Super Soprano Guitalele 2

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Introducing the Super Soprano Guitalele 2!

The Super Soprano Guitalele 2 - an all new version of my Super Soprano Guitalele!  This new version has several improvements compared to the original:

• Like my recent Soprano Ukulele 2, the body can now be printed flat, rather than upright like the original design.
• The fretboard is designed for installing metal frets.  No more plastic fret wearing down quickly!
• A new neck that will take a two-way, adjustable truss rod, giving a much straighter neck than can be achieved with the 8 mm carbon fiber rod.
• An acoustic-electric version.
• Easy assembly.
• Full color body tops
• A template for easily integrating Hueforge prints onto the body top.

Sound Demo and Build Instructions

The video below provides a sound demo of the new super-soprano guitalele, along with instructions on installing metal frets in the fretboard and the new adjustable truss rod. 

For details on building the guitalele with the new print flat body style, see the build instructions for my Mini 2 sopranino ukulele, which has the same style body and is built in the same way.

 

 

Finally, for details on building the neck, headstock, and attaching the fretboard (except for the truss rod part) see the build instructions for the original Soprano Guitalele.

 

 I like Gorilla brand super glue gel for parts that need to be glued.

Filament

I use PLA or PETG.  I recommend avoiding filaments with additives, such as PLA silk, matte, or wood as these often have much lower strength.  Bambu PLA basic has a bending strength of 76 MPa and tensile strength of 35 MPa according to Bambu Lab's Technical Data Sheets.  I have found that filaments with similar or greater values work well.  

Print Settings

• Rafts: No
• Supports: None of the parts require supports
• Resolution: 0.12 mm
• Wall loops: 5
• Infill: 50%
• No supports, rafts, or brims required for any part.

3D Printed Parts

You'll need

• Body
• Body top
• Braces
• Top glue aide
• Neck
• Headstock
• Headstock Inlay
• Bridge Inlay
• Fretboard with slots for installing metal frets
• Saddle
• Truss rod stop
• Strap pin, if you want to use a strap

For the acoustic-electric version, you'll need

• Body for acoustic-electric
• Jack panel

Purchased Parts 

In addition to the printed parts, you'll need 

• Fret wire, if you want to install metal frets
• 310 mm long two-way truss rod. 
• Guitalele strings - I like Aquila Guilele Strings.
• 12, #2, 3/8'' wood screws for installing the tuners.  Metric equivalent is M2x8mm.
• Two #4, 1'' wood screw to screw the headstock to the neck.  Metric equivalent screw is an M3 x 25 mm.

For the acoustic-electric version you'll also need

• 50 mm under saddle piezo pickup
• ¼ inch output, 4 mm input piezo jack
• 4 additional #2, 3/8'' wood screws to attach the jack panel to the body

Full Color Tops

There are two full color top .3mf files included.  The Dark Marble top for the Acoustic Super Soprano Guiltalele 2 uses Black, Cyan, Red, and Bambu Green  Bambu PLA Basic.  The Scream top for the Acoustic Electric version uses Black, Blue Grey, Brown, and Beige Bambu PLA Basic. 

The Fretboard

The fretboard is designed to take metal fret wire.  The video linked above provides instructions on installing the metal frets in the fretboard.

 

If you don't want to be bothered with installing metal frets, then you can print the fretboard with replaceable frets from my original super-soprano guitalele.  I do not recommend using the fretboard with 3D printed frets that aren't replaceable.  The metal wound nylon strings wear the plastic frets very quickly so they won't last very long.

The Truss Rod

I changed the design of the neck for the guitalele 2 to use a truss rod for the neck, rather than a carbon fiber rod like the previous design.  

 

Once built, the truss rod should be adjusted after stringing up the guitalele. The screw for adjuting the truss rod is accessed through the soundhole.  Insert a hex key into the screw.  Turning the hex key clockwise tightens the truss rod, counteracting the string tension to keep the neck straight.  Adjust the truss rod in small increments of 1/8th turn, and check the flatness of the neck with a metal straight edge on the frets.  Too much tightening of the stress rod will introduce a back bow into the neck, bending it away from the body.  If this happens, loosen the truss rod, again in small increments, of 1/8 turns, by turning the hex key counter-clockwise.

