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Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 7:15 am
by Danl8
Greetings,
Spurred on by a friend in need, I made two ukes this year copied from my World War I vintage Martin style 1 soprano uke. The first finished this week is mahogany B&S and alpine spruce top with rosewood fb and african mahog neck. Bindings are jacaranda de bahia, Bridge is firewood (got it before spouse burned it) and pegs are from the plum tree I cut down in the front yard. Some Paua abalone is used for decoration.

-d.

Re: Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 12:54 pm
by ruby@magpage.com
Dan

Did you have or draw plans? My daughter plays a Wurlitzer/Martin and I have been thinking of copying it in all-Osage Orange with ebony fretboard and bridge.

Ed

Re: Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:50 pm
by Danl8
Hi Ed,
I just traced my old uke. Took the strings/pegs off, etc., and measured everything. BTW, the old one isn't perfectly symmetrical. I started the project thinking it would be half the effort of a guitar, but it ended up taking as much time, though it was fun. (Pic of the Martin below)
-d.

Re: Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 10:16 pm
by  
Dan,
The instrument accompanying the uke in your photo looks interesting. Would you give us some info as to what it is? Did you build it?
-tommy

Re: Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 5:19 am
by ruby@magpage.com
Thanks Dan

I will do he same to the Wurlitzer. Lovely lute-like object there.

Ed

Re: Cloned my 1918 Martin Uke

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:29 pm
by Danl8
Hi Tommy,

That tiny lute is a copy that I made in the 1980's from the original octave lute C.41 by Venere(?) in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum. The original was in shaded yew (heart-sap wood), so this one is too. If I recall correctly the original is part of a four instrument suite of matching lutes ranging from soprano to bass in size. I had planned make the other three as well. (...only if I live long enough...) The top wood was an exceptional piece of tone wood, but too small for anything so I got it for free. The yew came from a donor bush in the yard. The bridge is boxwood and the neck/box is (?? don't remember--just checked it was beech). As you can see in the pictures below the chantarelle/first string needs to be replaced and I didn't finish carving the rose or the pegs -- maybe this year. :-)

-Dan