Im sure this has been discussed ad nauseam, but I had a question about scale length. It's my understanding the soprano is 13" and the concerto? is around 15". At the 12th fret that's 6.5" and 7.5" respectively.looking at the build here, most look to have necks longer than 10". Is that just an optical effect or is there something I'm missing. I've partially have built Ms. Shelley Rickey's uke from the magazine article. Unless I did something wrong, it comes out to be around 20". So, is it a uke if I get uke string and tune it accordingly, or is it a short guitar? Am an engineer by trade and I guess we tend to over think things and we want to know all things so I guess that's we're I get in a quandary. Have a few customers wanting mandolins and I thought I'd start with a ukulele since I like their sound and I've never played one. I know with cigar box instruments, there are not many rules but I like to feel I'm on the right track.
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An octave is (by definition) double the frequency. That's why middle C and high C both sound like a C. Your ear hears them similarly. To double the frequency of a vibrating string you cut the length in half. So the 12th fret must be halfway between the nut and the saddle. All the other frets are some other fraction of the scale length, the math is kinda complicated, so everybody remembers the 12th because half is easy to understand and remember.
its closer to a baritone scale to be honest. the neck length will depend on the box, and where you want to place the bridge, in a small box the neck will have to be longer if you want the bridge to sit roughly central on the box. to be honest i'm not a fan of bridges real close or on the side of the box as it has less opportunity to vibrate the lid and make some noise so to speak.
on a traditional ukulele, its 12 or 14 frets to the body, so if you stick to that it will look in proportion, but if the necks longer who really cares? as long as its comfortable to play right?
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I thought it was same distance from nut to 12th fret as it is from 12th fret to saddle? Mine is, including my banjo uke.
An octave is (by definition) double the frequency. That's why middle C and high C both sound like a C. Your ear hears them similarly. To double the frequency of a vibrating string you cut the length in half. So the 12th fret must be halfway between the nut and the saddle. All the other frets are some other fraction of the scale length, the math is kinda complicated, so everybody remembers the 12th because half is easy to understand and remember.
I just built a soprano ukulele, neck is 7", overall length is 21". You can see a pic in my albums.
I've also built what you might call an alto guitar (21" scale), overall length is 29".
its closer to a baritone scale to be honest. the neck length will depend on the box, and where you want to place the bridge, in a small box the neck will have to be longer if you want the bridge to sit roughly central on the box. to be honest i'm not a fan of bridges real close or on the side of the box as it has less opportunity to vibrate the lid and make some noise so to speak.
on a traditional ukulele, its 12 or 14 frets to the body, so if you stick to that it will look in proportion, but if the necks longer who really cares? as long as its comfortable to play right?
Cheers (and good luck)
Cliff
Try here
http://liveukulele.com/gear/ukulele-sizes/
Thanks. That seems to make better sense.