Читать книгу The Uke Book Illustrated - John Weissenrieder - Страница 7

CHAPTER

1

ANATOMY

LET’S MEET OUR UKULELE IN ITS FINISHED FORM FIRST, TO LEARN THE NAMES OF ALL OF ITS PARTS.

Headplate veneer

Cres

Tuning machine

String post & button

Head

Nut

Fret

Fingerboard

Neck

Heel

Heel cap

Neck block

Kerfed lining

Side

Binding

Purfling

Rosette

Soundboard

Bridge

Saddle bone

Tie block

Wing

Tail block

End graft

Fan brace

Bar

Back bar

Back

Back joint reinforcement

Rib block

Plantilla

Diapason

Fret position markers

Strings

Soundhole

Label

Sound box

AND NOW, LET’S MEET THE UKULELE IN ITS RAW-MATERIALS STATE.

The shape (plantilla) of the instrument shown in this book is reminiscent of the Spanish classical guitars of the early 1900s. Compared to many industrial ukuleles, the shoulders are slightly more squared off, the lines of the waist are straighter, and the lower lobe is weighted toward the bottom of the instrument. It’s an elegant shape compared to the more whimsical, circular curves found on most commercial instruments.

On the following pages, you’ll find scaled drawings of a tenor ukulele. Whether you use these plans or come up with a design of your own, it’s a good idea to print out a complete set of full-size drawings and keep them at hand throughout the assembly of your own ukulele. On these drawings, you’ll find exact answers to a lot of the nagging little questions that invariably come up during the building process.

The shape you use is up to you. I don’t recommend deviating too much from traditional shapes and proportions on your first instrument. Significant variations in the volume (cubic cm or cubic inches, not loudness) of the sound box and in the diameter and/or area of the soundhole can have a significant effect on the resonant frequency (the Helmholtz frequency, for science buffs) of the instrument, which in turn affects the harmonic response and timbre of the instrument.

The geometry of the fingerboard and the relationship between the neck and the body of the instrument are important. Unless you have a thorough understanding of the dimensions, relationships, and angles involved, stick to these plans or plans from another proven design.

Vibrating strings

The playability of the instrument depends mostly on the height of the strings above the frets and the relative flatness (or very slight curvature) of the fingerboard/frets. It’s easier to get all the notes playing distinctly and cleanly without having to set the strings too high on a small instrument, such as the tenor ukulele, than it is on, say, a guitar, where the scale length is longer, the string tension is higher, and there are more strings.

Everyone wants to know how to make an instrument that sounds “better.” There are no magic answers. The best way to ensure a satisfying result for the beginner is to follow a tried-and-true design, use quality materials, and work with the best craftsmanship you can.

It is generally agreed upon by luthiers that the soundboard is the most important element when it comes to good sound. The soundboard is the part of the instrument that pumps the air, much like the cone of a loudspeaker does. The soundboard transforms the energy of the vibrating strings into sound waves that move through the air. The soundboard imparts innumerable subtle frequencies and timbric nuances that give each instrument its own unique voice. Other important factors in determining the timbre or voice of an instrument are the strings and the player’s attack, or how and where the string is plucked and with what (fingernails, pick, or fleshy fingertips).

The whole instrument vibrates when it is played—the head, neck, back, sides, and top Any spot that is too weak to hold up to the tension of the strings, or too heavy and strong to vibrate freely and harmoniously with the rest of the instrument, will produce a compromised result.

The tenor ukulele weighs about 750g (1lb 10oz), or about as much as a kitten. The accumulated tension of the four strings is about 30kg (66lbs), comparable to a big sack of rice. To support all that weight (or, in the uke’s case, tension) and still sing out, it takes a strong and clever kitten! Or, rather, a well-designed and well-built ukulele.

MATERIALS

All dimensions are length x width x thickness unless stated.

Top

Plates: 32cm x 12cm x 3mm

Rosette (inside diameter): 70mm

Struts (3 pieces): 18cm x 7mm x 12mm

Soundhole reinforcement:

8.2cm x 10cm x 2mm

Neck

Neck blank: 33cm x 7cm x 18mm

Head blank: 12cm x 7cm x 12mm

Heel block: 9cm x 7cm x 55mm

Headplate veneers:

13cm x 7cm x 0.5-2.0mm

Back

Plates: 32cm x 12cm x 3mm

Center reinforcement: 27cm x 1.8mm x 2.5mm

Bars (one each):

18cm x 7mm x 12mm

15cm x 7mm x 12mm

23cm x 7mm x 12mm

Sides

51cm x 7.5cm x 1.8mm

Fingerboard and friends

Fingerboard:

28cm x 36mm x 46mm x 5mm

Frets: 86cm

Position markers: 6 pieces

Kerfed linings: Make 4 lengths of 25cm of each type, plus one extra.

Bridge blank: 11cm x 25cm x 1cm

Nut & saddle

Rib supports: 10 pieces, 3cm x 7mm x 7mm

Tail block: 7.5cm x 5cm x 1cm

Bindings, purflings, heel cap, end graft

Tuners, 4

Strings