My first homemade ukulele

wistah · Dec 23, 2013

Hi All,

I am new here. I posted a thread in the newbie introductions thread, but thought I should share this here. I just finished building my first canjo-lele, sort of a cigar box ukulele.

It has a rock maple neck, the fret slots and tie block were hand cut. I used poplar dowels for the fingerboard markers. For some crazy reason, I decided to put the tuners on the backwards.

The tin is from a pocket knife gift set. I put two piezo disc pickups into it run through a volume and tone control. It doesn't sound like much acoustically but it is fun plugged in.

I call it the Dragonfly.

Happy holidays everyone!

dhoenisch · Dec 23, 2013

Let me be the first to say, nice work! I really like that. It'd be a nice little travel uke.

Dan

SonSprinter · Dec 23, 2013

wistah said:
canjo-lele

I love the name.

wistah said:
For some crazy reason, I decided to put the tuners on the backwards.

I have an old like 1950's ukulele from this guy who used to make them in his garage. Oh, it is a real ukulele, figure eight-shaped and everything. And it still plays, very well. He had geared tuners (which I think was quite rare back then). But he also put his tuners on the backwards. Maybe it was his trademark. Perhaps backwards tuners can be yours.

You got me thinking ... how difficult was it to install the frets?

gnordenstam · Dec 23, 2013

Very nice - I like it!
--G

wistah · Dec 23, 2013

You got me thinking ... how difficult was it to install the frets?

Thanks!!!! Fretwork isn't too bad. Cutting the slots in the right place is the hard part. After that its a few taps of the hammer, a little glue in case the slots are too wide, a big file to level the frets. The only special tool needed is a crowning file to put a crown back on the frets after they've been leveled. I use a triangle file with one face ground flat to knock of the sharp edges of the frets.

I've refretted a couple of banjo and guitar necks before I did this one.

Uke Republic · Dec 23, 2013

That looks cool! Bravo!!!

wistah · Dec 23, 2013

Thanks All!

delray48209 · Dec 23, 2013

Bravo! Great job!

rem50 · Dec 23, 2013

that looks fun!

wistah · Dec 23, 2013

Thank you all so much.

PhilUSAFRet · Dec 23, 2013

Great job, cool.

hent · Dec 24, 2013

Nicely done!!

wistah · Dec 24, 2013

Thank you gents.

iamesperambient · Dec 24, 2013

wistah said:
Hi All,

I am new here. I posted a thread in the newbie introductions thread, but thought I should share this here. I just finished building my first canjo-lele, sort of a cigar box ukulele.

It has a rock maple neck, the fret slots and tie block were hand cut. I used poplar dowels for the fingerboard markers. For some crazy reason, I decided to put the tuners on the backwards.

The tin is from a pocket knife gift set. I put two piezo disc pickups into it run through a volume and tone control. It doesn't sound like much acoustically but it is fun plugged in.

I call it the Dragonfly.

Happy holidays everyone!

hey wow thats awesome. would you consider making one for someone else i may be interested in buying one from you if you custom make me one designed for steel strings.

wistah · Dec 24, 2013

Hi Esper... I'm new to making instruments, this is my fourth. I've just started making instruments for others. For steel string instruments I usually get a pre-manufactured neck (I fix up old abused tenor banjo necks for the four strings, or use guitar necks for six). I don't think a thin maple board like on the dragonfly would hold up to the tension of steel strings. I'd have to use a thicker piece of wood and do more shaping and probably put in a truss rod--something I've not done before.

But, please hit me up through my facebook page and I'd be happy to discuss further.

link

iamesperambient · Dec 24, 2013

wistah said:
Hi Esper... I'm new to making instruments, this is my fourth. I've just started making instruments for others. For steel string instruments I usually get a pre-manufactured neck (I fix up old abused tenor banjo necks for the four strings, or use guitar necks for six). I don't think a thin maple board like on the dragonfly would hold up to the tension of steel strings. I'd have to use a thicker piece of wood and do more shaping and probably put in a truss rod--something I've not done before.

But, please hit me up through my facebook page and I'd be happy to discuss further.

link

cool I'll hit you up soon

My first homemade ukulele

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