Delighted by the news from Stu Fuchs that he is pleased with his Griffin tenor that he received via USPS yesterday, I entered the workshop this morning eager to work.
The first project was to install the MiSi pickup into Ron's Bari that just got it's strings yesterday. Here I am cutting the big 1/2 inch hole through the butt plate. The step drill does it very nicely.
Now with a long dowel, you carefully draw the pickup out through the hole. Note the washer and nut ready to secure it.
Next a small hole is drilled in the saddle notch and a thin steel wire is inserted through the hole to be attached to the piezo cable of the pickup. it must be brought up through the hole to lie in the groove under the saddle.
Success !, out it comes. Note the tiny hole I drilled in the end of the cable to accept the wire. Never done that before, but it was a huge success making the most difficult part of the installation an easy maneuver. Wish I had thought of doing that years ago.
The pickup installed and tested, I turned to the next project. Ron wanted a strap button that matched the maple of the neck. This is a pretty small job for my great big wood lathe, but I was able to turn a handful of these little guys.
And install one of them in the "hook" of the neck. I don't like buttons in this location, but this sure looks better than a gaudy metal strap button. A hole was drilled into the neck and the shaft of the button inserted and glued.
So, Ron's baritone is finished, and I think it is perhaps the prettiest instrument that I have built. Bearclaw Sitka Spruce,
Bubinga body, Tiger stripe maple neck and binding. This uke is a looker, and it sounds good too.
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Now it is on to the next project. #112 on the left is for George, #113 on the right is for Rich in California. The soundboards are completed, Next I will be gluing the backs together, sanding back and sides to proper thickness. Both will be tenors of the Kasha bracing design.
