C. B. Gitty Ukulele Kit

http://www.cbgitty.com/cigar-box-gu...omplete-with-all-parts-hardware-instructions/

Has anyone built this yet? If so, or if you can tell by looking, just what is meant by "only basic tools and woodworking skills"? And obviously I wonder how it sounds. I'll end up building one eventually, though I may need more help than I'd like. But after all that, it would be a bummer if I didn't like the sound. Read: I wouldn't play it, so what would be the point, except the building/learning experience?

Thanks for any thoughts!

i would be concerned about the sound. a bit over two hundred and mim sent me an ohana sk38, a really outstandingly voiced soprano. the longneck kala soprano, it's all laminate but great sound, is a bit over a hundred and hawaii music supply will do the set up for you. there are some fine choices for a few more dollars that would be $ better spent.

I think deschutestrout still has a cigar box uke available in the marketplace:
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?108821-Tenor-Cigar-Box-uke-Make-offer!
(Someone please buy it before my willpower crumbles!)

If, on the other hand, it's the do-it-yourself aspect of CBUs/CBGs that has your interest peaked, I'd say go for the kit. Worst case, it doesn't sound great, but it still gives your wall a ton of mojo.

Post withdrawn.

Unless you just want a cigar box uke (would be extremely quiet without a pickup) and if you just want a cheap uke kit that will produce a somewhat playable uke, this seems to be the entry level standard kit for only $26.95 : http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2015/main/451?p=451

You should enjoy building it at least as much as playing it as there are some very inexpensive ukes out there that in most cases will be better players than this one. Some have gotten some pretty impressive results with these kits. If nothing else, you get lots of experience at uke tinkering that may save you a lot of money on luthier fees for small repairs and parts changes. Some threads on UU on the Grizzly kits. I bought one. Haven't built it yet and am now considering buying a Gitty Kalimba build it youself set and making a ukalimba with a pickup out of the Grizzly body.

Here's a video on building the concert size..basically the same kit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u1fnlR2uNQ

and another building the soprano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO1oAkdAn4c

This might be helpful: http://mark-grizzlyukulelekit.blogspot.com/

The instructions are on the site so you can see if it is something you can handle. You will need to drill the sound hole. The tools will add-up quickly, if you don't have them already.

http://downloads.cbgitty.com/product_downloads/CBUkeGuide.pdf

Good luck.

Thanks! Having the instructions to read over is really helpful, thanks for finding them! Seems I have the tools - surprise! I like the boxes they sell with F holes so may try one. For anyone else wondering about the sound, it seems the uke in this video was built using Gitty parts and instructions. It sounds good to me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_a5i7M5v0

It's not a (fill in your fave uke here!) but there's something to be said for building your own instrument! And my hope is that with practice, the skills and therefore ukes, improve. I don't expect to build just one - I know better!

Good deal. You don't need to bother drilling a sound hole then.
Looks like a fun project. Have fun.

All the help and technical advice you need on Cigarboxnation.com if you haven't visited them yet.

river_driver said:

I think deschutestrout still has a cigar box uke available in the marketplace:
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?108821-Tenor-Cigar-Box-uke-Make-offer!
(Someone please buy it before my willpower crumbles!)

If, on the other hand, it's the do-it-yourself aspect of CBUs/CBGs that has your interest peaked, I'd say go for the kit. Worst case, it doesn't sound great, but it still gives your wall a ton of mojo.

Click to expand...

LOL I did notice that. But if I'm going to have one, I want to built it. Might as well!

Thanks for the links, Phil, I've visited cigarboxnation. It's easy to get bogged down over there and hard to find really good text instructions! Pictures are of absolutely no help to me, which is just another uniqueness I get to address. But things have come together, and I'm still considering the GItty kit and/or the Wolfelele which they also have. That one seems totally fool-proof and similar to the Fluke design, if I understand it right.