ElectricUkulele - · PDF fileElectricUkulele" " Plans" " " "...

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Electric Ukulele

Plans

Build a tenor electric ukulele!


2

Parts and Supplies:

• Two 3/4 by 5 by 12 inch (19 mm x 127 mm x 305 mm) pieces of wood for the body

• 3/4 by 3 by 15 inch (19 mm x 76 mm x 381 mm) wood for the neck • 1/4 by 3 by 10.5 inch (6.35 mm 76 mm x 267 mm) wood for the fretboard • Four guitar or ukulele geared tuners (Two left and two right) • One ukulele nut (1 1/16 inches (28 mm) from first to last string) • One set of electric guitar strings • 32 inches (813 mm) of fretwire • One strap peg • One endpin jack • Two neck mounting ferrules • Two neck mounting screws (1.5 inches (38 mm)) • Four string ferrules • One single coil magnetic pickup • One mounting ring for the pickup • One 4 string bridge (1 1/4 inches (32 mm) from first to last string) • Tru-‐Oil and wax finish (or other finish) • Wood glue (Titebond or similar) • Solder • Sandpaper • Clear Tape

Note: I have included templates and guides in 8.5 by 11, and A4 paper sizes. Make sure you know what paper you are using when printing. Set the printer to print at 100% size and confirm that the fret guide especially is printed correctly. The 12th fret should be 8 7/16 inches (214 mm) away from the zero fret.


3

Tools:

• Electric drill (A drill press works best) • Various drill bits • One drill bit at least 10 inches (254 mm) long • Clamps • A thin bladed saw (for the fret slots) • Soldering iron • Scroll or band saw • Rasps, files, or spokeshave (to shape neck) • Miter box


4

Make the Fretboard:

1. Print the fret guide located at the back of these plans. Tape the fret guide to the 1/4 by 3 by 10.5 inch piece of wood. Make sure that the line on the left (the zero fret) is exactly on the edge of the wood. Keep the wood square at this point. Do not taper the edges of the fretboard yet.

2. Using a miter box and a thin bladed saw, cut shallow slots along the lines. The slots only need to be as deep as the tang of the fret wire.

3. Remove the tape and paper from the fretboard. Print another fret guide and

tape it on the board where the first guide was. Cut along the outside edges of the fret guide to taper the fretboard.

4. Carefully tap fretwire into the slots. Use a file to make the edges of the frets

comfortable for hands sliding up and down the neck.


5

Make the Neck:

1. Print the neck template located at the back of these plans. Cut out the neck template and trace it on the 3/4 by 3 by 15 inch piece of wood. Cut out the neck.

2. Shape the neck with a file, router, rasp and/or a spokeshave. Make the neck

so that it is comfortable in your hands. Remember that the neck will be 1/4 inch thicker when the fretboard is glued on. Keep the 2 inches that will mount to the body square.

3. Glue the fretboard on the neck so that the 16th fret is right on the body side

edge of the neck.

4. Mount the tuners to the side of the slotted headstock. Tuners come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure that you drill holes into the side of the headstock that will allow the tuner to turn freely.


6

Make the Body:

1. Print the body template located at the back of these plans. Cut out the body template and trace it on one of the 3/4 by 5 by 12 inch piece of wood. Cut out the neck pocket and pickup cavity. The pickup cavity may need to be adjusted to fit the specific pickup being used. The neck pocket can also be slightly adjusted to fit the individual neck.

2. Glue both of the 3/4 by 5 by 12 inch pieces of wood together.

3. After the glue has dried, round off the edges and corners with sandpaper.


7

Prepare the Body:

1. Drill a hole at the tail of the body large and deep enough to fit the endpin jack.

2. Using a long, narrow drill bit, drill a hole from the endpin hole to the pickup cavity.

3. Drill a hole on the side of the upper bout for the strap peg.

4. Drill holes for the pickup mounting ring.

5. Drill two holes for the neck mounting screws. They will be 1/2 and 1 1/4

inches away from the edge of the body. These holes into the neck pocket should just be large enough to allow the screws to pass without resistance.

6. Place the neck into the neck pocket, and mark the holes for the screws. These

holes should be small enough to give the screws plenty of grip.


8

Bridge:

1. Place the bridge in the middle of the body, and make sure that the string saddles are exactly 17 inches away from the edge of the fretboard. Once the bridge is in the correct place, mark the holes for the bridge screws.

2. Drill 4 holes through the body for the string holes (The string saddles may need to be removed to better see the string through holes in the bridge).

3. Counter sink all four holes in the back of the body for the string ferrules.

4. Drill one hole from under the bridge to the endpin jack hole. This hole will be

used for the ground wire.


9

Finish the body and neck:

1. Sand, sand, sand. Get the body and neck ready to finish.

2. Apply finish to the body, neck, and fretboard. Tru-‐Oil and gunstock wax work well.

Electronics:

1. Feed the ground wire into the endpin jack hole. Make sure that the ground wire has a solid electrical connection to the bridge.

2. Push the pickup wire through the hole from the pickup cavity to the endpin jack hole. Screw the mounting ring to the body.

3. Solder both the pickup ground wire and the bridge ground to the sleeve lug

of the endpin jack.

4. Solder the pickup signal wire to the tip lug of the endpin jack.


10

Assembly:

1. Attach the neck, tuners, strap peg, string ferrules, and bridge.

2. If using a premade nut, a thin shim may be needed under the nut. Without the shim, the nut may not be high enough.

3. Use the 4 thinnest strings from an electric guitar set on this ukulele.

4. Tune up the strings and rock! Make a YouTube video about your instrument

and/or take pictures of it. Share the link or pictures to [email protected].

8.5” X 11”

ElectricUkulele - · PDF fileElectricUkulele" " Plans" " " "...

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