Folding Ukulele?!?!

grandpoobah

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I just ordered the strangest Uke I have come across. It's a laser cut folding uke kit. A completed version is offered, but its out of my budget for a novelty uke. Also, it just seems like a fun build, so I'm gunna give it a go and try to DIY it

http://www.ponoko.com/design-your-o...ano-size-bamboo-plywood-kit-amber-color--6539

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gaFRbOb6lw

The fretboard is made of angled pieces of wood and does not have fret wires at all. It doesn't seem to sound that great from the video, and that's not a surprise as the soundboard is bamboo plywood. Still, it's such a crazy looking design I had to order a kit. It just seems like a crazy fun project. I'll do my best to document the build and put up a review.

I could see swapping in a normal soprano fretboard and maybe even replacing the top with a more common uke wood, but for now I'm gunna build the stock model. Delivery is about three weeks so maybe I'll have something to show in a month or so.
 
Could be a fun project to see what improvements maybe you could make to get a better sound from it always worth a try
 
Very curious. Looks like an easy sound-improvement upgrade might be to add a bone or tusq nut and saddle instead of the on-end plywood in the pictures. Should be a fun build!
 
Looks like an easy sound-improvement upgrade might be to add a bone or tusq nut and saddle instead of the on-end plywood in the pictures.

Good point about the saddle. I actually have some blanks around. Only issue may be that the plywood one has "teeth" on the bottom to hold in it place. I may not have enough extra material to create those teeth on my blanks.

I will definitely post a build thread in the luthier's lounge once I get the kit. Its my first uke build, but I feel like its going to be more like building a model ship. Something I have done quite a bit of.
 
Yes, let us know.

Whan someone posted this months ago, it was postulated that it had the acoustic qualities of the erector set I said it looked like.

Let us know what it sounds and feels like.


-Kurt​
 
No matter what it sounds like it takes quite a mind to come up with that design! Kudos to the inventor, and I can't wait to hear about your "build".
 
 
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