THE WALNUT backing plate has been made and glued in. This thin piece of walnut sits on the underside of the ukulele top directly under the bridge. I put it in there to provide support for the strings which must penetrate it. The knot on the strings will pull against that hard walnut, It would not do to have them pulling against the soft cedar. the plate creates another challenge however as the tone bars must go over it. So here is how it is done.
With a little saw and the exacto knife I carve out a space to fit over the backing plate. It all goes to making a pretty solid structure under the Englemann top but still allows for plenty of vibration and sound. My ukes are not known to be timid. They have lots of bark.
It would be difficult to find clamps to glue these delicate parts to the top and back, Many years ago some luthier got a very clever idea and the result is what is now called the "GoBar" You simply build a container with a roof and a flat floor. The bars are plastic or wooden rods or battens that are a tiny bit longer than the roof is high.
Bent, they exert good pressure against whatever is being glued to the flat uke top or back. It is an extremely simple but effective method. If you want greater pressure just use a longer stick with a greater bend.
Bent, they exert good pressure against whatever is being glued to the flat uke top or back. It is an extremely simple but effective method. If you want greater pressure just use a longer stick with a greater bend.
