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Original Post By:
Bigbill
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Date: 7/25/2009 2:56:44 PM
(Updated: 7/25/2009 2:57:50 PM)
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What a great experience! I built an ukulele! It looks good, it sounds good, it feels good!
Thanks Rick, I have completed the finish, and put the strings back on, and it already sounds amazing. I will post a sound clip soon for everyone to hear.
I learned so much in this workshop, and had the best time hanging out in Santa Cruz while my glue dried. Rick is a great teacher, and made this one of my coolest ukulele experiences to date. All of our questions were answered with the passion and enthusiasm Rick has for the subject of building instruments. I said this during the class, I would have paid the price of the class just to get to hang out and talk about making instruments with Rick...but I also got the awesome experience of making a "real" instrument of my own that plays like an instrument that costs more than the class did. What a bargain!
Here she is...
http://gallery.me.com/billandanet#100070/pineapple-20express&bgcolor=black
I can't wait to see how everyone else's turned out. Everyone really had such different design ideas on the headstocks, it made me want to make a few more too.
Thanks again Mr. Turner!
-Bill |
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Posted By:
old smelly bob
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Date: 7/25/2009 4:39:04 PM |
| Rick brought one to club thurs. BIG sound, cool tones, go for it, Rick is one of my Daddies ;-)
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Posted By:
ToeBone
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Date: 7/25/2009 5:24:56 PM |
That is a very cool looking uke. I wanted to take that class but had some very busy weekends planned lately.
I've been wanting to build a uke but have some problems with just about everything - from the tools to the skills to my schedule.
Maybe next time?
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Posted By:
Mattman
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Date: 7/25/2009 6:06:45 PM |
That is very, very cool.
I love pineapple ukes-
I wish I could get out
there to take that class.
Santa Cruz "while the glue dries"?
I sure could enjoy that part too!
What a great story!
Congrats!
-Mattman
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Posted By:
Craig
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Date: 7/25/2009 6:07:05 PM |
| Very cool!
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Posted By:
Rick Turner
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Date: 7/25/2009 11:42:55 PM |
Thanks, Bill! We had a small class, but it was really great. The instruments went together very smoothly, and we all got instruments strung up by the middle of the fourth day. We also had my youngest lutherie student yet, Julia, a 14 year girl who absolutely held her own and made a fine uke.
A lot of it is "watching the glue dry", and I try to schedule the major glue-ups for either the end of the day or right before lunch. We actually get the instruments substantially assembled by the end of the second day so the third day is for peghead design, neck carve refining, and sanding.
With the design being basic and simple and the wood all high quality and pretty thin, these things do come out sounding just wonderful.
There is a lot of time for questions and back and forth on all topics lutheric, musical, and just plain fun.
I'll be teaching the course again here at my shop probably some time in late September/early October when I get back from teaching in Tasmania again. Then again at the Crucible in late October/early November, and then back in Tasmania for late November/early December!
I'm also hoping to teach (with help) a big class at the Cairns Ukulele Festival, an event still in the planning stages, in July of 2010. We're hoping to find a location and sign up a dozen students to build a flock of ukes. Or is it a murder of ukes?
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Posted By:
Rick Turner
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Date: 7/25/2009 11:46:03 PM |
BTW, Bill's peghead is inspired by a surfboard. I tried to get him to put a fin on it, but he hasn't yet. The strap should be a used 'board leash. He built the uke within walking distance of our famous Steamer Lane right here in Surf City, USA.
And I got to play surf songs in the Uke Club band last Thursday night opening for Bob Brozman.
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Posted By:
ToeBone
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Date: 7/26/2009 12:41:53 AM
(Updated: 7/26/2009 12:54:11 AM)
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I missed the Bob Brozman night as well, and I was looking forward to it. Pesky job.
I would be interested when you schedule your next uke building class.
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Posted By:
Rick Turner
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Date: 7/26/2009 10:06:06 PM |
| The latest issue of Fretboard Journal has the story of my first trip to teach my mando course in Tasmania. The ukes are built pretty much the same way. Happy to email a brochure to anyone who emails me for one.
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Posted By:
Neil A
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Date: 7/26/2009 11:47:04 PM |
Rick asked "a flock of ukes. Or is it a murder of ukes?"
I've always referred to my gathering of ukes standing on the floor as the gaggle. Yet another avian collective noun. Must be because of their height and the long necks.
I guess I missed the earlier announcement of this workshop. How many days does this event involve? A Sept/Oct repeat sounds interesting. Where's the Crucible?
And Bill, I love that altered painting in the photo. That happy reveler originally held a lute as I recall. I don't fully remember the source painting, and an internet search has only shown me what a frequent subject lute players were in art 400 years ago.
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Posted By:
Bigbill
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Date: 7/27/2009 12:58:10 AM |
Neil, thanks for noticing the print. A parent from my daughter's preschool did that for me. It was from some source he had that was public domain, but done on high quality archival paper. We talked about making shirts to sell with that image, but he couldn't find it again either. It used to hang in my classroom, but I brought it home this summer to live in my office. If you figure out the source painting, let me know, I would love to let my friend know.
Bill
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Posted By:
Neil A
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Date: 7/27/2009 1:43:24 AM |
Bill, among the scores of old paintings I did encounter, this one called "Buffoon Playing A Lute" is my favorite.
http://www.wga.hu/html/h/hals/frans/01-1623/14buffoo.html
Makes me wish I had some Photoshop skills. A tenor should fit nicely in his hands, and my face would fit the title well.
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Posted By:
ukola
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Date: 7/27/2009 1:46:08 AM |
| Whoa, cool uke. I'd love to do that workshop one of these days. Santa Cruz is such a nice place to vacation.
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Posted By:
ToeBone
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Date: 7/27/2009 2:26:12 AM |
| Neil, good for you noticing that doctored picture and being more far more observant than I thought I was being!
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Posted By:
Rick Turner
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Date: 7/29/2009 10:16:24 PM |
| I'm tentatively blocking in October 31/November 1 and then November 6 & 7 for teaching the "Build a Uke in Four Days" course here in Santa Cruz. Please get in touch off-forum if you're interested. If by chance you'd rather build a pancake mandolin, no problem; I can teach both simultaneously. I'm limiting the class to no more than six people with three as the minimum to run it.
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