A range of steps were completed to progress the ukulele from separate back, soundboard, sides and neck, to the completed or “boxed” body. At the start of this process, the components of the ukulele included the back and soundboard with shaped bracing, the neck with Spanish style heel block and carved heel, and the thicknessed timber for the sides. The steps that have been undertaken form the constructed body for this ukeulele include:
- Cutting the side pieces to the required profile, so that they follow the domed shape at the soundboard and backboard edges
- Bending the side pieces
- Joining the soundboard to the neck table at the heel block
- Shaping and joining the tail block to the soundboard
- Cutting the bent sides to length and joining to the soundboard
- Fixing the kerfed lining between the sides and the soundboard, and the sides and back
- Closing the ukulele body by joining the back plate
- Trimming the back and soundboard to be flush to the sides
Sides joined to soundboard and neck, with kerfed lining fitted
More details of this process have been written for the T004 ukulele, including images for most of these steps:
http://makaioukuleles.blogspot.com/2009/01/t004-body-construction.html
With the body of the ukulele now constructed, the tap tone can already be heard to be loud and full, primarily due to the Blackwood soundboard. The ukulele body will now be further tuned by selectively thinning areas of soundboard and back to refine the sound of the ukulele and improve the projection and sustain.
Assembled body - front
Assembled body - back
Soundhole and "Tiger" Myrtle rosette; assembled Blackwood body
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