All Discussions Tagged 'ukulele' - FRETS.NET2024-03-28T18:37:51Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=ukulele&feed=yes&xn_auth=noWorn off lacquer finishtag:fretsnet.ning.com,2023-04-15:2177249:Topic:2902032023-04-15T16:44:00.075ZKatrina Joynerhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/KatrinaJoyner
<p>I'm here because I want to repair and someday build instruments. For now I paint ukuleles with pictures for praise and profit. (So far all I've gotten is praise. LOL.) </p>
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<p>I have a vintage baritone ukulele. It's been played so much there's a huge bare wooden pocked spot from the player's pick and a worn area on the bottom of the backboard. My thought when I got it was to repair it and keep it that way. Seriously, I think that's all that's wrong with it.</p>
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<p>The worn…</p>
<p>I'm here because I want to repair and someday build instruments. For now I paint ukuleles with pictures for praise and profit. (So far all I've gotten is praise. LOL.) </p>
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<p>I have a vintage baritone ukulele. It's been played so much there's a huge bare wooden pocked spot from the player's pick and a worn area on the bottom of the backboard. My thought when I got it was to repair it and keep it that way. Seriously, I think that's all that's wrong with it.</p>
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<p>The worn spot is huge, though. To get it back looking nice again I'd have to fill the holes, smooth it, then fill the spot. By huge I mean at least 6" square. It's almost as if I might as well just paint or just give it an entirely new finish.</p>
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<p>So I want to ask you guys, who know what the heck you're doing. I know your response will be most likely "not worth it" - but for me it's worth it because if nothing else I get skill points.</p>
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<p>Which is better for it: painting a pretty picture or just giving it a new finish? Both I think are going to ruin it's vintage value, but the spots are so bad that might be a good thing.</p>
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<p>I'll post pictures as soon as I find my phone.</p> UPDATE Newbie Restoration of an Alvin Keech Model A Banjuleletag:fretsnet.ning.com,2016-07-03:2177249:Topic:1612722016-07-03T05:04:54.951ZRicohttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/Rico
<p>Sorry for the long delay in updating this, but I've only just finished and it was stop and go. After completing this, I have newfound respect for all of you. I just don't know where you find the time. Things take so long to complete what with measuring watching videos measuring again ordering tools, making tools. I found that for most tasks I needed to have a solid block of at least 6 hours, which was hard to find.</p>
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<p>But anyway, here we are. I'll step you through what I did,…</p>
<p>Sorry for the long delay in updating this, but I've only just finished and it was stop and go. After completing this, I have newfound respect for all of you. I just don't know where you find the time. Things take so long to complete what with measuring watching videos measuring again ordering tools, making tools. I found that for most tasks I needed to have a solid block of at least 6 hours, which was hard to find.</p>
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<p>But anyway, here we are. I'll step you through what I did, with photos.</p>
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<p>First, here's a sound sample of the restored Uke strung up with actual Gut Strings from <a href="http://www.cliffordessex.net/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=688" target="_blank">Clifford Essex</a> (N.B. I'm not a great player): <a href="http://picosong.com/xK5b" target="_blank">Alvin Keech Sound Sample</a></p>
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<p>And here's the original list of tasks I started with:</p>
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<p><strong>1. Humidify the thing. </strong></p>
<p>So, I did this for about a month before I actually started restoring. Absolutely 0 effect on either the fingerboard or the crack in the headstock. I think this old wood must just not grab moisture, which is cool because now I don't feel I have to keep it in a humidifier and I can have it around to grab when I'm feeling my George Formby come on.</p>
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<p><strong>2. Disassemble.</strong></p>
<p>I took this tenderly, but everything went fine. No additional injuries from my incompetence.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>3. Fix the crack in the head.</strong><br/> I used the method from this youtube video here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB7gTZ_NQW8" target="_blank">Fixing headstock crack</a></p>
<p>Essential it involved opening the crack, using a homemade plunger to squeeze Titebond into the crack and then clamping. I had no issues and the plunger idea was just fantastic. It was easy to build, but needed to be fairly precise to plunge correctly, just required patience.</p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: This is a test run. I made an identical crack in some balsa wood to test my methodology. It worked so I repeated on the uke itself. Was very scared while separating the crack, but it worked just fine. The plastic plunger on the right I built from a plastic spatula purchased at the 99cent store.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961002?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961002?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Detail of the glue plunger</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961768?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961768?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: The crack after repair. It is still visible which was disappointing, but it's sturdy as a rock, nothing is splitting this open again.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059963447?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059963447?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>3.5 Replace the missing veneer on the head.</strong></p>
