One more thing to put on my plate.

ukebeatsguitar

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Although I'm really busy right now, I cannot resist asking some questions for another project. This time, I'm thinking of making some REALLY simple cigar box ukes.

Question number one. What kind of cigar boxes are best for a loud, cigar boxxy sound? Any specific brands I should look for?

Q #2: Where can I get scrap necks? I don't want to take the time to make my own, so I thought I'd find some dismembered necks. (uke necks of course.) I checked Ebay, but couldn't find anything. I'm looking for a concert neck, a tenor, and a tenor eight string neck.

And now on to the last question. Is there a specific cigar box that anyone knows of that would be large enough to be a body for a double neck? Crazy idea, I know, but so is a longhorn uke. I'm just full of strange ideas.
 
I've never built a cigar box uke, but here's some info I picked up by reading about them here.

Cigar box ukes will tend to lack volume unless the cigar box top (soundboard) gets thinned. As they come they are quite thick. This makes them strong enough to not require internal bracing, but limits the volume produced. Thin the top and install bracing to bring out the volume.

Not all cigar boxes are created equal. Some are solid wood, some are not. Some solid wood boxes use better quality wood than others. Some have paper covering, some do not. Some are well constructed, and some aren't.

Bridge type may impact over-all sound. A floating bridge and tail-piece design would probably not produce as much sound as a "conventional" bridge and saddle design.

I understand that uke necks can be bought from Mainland Ukes.

For the double neck cigar box uke....could you use a rectangular cigar box turned 90 degrees, short sides parallel to the neck?

Hope this helps.
 
I have used the Grizzly kit necks and hardware for my last two CBU's- makes it easy...and $22, can't go wrong. I would say that most boxes will accommodate a double neck, I got mine from Thompson's Cigars ($20 for 12 of them). Most are, nowadays, made from ply but that makes it easy to thin them and see where you are at least.
Last, my box that I have strung has perfect tone and intonation, but volume is an issue- next will get a pick up (until I figure out a breadpan resonator)
 
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