Question for anyone interested in cigar box ukes

UKEonomics

UKEonomics

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Hey, I'm new to the board here so forgive me if this sort of thing has been asked previously. I've been building cigar box ukuleles and have been thinking about trying to sell a few in an online store or something of that nature. That being said, here's the question...

If you were going to purchase a cigar box ukulele would you rather buy a build-it-yourself kit or have it come already assembled?

The reason I ask is because I have a great time building these little ukuleles. Part of the appeal of building a CBU (at least for me) is that you made it and there is a certain pride in that.

I'd appreciate your feedback and thoughts related to this.
 
Im sure there will be mixed feedback here. Some, that like to tinker like myself might perfer a "kit", but other's, and probably most would prefer a ready to play out of the box uke. If I were doing that, I would offer both configurations.

That said, let's see some of your work. Us like most in cyberspace love pictures.. ;)
 


Here's a video of me playing my new one....you'll have to excuse the poor camera quality. I'll have to take some good pictures of the next one I build.

I figured that mixed feedback would be likely, which is cool. And I figured that offering both options is probably the way to go.

Sub-question - would the added option of picking the box be cool? Right now, I have 10 to 15 boxes...might as well let someone pick out their favorite, right?
 
A few options is always good. But, being a former customer focused business owner, in my experience has been if you give too many options, it tends to get confusing for customers, and they tend to go nuts with LOTS of options, which makes it much harder to "standardize" your procedures and product. Just food for thought. But, yes, a couple or 3 different styles to choose from is always a good thing.
 
That actually sounds pretty darn good. You have a voice for that style of music too, which is cool. Good work... Lets see more..
 
Nice playing indeed. Yes, folks will like your offerings. You need to put some prices on your builds. I love the bound fretboard too...!!!
 
Thanks for the kind words about the performance. Not to get way off topic, but if you all are diggin' the singing, you can check out this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdAIEZk16-w. Just a little song I wrote for my daughter when she was first born.

Good advice on too many options, Tudorp. I really do believe that is sound advice. While having a lot of options is something that you would think people would dig, it can get confusing really quickly and lead to indecision and ultimately to them not buying.

I wish there was more of a "cookie cutter" approach goes...that will be tough to do since no two boxes have the same dimensions. That's not to say that I can't have a more standardized approach to my builds...I'm working on that right now. I'm having trouble with deciding the best build and approach. I've been toying with some different braces, but I honestly think that going with a simple brace across the middle with some edge supports and neck and tail plates would be best for these.

@WhenDogsSing - The fretboard was interesting. I actually had to saw off the 15th fret since it was covering the hole...that's like the opposite of the old carpenter's adage of measure twice cut once. :)

As far as pricing for these things...man, I haven't even gotten that far. I think I'd feel bad if I charged more than 80 bucks for 'em.
 
@whendogssing - Your name rung a bell to me just now. I think I saw a video of one of your CBU builds on youtube. It was an awesome build!!!
 
I would prefer a kit, but that is me and I like makin' stuff. Some folks don't have the time, the know how or the tools to do so. What I really want to see is someone develop a resonator enclosure for a cigar box that a triolian cone or National Uke cone fits into...and I don't want to develop it
 
@peewee - yeah, they are pretty much awesome! The washboard rig that dude plays is sick!

@tck - the resonator enclosure would be awesome. I'll have to look into that, although I don't think I'm the man for the job.

Back on topic: as far as kits go, what do you guys think about pre-drilled holes (for the sound hole as well as for the neck) as opposed to not pre-drilling? The benefit I can see from not doing that is that someone can decide exactly where they'd like to place the sound hole (i know some folks like different sound hole placement) and if they don't like the bolt on neck method (which I'll probably go with) they can still have options.
 
This is all very nice! First, Anna Miriam is gorgeous - both the little girl and the song. Reminds me of my little girls' first months. The Hoosier Hotshots are also great - notice the "Big Ukulele"?

I think Tudorp has it right on options - I'd forget the kits. A lot of Cigar Box builders would just as soon do it all themselves anyway. Those that aren't really builders would get kind of confused.

I'd just build a nice Cigar Box Ukeulele - the best you know how - and sell it complete.
 
Hey, thanks for the kind words. She is a wonderful little girl...but now she's at that stage (almost a year old) where she's into everything and tearing everything up. I've started to train her up young though - the other day we were working on strumming one of my ukuleles.

I think you're all making valid points about this. Someone that really wants to build it isn't going to rely on a kit, but will gather the materials and figure it out for themselves...that's what I wanted to do anyway. My wife has been telling me the same thing for the last few days....and I really need to start listening to her sound advice.

Thanks for all the ideas. If you've got any more, I'd love to hear 'em. I think I've got my game plan in place thanks to all your helpful suggestions.
 
ditto on selling complete, forget the kit...too much work and you have to sell too cheap.
Cigar box ukes are selling well. I just make 3 or 4 when ever I get an order...sell the excess at events or ebay..
My problem is making them more and more elaborate....keep it simple, easy to build and sell lots......herb@cigarguitar.com
 
I'm going to ditto some of the less-is-more advice as far as options. I would pick one axis of choice and offer only that. Either offer the built-or-kit option, or offer the choice of cigar box in a built product. Personally, I'd find the latte more attractive, but either way, you'd offer enough customer choice to create engagement but not so much as to undermine your value/authority as a craftsman.
 
If I were buying a cigar box uke, I would want to see all the box designs available. The box and it's graphics is key to my interest, and I am pretty picky about design. I may not be your average buyer, but you might be prepared for that, 'cause I am not the only one. I would probably want you to make it, rather than a kit, unless it is an inexpensive kit. I would rather have a great uke that sounds great and is properly set up than risk messing it up by doing it myself. I have plenty of other things I make that will fill that creative need. I would like to see maybe some optional shapes for sound holes. Some cigar boxes might have a theme that could be echoed in the sound hole shape.

–Lori
 
UKEonomics said:
@whendogssing - Your name rung a bell to me just now. I think I saw a video of one of your CBU builds on youtube. It was an awesome build!!!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. Your CBU looks and sounds great. I built 8 and gave every one of them away. I didn't keep one for myself...!!! Maybe I'll build another one some day, I do have everything needed to do it.
 
Lori said:
I would like to see maybe some optional shapes for sound holes. Some cigar boxes might have a theme that could be echoed in the sound hole shape.

–Lori
Click to expand...

One of the first ones I built had a marijuana leaf (Hee! Hee! Hee!)soundhole but the CBU just didn't have any sound because I didn't thin the top down. I ended up dismantling that one for the parts. After that one, I went with a fleur-de-lis motif soundhole which worked out nicely.
 
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