Today is a review next few sections of Simandl. Half position through the octave. (ie. 1st through 12th) Pages 11, 14 and 18 (see pics below)
Key Points:
We’ve already gone over playing notes on the open strings.
Next, let’s finger some notes. Due to the size of the bass, the most you can cover in one position are three semitones using the 1st, 2nd and 4th fingers. Unless you have really large hands. I don’t!
Starting on the G string, the notes are open G, (and this is what Simandl calls ‘Half position’….but I think of as 1st position) G#, A, A#. Going down we use flats: Bb, A, Ab, G.
If you look at the Simandl book, he forces you to learn every accidental that can be applied to a given note. I.e.
The benefit of Simandl is that his method is so granular that you learn every note plus accidentals in every position.
Here is a summary of the rest of the steps to finish my cigar box ukulele. See Part 1 and Part 2.
After installing the end block in the front and back ends of the cigar box like this,
I began working on the neck. Rather than try to carve and craft my own neck I purchased a solid mahogany the neck, fretboard, nut and bridge from Mainland Ukes and that saved a lot of work. Nevertheless, the neck still required finishing including a lot of sanding:
Finishing the Neck
Sand the neck with 120 grit sandpaper.
Apply a coat of mineral spirits.
Look for flaws in the wood that the sanding missed.
Repair any sanding flaws.
Wipe on mineral spirits to clean the wood.
Let dry completely.
Before applying finish, I masked the area on the neck where the fretboard will be attached to ensure a good surface remains to apply glue.
Apply a coat of tung oil. I used lint free cheese cloth as an applicator.
Let the tung oil dry overnight.
Sand with steel wool. (Be sure to completely clean the work area from any trace of steel wool shavings, or they will contaminate the instrument during the next application of finish.)
Apply a second coat of tung oil.
Sand with steel wool.
Spray with clear lacquer.
Let dry.
Sand with steel wool.
Spray with a second coat of lacquer.
Sand with steel wool.
Remove the masking.
Test Fit the Neck
Place the top of the cigar box back in place. The center line of the neck needs to line up perfectly with the center line of the box. Also, the height of the neck must allow for the fretboard to extend over the cigar box, but it should be flush with the top surface of the box. I temporarily attached the fretboard to the neck with some clamps during the fitting.
Using a pencil, lightly mark an outline on the front of the box for where the neck will attach.
Remove the top. Take measurements from the front to where the neck will be located and transfer that to the inside. Drill three pilot holes through the end block for the neck attachment screws.
Attach the neck using appropriate length screws based on the thickness of the end block plus the cigar box wall and the depth required of the heel of the uke neck.
Put the cigar box top back in place and temporarily attach the fretboard to the neck.
Measure to determine the location of the bridge and saddle. For my concert size uke, the scale length is 15 inches from the back of the nut to the center of the saddle. Record these measurements and/or lightly mark the location for the bridge and the nut.
If the cigar box is paper covered, mark an outline of the bridge and using a sharp razor blade, cut through the paper and remove the paper. This will ensure a good surface for gluing.
Glue and clamp the bridge in place and let dry.
With the neck and fretboard still attached, mark the location for the sound hole. Drill the sound hole.
Remove the neck from the box and set aside.
Final Finishing
Mask the bridge.
Spray the entire box with lacquer.
Let dry.
Sand with steel wool.
Apply another coat of lacquer.
Let dry.
Sand with steel wool.
Remove the masking.
Final Assembly
If you are going to install a pickup, do it now before you glue the lid in place. Follow the pickup manufacturers instructions for installation. I used an ‘Aloha Twin’ ukulele pickup from K&K Sound and it works awesomely. Important: Be sure to test the pickup by plugging into your amplifier and tapping on it to verify it is outputting sound BEFORE you install it and glue the lid in place.
I used a gold US 1 Dollar coin as a washer for the pickup’s trap jack.
Attach the neck to the box. Ensure it is fit and attached perfectly. This time is for keeps.
Glue the lid in place and let dry overnight.
Glue the fretboard to the neck and locate it according to the measurements and markings you made to establish the centerline and the scale length. Use enough clamps to get a tight bond all the way up and down the neck. Be sure to clean up any excess glue with a damp cloth. Let it dry overnight.
Install the tuners.
Install the strings and tune to pitch.
Check the string action and playability and make any needed adjustments to the nut and/or saddle. I had to shave down the nut by about 1/32″ and it improved the tuning and playability.
If you want to use a strap, install a strap button.
Aloha all my cyber ‘ohana! I have been ‘uking around’ lately and thought I’d post some links to some ukulele pages for you. I also recently, after a long delay, finished building my own cigar box ukulele and I will finish up part 3 of my How to Build a Cigar Box Ukulele series of posts.
Below are some links to my other more detailed uke pages.
Just a quick news release to update you that I have not forgotten about continuing the double bass lesson series. My last lesson post was on February 26th. I was preoccupied and/or traveling for business (I have a full time day job other than music to keep me busy!) for most of the month of March. Then in the first week of April I managed to break my thumb! And I’ve been struggling with the VA healthcare system ever since trying to get properly treated. (See “Dear VA – Sorry, but you still suck” post for details!)
Anyway, stay tuned because once the thumb is better I will be continuing the DB series of double bass lessons and videos. The next lesson will be on beginning to play open string notes, learning to control the bow and then moving on to fingering notes from, as Simandl calls it, the “usual” or “half position”, or as I call it from the open strings through the third position (equivalent to the 3rd fret on the electric bass).
I’m not a dying vet (yet) that you have abandoned. But I am a vet (Navy) and I did have a medical issue and you did abandon me.
You gave me VA health care coverage under the Veterans Choice Act because they are not accepting new patients at my local VA facilities. In theory you said I can go receive care by a non-VA provider. Sounds great right?
WRONG
I managed to break my thumb by smashing it between a sledge hammer and a steel fence post. (OK my bad….but stuff happens, you know?)
I went to my primary care doctor who cleaned and examined the wound and had it x-rayed. He told me, “You broke your thumb. You need to go to orthopedics to get it treated. We already have an appointment set up for you this afternoon.”
Not long afterwards his office called me back and told me I couldn’t go to orthopedics because the VA has to approve the referral first.
I called the Veterans Choice program and asked them if the referral had been approved yet. They told me, “No. It may take up to 14 days.” I said, “You have got to be joking? I can’t wait two weeks! I have a broken thumb.” They told me to go to my nearest hospital emergency room because the VA would pay for that.
How stupid is this?
They are trying to save money by having some moron in a cubicle who doesn’t know me or my doctor decide what kind of medical care I should receive. Instead they send me to the ER. I’m sure that saved them tons of money.
So I went to the ER. for the privilege of having a trainee ER tech fit me with a gigantic fiberglass splint that went halfway up my arm. The ER doc said I should see an orthopedic hand surgeon as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I called Veterans Choice, VA patient advocacy, and the VA non-VA billing department multiple times to try to get the orthopedic referral approved. Everyone told me how sorry they were and thanked me for my service. But no one said “you’re approved”.
So, it has now been nine days and still nothing. Still waiting on whoever to finish their box of donuts, or come back from a smoke break or whatever and do their job.
Again, my issue was a minor one, so I feel really, really sorry for any veteran out there who has serious health problems that is dependent on the VA healthcare system.
People: This is an example of socialism, socialized medicine and central control. It’s been tried. It doesn’t work. It sucks.
Well, what do you think? Am I being too critical? (I don’t think so!) Are you a vet or do you know a vet who has had a bad experience with the VA?
