool Bruce. Are you going with a zero neck angle on the uke? Thinking about starting a tenor built in a similar fashion and don't know if I should do a forward neck angle like a classical or just leave it flat.

The box is closed. It'll be 0 angle and a 5/32" thick fingerboard.

Today I tried a new photo editor. Here is a pic from a few posts back exactly as it is there, and then again with the new editor, my first attempt. What do you think, anyone?
http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/peone1.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/peone1b.jpg

Wow. Sure sharpens it up. How is it for color accuracy?

12 days ago, I misplaced my camera which I was satisfied with, a Sony NEX-5. I went to BestBuy and replaced it with a Sony a6000, which claimed to be a significant upgrade. Yesterday I found my NEX-5, and have 2 days within which I could return the a6000 no questions asked. Dilemma: I like the new camera, but could use the money if it is not doing me service as a tool.

Here are two similar pictures, each taken with the camera that is in the other picture. I processed them identically. What do you think?

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/1stquartera.jpg

http://mojoluthier.com/LP17/AcaciaUke/1stquarterb.jpg

I prefer the bottom image (sharper).

The upper, colors appear more realistic on my screen.

Better contrast and color in the lower photo for me!