Kamaka Cigar Box Uke

UkieOkie · Dec 17, 2016

Hello friends. I make the occasional cigar box Uke and I remembered seeing one of the kamaka brothers playing one on that PBS special last year. When the googled it I found this link with some background on them. There is even a sound sample video. I'll post the link below. Anyway I thought you ukulele crazies might enjoy checking it out.

http://ukulelefriend.com/ukes/vintage-kamaka-cigar-box-ukulele/

Trevor

joneo · Dec 19, 2016

Sounds great! Thanks for the link. Question to UkieOkie: Do you suggest bracing the top of these CBUs, either with fan or X bracing? I bought a couple from two different vendors on Etsy and on one of them the top is bowing. Neither one seems to have this bracing. I was thinking about putting in a brace but don't know if it would deaden the sound. I do have some extra cigar boxes that I bought with the hopes of someday making one myself. Here's a couple pics:

UkieOkie · Dec 20, 2016

Yes I brace but I am a long ways from knowing what I am doing. I actually brace according to the box at hand. If a top is pretty thick I thin it some and brace lightly. If it is thin I brace more aggressively while trying not to dampen the sound too much. On the worse of the two pics it looks like the neck may be coming loose a the heal or something. That is some rough neck angle. If you ask the guys in the luthiers lounge you will get a better answer.

joneo · Dec 20, 2016

Thanks! -- didn't mean to hijack thread ;-) so here's a pic with Mr Kamaka & CBU:

stevejfc · Dec 20, 2016

Thanks for the thread!

UkieOkie · Dec 22, 2016

joneo said:
Thanks! -- didn't mean to hijack thread ;-) so here's a pic with Mr Kamaka & CBU:

Haha no problem. Thanks for adding the pic.

UkieOkie · Dec 22, 2016

You're welcome Steve

Kamaka Cigar Box Uke

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