 

I adjust the truss rod until the neck is straight and fret buzzing is eliminated.

 

If you prefer to use the carbon fiber rod, the neck from the original super soprano guitalele will fit on the guitalele 2 body.  If you use that I recommend to try printing the neck at higher infill like 80%, or maybe even 100%, to make the neck stiffer and better resist bending from the string tension.

Tuners

You'll need six of my Model 3 Ukulele Tuners.  The below video provides instructions on installing the tuners.

 

Stringing and Tuning the Uke

• There are many tutorials on YouTube, like this one, on how to string a classical guitar with a tye-block bridge like the guitalele.
• The guitalele is tuned like a guitar, except that it is tuned higher to ADGCEA.

Tools Needed

To install the metal frets you'll need several tools

• Fret cutters/nippers
• Fret end beveling file
• Fret end dressing file
• Fret erasers 

Project cost

This is a relatively big project and can get pricey, Cost will vary widely, depending on which model you want, if you want to install metal frets, and whether you have tools.  Cheaper tools were available than the ones I got, but I wanted decent tools since I plan to make several of these.  The table below is intended to give an estimate of the project cost, before you dive in.

900 g PLA (includes guitalele and  six model 3 tuners)	$15
Guitalele strings	$14
Fret wire	$14
Under saddle piezo pickup	$9
Piezo jack	$8
Fret cutters	$27
Fret beveling file	$20
Fret dressing file	$30
Fret erasers	$20
Truss rod	$8

• Total cost all in for the acoustic-electric model with metal frets and truss rod including tools is around $165.  
• If you have suitable tools and only need the parts then an acoustic-electric model will cost around $68.
• Opting for replaceable 3D printed frets and the acoustic model is $37.  

Using the HueForge Template

HueForge template .step and .3mf files are provided to make it easy to integrate a Hueforge print onto the guitalele body top.  To use this template follow the instructions below. Instructions are for Bambu studio. Modify accordingly for your preferred slicer.

• Load the either the acoustic or acoustic electric template into Bambu Studio.  Print settings should be set to 0.08 mm layer height, 0.16 mm initial layer height, 5 wall loops, 100 % sparse infill density, and Rectilinear sparse infill pattern.
• In the left pane in the Objects view in Bambu Studio right click on the Assembly and select split to objects.  This has already been done in the Mini 2 Hueforge Template.3mf file.
• Drag your HueForge .stl into Bambu Studio.
• Position the HueForge with respect to the top as desired.   It helps to turn off visibility of the Body Top and Bridge in the Objects pane to position the HueForge. Make sure not to move the top with respect to the bridge accidentally. 
• If you adjust the size of the HueForge .stl for a better fit on the top, make sure that the vertical dimension (thickness) remains unchanged.  Only change the horizontal dimensions.  Changing the vertical dimensions will change the number of layers, and the Hueforge design will be off.
• Select both the Body Top and the HueForge (I use CTRL click for this).
• Click on Mesh Boolean in the Bambu Studio tool bar, select Intersection and click Execute.    This can take a while so wait for a bit.
• Select both the bridge and the Top/HueForge Boolean in the Objects pane, right click, and select merge.
• Slice the plate.
• In the preview pane, add color filaments changes at the layer heights indicated by the Hueforge describe.txt.
• Reslice, print, and enjoy.

Notes on Designing the HueForge for the Body Top

For the best sound, the top of the body shouldn't be too thick.  However, it also can't be too thin or the top will become too weak to hold the string tension.  I use these general rules of thumb when designing a HueForge for the guitalele top.

• I use a Layer Height of 0.08 mm.
• Base Layer of 0.16 mm.
• Base Thickness of 1.2 mm
• I target a thickness for the first color (including Base Thickness) of around 1.4 mm, which is the thickness of the top of the uke without a HueForge.
• I try to keep the maximum height of the HueForge at 2.5 mm or less so it doesn't get too thick.