# Koa Tenor Ukulele build



## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I went away for a 5 day build and came home with this.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

5 Days - that would take me months......


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi Mike...

These kind of builds just look like alot of fun. Is there anything unique or special you need in the way of equipment? I'd love to give one of these a try some day...

Another great looking piece from out of your shop!!

bill


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Grizzly sells Uke kits starting at $27; The Koa kit is $219. Great job on this Mike!

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Ukulele-Kit/H3125


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

This was no kit. I had to cut the material, plane and joint. Titebond meant 3 hr glue ups and then pass through a sander and scrape. Hot bent the sides and lineings. 5 router setups with plenty of jigs. The rosette was bandsawn into about5 arcs. Lots of superglue and Duco for the multiple bindings. Proper job on the inside with all the braces. 25 foot arc shaped soundboard.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I suspected as much Mike, yours is much nicer than the Koa kit. The Grizzly link was just for information on kit prices if others were interested in giving it a try.(you have to start somewhere) Was this a class you took? I am impressed.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Wow! Nice work.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I hadda feeling that this was a project requiring a bit more than just standard shop supplies and equipment. When the time comes, looks like alot of research and questions are going to be necessary.  




Mike Wingate said:


> This was no kit. I had to cut the material, plane and joint. Titebond meant 3 hr glue ups and then pass through a sander and scrape. Hot bent the sides and lineings. 5 router setups with plenty of jigs. The rosette was bandsawn into about5 arcs. Lots of superglue and Duco for the multiple bindings. Proper job on the inside with all the braces. 25 foot arc shaped soundboard.


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

This is where I went. I camped 7 miles away in the next valley and cycled each way over the mountain pass on a Brompton folding bike each day.
Home - The International Ukulele Building School


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I am happy for you Mike to be able to learn and work in such a wonderful environment and to be taught from someone with so much talent.


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I would have been happy to just come home with a box of wood. There were a few times that I was out of my comfort zone. 1 1/2" chisel to shape the heel. An unusual technique with a pair of BIG rasps! The routing with 5 routers was fine. One was in a nicely articuated arm to cope with the curved top when routing the binding.


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## karateed (Feb 7, 2006)

I'm impressed. I play the uke but my desire is to have the time to build one. I have a concert electric Lanakai which sounds ok but a home brewed uke will sound much better than a factory uke built on an assembly line quickly.

A friend of mine took a 2 week course in Hawaii and is now building ukes and selling them for $1000 + here in Canada. They are georgious pieces and when I get rich (LOL) I'll certainly buy one of his first....just no time to get one done myself yet.....awesome job on the uke Mike....


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