asymmetrical body shape on ukuleles?

[foxfair]

Two questions to ask here before I proceed further:

1. I was tracing the body shape from existed instrument last night, and surprisingly found out that most of my ukuleles are asymmetrical built. Any reason the uke builders intend to do so? Should I use a symmetrical shape or just follow them to use the asymmetrical one?
2. I have no power tools (yet) at home, so there is less option to build a mold. I am thinking about making a body shape jig to assemble back and sides, but I am pretty sure I will move to a mold in the future. Should I use a jig and make the mold later? Need your suggestions on it.

Thanks!

[Allen]

It's exceedingly rare that any instrument will be truly symmetrical. And depending on the building method, it can be decidedly asymmetrical. In most cases, unless you are looking closely, as you are in deciding on a body shape, the variations are just not noticeable. And in fact those same variations seem to somehow appeal to the human brain in that it looks hand made, and not punched out by a computer.

As for intending to build asymmetrically, I don't believe in most cases anyone does. They just turn out that way. Though I have some builds that I have purposely made with cutaways asymmetrical in the way that the waist and curve into the upper bout is shaped and positioned. I'll bet that every single person on this forum would have to truthfully say that if they traced out any of their instruments, they would symmetrical. You only need to have the length of one side off by 1mm to the other for the shape to be skewed.

My advice is to pick a shape, and try to make it symmetrical. Your milage will of course vary with your abilities, and the wood. Oh, that wood often has a mind of it's own.

You then need to decide on the method of construction. In ukes there are a couple of camps. To build Spanish style, or with body and neck as separate parts. In the latter you have quite a few variables in the form on neck connections, and that will have some bearing on how you tackle the way you build the body. It also is greatly dependant on your skill level and the tools available.

Neither the Spanish Style or American Industrial way is right or wrong. Just different in philosophy and execution. As well each has it's strengths and weaknesses. You will need to know each method well before you could make and informed decision on what best suits your needs. Much of this is what we go through in the Master Class as part of the uke course Micheal and I put on each year.

Good luck Howard.

[foxfair]

Allen,

Thanks for your reply. I reckon it is quite interesting about the asymmetrical shape, because I never noticed about it before.
I guess I am a traditional style lover, so spanish joint would be my choice. But your words is absolutely right, I will have to try each kind of neck connections then decide which one I make better than others.

[Steve.Toscano]

As Allen said, very few instruments would actually be symmetrical. Especially hand made ones.