In the latest set of four, two have the Kasha bracing system. More about the Kasha system at:
http://www.jthbass.com/kasha.html
http://www.hep.fsu.edu/~berg/teach/phy3091/Talk3KashaGuitar.pdf
I built some Kasha braced ukuleles early on in my building career, and I really like the sound and volume, but there were just too many variables going on, so I decided to concentrate on the more ‘traditional’ styles of bracing, to make them better. I have achieved a pretty good sound with my current more traditional bracing systems, so it is time to apply some of those lessons to a Kasha braced ukulele. One has a redwood top and the other has a Port Orford cedar top. The Port Orford cedar is a new trial for me, I’m going to use it for necks as well. It has a very high stiffness-to-weight ratio, which allows one to make things lighter but just as strong.
The bracing in both of these Kasha ukuleles is also Port Orford cedar. Because of its stiffness I can make the braces themselves a little thinner and lighter which should result in more volume. You may notice that some of the braces are a bit gray in color. This is because this Port Orford cedar was cut from logs that had been down for a while, and the outside of the log had weathered to a gray color. The color change extends about 1 inch into the board. From working with it a little bit, and from shaving the braces, it seems like this grayer wood is stiffer and harder than the light colored wood inside it. Maybe just my imagination, but kind of an interesting ‘feel’.
A more tradition ‘X’ braced top:
The Kasha braced tops, one redwood and one Port Orford cedar:
