Customizing my Mainland Gecko

[Pueo]

Hello everyone!
I recently purchased a Mainland Gecko so that I could have a durable, inexpensive ukulele. After having it a few weeks, I grew unhappy with the finish, indeed it was even beginning to wear off in some spots, so I decided to re-finish it. I thought I would blog about the process and share the experience of a completely unskilled craftsman modifying an ukulele, and perhaps we can all learn some things together.
Here is how it started:

I removed the hardware and covered up the fretboard and bridge

Then I grabbed a sanding block and some 180 Grit sandpaper and started sanding, taking care to go in many different directions and try to take down the finish evenly from all areas. The headstock seemed to lose its paint first so I sanded that area down to the bare wood, primarily to get some satisfaction that all my effort was indeed accomplishing something.

I did the underside and edges as well. The finish on the top (soundboard) seems to be the thickest, undoubtedly due to the graphics. I'll continue with that area next.

This is going to be fun! I have a few ideas of what I would like to do with this little ukulele. I will continue to post progress updates as I go.

 

[fitncrafty]

Good luck! It is going to be fun to watch the transformation too!

 

[Gmoney]

I can hear Captain_Lovehandles crying from here... (he designed the artwork for Mainland).

 

[Pueo]

I can hear Captain_Lovehandles crying from here... (he designed the artwork for Mainland).

I did not know that! I actually wanted to keep the purple gecko, but my sanding skills would not allow me to retain that and strip the rest. It has more to do with the color than the artwork!

 

[Mim]

So what color you thinking of painting it?

 

[haolejohn]

Hello everyone!
I recently purchased a Mainland Gecko so that I could have a durable, inexpensive ukulele. After having it a few weeks, I grew unhappy with the finish, indeed it was even beginning to wear off in some spots, so I decided to re-finish it. I thought I would blog about the process and share the experience of a completely unskilled craftsman modifying an ukulele, and perhaps we can all learn some things together.
Here is how it started:
View attachment 27648
I removed the hardware and covered up the fretboard and bridge
View attachment 27649
Then I grabbed a sanding block and some 180 Grit sandpaper and started sanding, taking care to go in many different directions and try to take down the finish evenly from all areas. The headstock seemed to lose its paint first so I sanded that area down to the bare wood, primarily to get some satisfaction that all my effort was indeed accomplishing something.
View attachment 27650
I did the underside and edges as well. The finish on the top (soundboard) seems to be the thickest, undoubtedly due to the graphics. I'll continue with that area next.

This is going to be fun! I have a few ideas of what I would like to do with this little ukulele. I will continue to post progress updates as I go.

I was a dolphin fan for first ukulele for kids until I encountered the geckos. I personally know Captain Lovehandles and that made me want one even more than normal. I am having no issues with mine at all. Are you just planning on refinishing it? Are you going to do anything else to it? Is it worth it? I mean, won't this take longer than what the ukulele is really worth?

 

[Pueo]

So what color you thinking of painting it?

I have SO many ideas, I know purple will be the main color, but I have to decide on what accents will go best with it. The little tuner knobs and the tuning peg bushings are white. I'm not sure if purple and white is what I want. Maybe I could get some new tuner buttons? Or paint those too? I had not thought about that. What about black Peghead tuners? That might be cool.

 

[hoosierhiver]

I am having no issues with mine at all. Are you just planning on refinishing it? Are you going to do anything else to it? Is it worth it? I mean, won't this take longer than what the ukulele is really worth?

He bought a discounted 2nd with the intention of re-doing it.

 

[Pueo]

I was a dolphin fan for first ukulele for kids until I encountered the geckos. I personally know Captain Lovehandles and that made me want one even more than normal. I am having no issues with mine at all. Are you just planning on refinishing it? Are you going to do anything else to it? Is it worth it? I mean, won't this take longer than what the ukulele is really worth?

Those are good questions! I am glad to hear you are having no issues with your Gecko, that gives me more confidence that I will still have a viable ukulele when I am finished with it.
My main intention was to just re-paint it, but now I am thinking I might want to do more to personalize it.
I chose the Gecko specifically for the plastic body and wood top, kind of like a Fluke/Flea, but much less expensive, so that I would have a durable ukulele to play out by the pool that I would not have to worry about. Now that I think about it though, this could become my traveling ukulele. Perhaps with some enhanced setup and TLC it could become quite a player.

