Top selection

While the body is gluing up I select the top. This is wood I have usually sourced and resawn myself. It is often highly figured and as such, is sometimes unsuitable for the acoustic instruments I also build.

This image shows some exquisite 'compression' curl and sap wood koa which would be very unstable in an acoustic uke. Uklectic tops, at 0.135" thick, are solidly glued in position so this is not a problem.