<p>I was thinking of buying an ebony headplate and cutting it to fit the missing section. However, after having a look at the cleaned maple underneath, I decided to leave it as it is. My reasoning is that 1) The maple is quite beautiful, and 2) The injury was part of this uke's history, so why try to hide it. The veneer serves no structural or preservational purpose.</p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: The cleaned/restored headstock. I think the maple looks great. And the ebony after cleaning and oiling with Orange oil is gorgeous.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059964094?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059964094?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>4. Sand down all wood parts.</strong></p>
<p>I did not do this. I decided to leave the finish as is. The only exception I made was to gently polish some exposed areas that were rough or chipped. I used 3m Polishing paper and it did a wonderful job.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>5. Refinish wood parts with stain/polish.</strong></p>
<p>Again, didn't do this, thanks to advice received on this board. I now believe in leaving the scars the way they are, it makes the uke much more beautiful and preserves the history. I did however use orange oil on the veneer and fretboard.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>6. Sand and revitalize all the metal parts including the brass emblem.</strong></p>
<p>Again, no. What I did was soak all the rusty metal parts in vinegar overnight. It removed the rust, but left the tarnish. </p>
<p><br/> <strong>7. Reassemble.</strong></p>
<p>Made one mistake here. Some of the screw clamps holding down the tension ring were bent. I overzealously tried to straighten one of them and it snapped. Fortunately, there was enough length left on it for it to still function, but it was a bonehead move on my part. That old metal is strong but no longer pliant.</p>
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<p><strong>8. New friction tuners.</strong></p>
<p>Nope. Decided to keep the Violin tuners, bought a couple extra vintage ones off ebay and they work great.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>9. Cut a new nut.</strong></p>
<p>The old nut actually is working fine. I reshaped the grooves a little bit with my needle file and the action is quite nice.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>10. Fret dress/level.</strong></p>
<p>Ha. What a job this was. After watching about a billion videos on how to do this, I decided that the tool I wanted to use was a diamond sharpening stone. I bought a Dia-Sharp Fine stone for about $25 bucks. Worked so well. It's nearly the length of a soprano fretboard, and the width is perfect.</p>
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<p>But first, the frets on this thing were a mess. They were basically curved and I had to bang them back in and then superglue and clamp each one of them. Even with that, they never fully seated, but there is enough glue in there that they ain't going nowhere, and there was enough fret to sand them down nice and level with plenty to spare. (Really hefty frets on this thing, which surprised me, because my understanding was that narrow tiny frets were used on these old ukes.)</p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Clamping a fret after gluing. I built the clamp from a clamp I bought at Harbor Freight ($6). Cut a block of hardwood to cradle the neck, and cut a hardwood T with a brass bar across it to press on the fret. Worked really well. I attached the blocks to the clamp using masking tape and superglue. The best part about this method was that I could easily detach the block to adjust the angle as I went up the fretboard.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059965408?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059965408?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Fretboard taped and ready for sanding</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059965726?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059965726?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Sanding progress. You can see how much material is coming off. With the fine Dia-Sharp it took about an hour. But I was gentle and went slow.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059966555?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059966555?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Done. After sanding, I crowned the frets using a triangular file that I had ground the corners off of. This went quickly. Then I polished the frets using the 3m Polishing papers again. A huge advantage of using the fine Dia-Sharp for leveling was that there were very few scratches on the frets when I was done. Considering this was my first ever fret level, I'm really pleased. The fingerboard feels great and plays very well. (Note: the fingerboard is not yet cleaned or oiled in this series of photos.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059967213?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059967213?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059968193?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059968193?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: Here's the fretboard after cleaning and oiling</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059969095?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059969095?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>Photo</strong>: And the full uke</em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059970213?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059970213?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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<p>Like I said, it was difficult for me, even though this was I'm sure a simple restoration, but it was my first time with everything. I think the next one will go quicker. And I've picked a doozy for a next one. I got a little excited on Ebay and bought a pretty well damaged Martin Uke. Which I'll be begging for help with soon.</p>
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<p>If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer. And thank again to everyone who offered their help on this project, and also to every single person whose ever posted in Frets.net. I could not have done it without this board.</p>
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<p>RC</p>
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<p>END UPDATE</p> Newbie Restoration of an Alvin Keech Model A Banjuleletag:fretsnet.ning.com,2016-05-12:2177249:Topic:1600882016-05-12T01:01:47.764ZRicohttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/Rico
<p>Hi, thanks for letting me join the forum. I'm planning my first restoration of a vintage Banjo Ukulele. It's an Alvin Keech Model A. Unable to determine the year because there is no serial number on the thing, but it still has the wooden tension hoop, so I figure mid to early 20s.</p>
<p>Since it's the first time I'm doing anything like this, I wanted to reach out and see if anyone had any opinions or advice. I've posted some photos of it. These are the original photos from the Ebay listing,…</p>
<p>Hi, thanks for letting me join the forum. I'm planning my first restoration of a vintage Banjo Ukulele. It's an Alvin Keech Model A. Unable to determine the year because there is no serial number on the thing, but it still has the wooden tension hoop, so I figure mid to early 20s.</p>
<p>Since it's the first time I'm doing anything like this, I wanted to reach out and see if anyone had any opinions or advice. I've posted some photos of it. These are the original photos from the Ebay listing, but they are pretty comprehensive, so I didn't see a need to take additional before photos.</p>
<p>Here's the order I was planning on executing the restoration. Love to have your opinions on whether I'm crazy or on the right track.</p>
<p>1. Humidify the thing. <br/> It's pretty dry and the frets have come over the edge of the fingerboard a bit. I figure humidification will tighten up some of the cracks and buy me some more room on the fingerboard. I've put it in a plastic bag with a sponge that is in a perforated eyeglass holder. Will leave it in here for about a week.</p>
<p>2. Disassemble.<br/> 3. Fix the crack in the head.<br/>
I plan to create a seaprator that I will insert into the tuning peg hole to open the crack up a little. Then inject wood glue into the crack. Remove the insert. Clamp. Dry.</p>
<p>3.5 Replace the missing veneer on the head.</p>
<p>I was thinking of buying an ebony headplate and cutting it to fit the missing section. Glue it. Sand it to fit.</p>
<p>4. Sand down all wood parts.<br/> 5. Refinish wood parts with stain/polish.<br/>
6. Sand and revitalize all the metal parts including the brass emblem.<br/>
7. Reassemble.</p>
<p>8. New friction tuners.<br/> 9. Cut a new nut.<br/>
10. Fret dress/level.</p>
<p>Does that sound reasonable? The vellum head is in good shape and I'd like to try to put it back on when I reassemble the resonator/pot. I will look up tutorials, but my instinct is to wet it and put it on just as you would a new head.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading. I'll update this post with progress as I go along. For now, I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like when it comes out of the plastic bag and humidity.</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059960499?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059960499?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059960975?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059960975?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961029?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961029?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961176?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961176?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961319?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961319?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961236?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961236?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961246?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961246?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961524?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961524?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961623?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961623?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961585?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961585?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961824?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961824?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961952?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2059961952?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p> 50's martin uke - progress, question about fixing a holetag:fretsnet.ning.com,2011-09-04:2177249:Topic:701912011-09-04T18:06:31.643ZMark Pollockhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MarkPollock
<p>So, I am NOT trying to do a full restoration here - it's a 50's Martin uke, and it's a nice instrument, but at best it's a $500 instrument in mint condition, and given that a dog decided to use it as a chew toy while it was in a soft case, this will NEVER be in mint condition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I posted about this before, when it was in much worse shape. Since then, I have managed to get some repro keystone tuners and drill them ou to replace the shrunken tunings knobs, I've glued of all the…</p>
<p>So, I am NOT trying to do a full restoration here - it's a 50's Martin uke, and it's a nice instrument, but at best it's a $500 instrument in mint condition, and given that a dog decided to use it as a chew toy while it was in a soft case, this will NEVER be in mint condition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I posted about this before, when it was in much worse shape. Since then, I have managed to get some repro keystone tuners and drill them ou to replace the shrunken tunings knobs, I've glued of all the cracks and reglued the loose back brace, and I've managed to piece together the four splinters I did have for the soundhole. It's looking a lot better, and it is getting close.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There is sill a big chunk of wood missing from the front. It's quite the gash. I do plan on chiseling out a bbit to make a more even and workable space, but I'm not sure how I want to accomplish this. I suppose I could fire up a router with a dovetail bit and just make an inlay piece that way as well, but that seems difficult given the limited region I have to work in this instrument. I can do the chisel out a hole/chisel a piece to fit the hole/use carbon paper to figure it all out method, but I'm not sure what shape I want to make.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am certain that there will need to be some reinforcement all around the soundhole - there were at least five cracked and slipped pieces, as well as the splinters I had to put in. I also need to find a chunk of the rosette, or form my own.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Any thoughts on filling that gaping hole?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mark</p>