Had some fun today working on this interesting approach to ukulele sound.
Here is where it began, The oval sound hole cut, the bridge backing plate installed, the locations for the tone bars mapped out.
Next I cut out all of the parts and pieces to be attached. The patch around the sound hole is cut from thin, but tough, maple veneer. The 1/4 inch wide center strips are of the same material. The twelve tone bars are vertical grain sitka spruce that will be thinned down considerably once they are glued in place.
Now they are glued down. A notch was cut at the end of each tone bar so that it would fit tightly over the bridge patch. Now with a sharpened chisel I am tapering the tone bars.
Still lots of tapering and thinning and sanding to do, but they are getting there
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Just a couple of shots to show detail. I like the thin veneer bracing. It should aide vibration/sound.
The Kasha system surely allows for greater vibration of the top. There are no transverse braces at all. I worry about the strength of the soundboard without them, It will be exciting to string this baby up in a month or two. It might be amazing.
