Here are some ukueles that I have built

Okay, these are not your typical ukuleles. They all have aluminum bodies, some are hammer-formed and some are machined from aluminum block.

The red and blue body ukuleles are hammer-formed aluminum sides with the top and bottom rivieted to the sides. I have two of these at home because I made the red one for Jake Shimabukuro after meeting him at a concert. I have helped about 60 students/boy scouts make this style over the past several years.

The two silver and the purple body ukuleles are machined from billet aluminum with the top riveted to it. I designed the body in CAD and then machined it on a CNC mill. The sound hole on the top is of a celtic knot I like and the top is cut out using a waterjet. I made 10 of these. Just like the sheet metal bodies, they are a soprano.

I have also machined two bodies in the tenor size. I just haven't gotten the necks, fret boards, etc... to finish them off. I am going to electrify one of the sopranos and one of the tenors.

It is fun and very addictive to build these ukuleles. I just need to practice a lot more so that I can play them better.

I hope you enjoy looking at them.

Eric

Neat!

Why do you use any wood at all? wouldn't an Al neck & bridge work as well?
I guess that would be too heavy?

Aloha,
Awesome looking....job well done....................................BO.........................

The reason I haven't gone to an all aluminum uke is that I haven't designed the neck in CAD yet. It is taking some time for me to get it the way I want it. Once I do, I am going to machine it in one piece, with just the top to attach.

I like. What thickness are those aluminium tops? I imagine you could go quite thin. 1mm-ish would be my guestimate for an Al top.

Any chance we could get a sound sample?

lovinforkful said:

Any chance we could get a sound sample?

Click to expand...

Yes I'm very curious what they sound like? Like a resonator maybe or perhaps a bit banjo-like?

Ilike the look of them.......sound sample please

+ 1 on the sound sample.

To machine the neck or body out of an aluminum block, sounds expensive (not to mention a lot of aluminum chip clean up). But it saves time, and we all only have so much time.

I like them. Those ukes are made to last lol. Nano aluminum alloys are coming along, soon those tops might be paper thin... Love to hear what they sound like.

I will work on a sound sample, but it won't be great as I am still learning how to play.

The wall thickness on the solid body averages 0.075". The top is 0.059" (1mm = 0.0394")and a different alloy from the body. It is harder and produces a better sound than a softer aluminum would.

I have some sound files now but am not sure how to post them. Any help would be appreciated.

Yeah those are really cool.Nice going. I have a dobro and the body is made of copper.