So I’m building an electric ukulele… and I’m making all sorts of mistakes along the way.

This might have been an interesting fret marker

In my last post I revealed that I had “forgotten” to fit the fret markers – the little dots that are strategically inlayed into the fretboard. I should have done this before I hammered home the fret wire so that I could have sanded and smoothed to perfection without risk of damaging the frets. I didn’t and that’s just the way it is unfortunately. Here’s how I recovered…

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It’s going to get worse before it gets better…

I’m not sure that I have the patience to be an expert painter. I’m not sure that I have a gentle enough touch to be an expert painter. In my last post I talked about some of the challenges I’ve been having painting the body of my electric ukulele. I’d had a bit of a nightmare with the undercoat, but things seemed to be looking up. I closed off having applied the red finish and having left the body to hang for 24 hours. Have you been wondering what happened next? Read on…

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Earlier this week I heeded Daniel Hulbert’s sage advice and decided to test out the wiring on my electric ukulele build. You will remember that I was being a right smart-arse refusing to test until I’d painted the body. Perhaps it was the paint fumes talking? What would you say if I was to tell you that having tested the bloody thing, that it wasn’t working? Yeah, I know… what are the odds of that!

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I’m back with another installment in my story about what it takes to build an electric ukulele. Pretty much all the fiddly stuff is done. In my last update I talked about wiring up the electrics. Daniel Hulbert has suggested that I check that it works before I go too much further. Thanks Daniel… I will do that soon… I promise! Not before I’ve painted the body though! Ha ha! Catch me if you can!

In search of inspiration…

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I’ve got another update on my electric ukulele build. When last we spoke I’d had a close shave whilst fitting the tuners. Things had been going so well too! Today we return to the scratch plate to do some Kung Fu with the electrics.

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This is my second ‘how to’ for today and it was almost a ‘how not to’.

Machine Heads… Tuners… Gear Heads I’m fitting these standard Strat-style tuners to my Electric Uke

For those of you with a worse memory than me, I remind you that earlier today I busted a scratch plate. I left you hanging with the promise of a post on how to fit the tuners. I’ve done that now and here’s how I did it…

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Kingcaster Custom Electric Ukulele

I’m back and I have another update on my electric ukulele build. Most of the shaping has been done and now I’m on to the fiddly bits. In my last post I battled with my demons and fitted the frets. This post is a whole lot more laid back… but this is no time to become complacent! Today I show you how I made the scratch plate.

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In my last post I described how I put the finishing touches to my electric ukulele body. I also mentioned a few nerves about fitting the frets to the neck. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’ve been avoiding it, but I’ve certainly been waiting for the right time to do it! Okay, so I’ve been avoiding it. ;-P

I luv ukes… but not so much fitting frets…

It took a supportive push from Gavin MacMillan to make me finally take the plunge. He told me to “man up and get the frets on!” Thank you Gavin. I gone and blinkin’ done it… and here’s how I did it…

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Time for an update on the Electric Ukulele Build. In my last post I talked about how I started to make the neck. You will remember that I left you on tenterhooks as I revealed that I’d controversially glued the fretboard to the neck prior to fitting the frets. I still haven’t mustered the courage to fit the frets but this doesn’t mean that I haven’t been busy… a lot’s happened since then. In this post I return to the body to apply some much needed finishing touches.

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