 

[Mandarb]

I read somewhere that 2mm is the optimal soundboard thickness for a plastic ukulele. Have you measured yours? Do you know what the thickness will be when you re-paint? You might need to do some additional sanding - make sure to wear the proper PPE (personal protection equipment). Good luck.

 

[Pueo]

I read somewhere that 2mm is the optimal soundboard thickness for a plastic ukulele. Have you measured yours? Do you know what the thickness will be when you re-paint? You might need to do some additional sanding - make sure to wear the proper PPE (personal protection equipment). Good luck.

Yes I already learned about personal protection the hard way. I thought that a little soprano would not be too much fuss but all the clearcoat and paint dust was getting everywhere. I became concerned I might be ingesting some of it. I happened to have an extra surgical mask from when we went to go visit a friend in the hospital recently, and once I put that on it was much better.

Thanks for the information about the soundboard thickness, I had not thought of that. I'm not sure how to measure the thickness with the tools I have. I might have to go buy a micrometer. I have not removed too much paint off the top yet, so after work today I'll do my best to get an accurate measurement.

 

[Mandarb]

Those are good questions! I am glad to hear you are having no issues with your Gecko, that gives me more confidence that I will still have a viable ukulele when I am finished with it.
My main intention was to just re-paint it, but now I am thinking I might want to do more to personalize it.
I chose the Gecko specifically for the plastic body and wood top, kind of like a Fluke/Flea, but much less expensive, so that I would have a durable ukulele to play out by the pool that I would not have to worry about. Now that I think about it though, this could become my traveling ukulele. Perhaps with some enhanced setup and TLC it could become quite a player.

I did not realize it had a wood top - that should probably be even easier to paint than the plastic.

 

[Mandarb]

Yes I already learned about personal protection the hard way. I thought that a little soprano would not be too much fuss but all the clearcoat and paint dust was getting everywhere. I became concerned I might be ingesting some of it. I happened to have an extra surgical mask from when we went to go visit a friend in the hospital recently, and once I put that on it was much better.

Thanks for the information about the soundboard thickness, I had not thought of that. I'm not sure how to measure the thickness with the tools I have. I might have to go buy a micrometer. I have not removed too much paint off the top yet, so after work today I'll do my best to get an accurate measurement.

Be careful with all that dust - especially the plastic. It is a petroleum based product and the fine particles can be flammable.

 

[Pueo]

He bought a discounted 2nd with the intention of re-doing it.

Mainland Mike is correct! I saw his Dragster Ukulele thread and I had mentioned to him that I had some ideas I wanted to try and Mike sold me a factory second with some mis-applied finish in spots. I really like purple things and it had a purple gecko on it and I was afraid I was going to have t keep it intact for that reason alone, but I eventually realized that I was going to need to re-paint it. The finish on my Gecko was not like the excellent finish on the Geckos I saw at Mainland Ukes in Indiana this summer.

 

[bbycrts]

I guess I'm wondering why not use a power sander and save some elbow grease?

I wonder what the wood top will look like once totally stripped. Are you keeping the original top or are you thinking of swapping it out for solid?

 

[Pueo]

Bear careful with all that dust - especially the plastic. It is a petroleum based product and the fine particles can be flammable.

It's a good think I quit smoking a few years ago then!

 

[Pueo]

I guess I'm wondering why not use a power sander and save some elbow grease?

I wonder what the wood top will look like once totally stripped. Are you keeping the original top or are you thinking of swapping it out for solid?

I wish I did have a power sander, I probably would be done already!

I am very curious to see what it looks like. I don't think my skill set is advanced enough to make a new top. Maybe add a colored stain? So far, it is still mostly white paint. I have only been through the clearcoat and some of the blue.

 

[Scarecrow]

It going to spend a lot of time by the pool??? Have you thought about finishing it with something pool friendly. Like Thompson's water seal.

 

[chindog]

After you get it sanded down, maybe you could mix some food coloring in a glass of water, and brush it on. That would give a nice hue, but you would still be able to see the beauty of the wood grain. It might be hard to get the right shade of purple, though. You could experiment with different ratios of red and blue to see what you like, and practice on the back side where it won't be seen when you are playing.

 

[Tack]

I wish I did have a power sander, I probably would be done already!

I am very curious to see what it looks like. I don't think my skill set is advanced enough to make a new top. Maybe add a colored stain? So far, it is still mostly white paint. I have only been through the clearcoat and some of the blue.

Hmm fascinating Project... THANKS for letting us see it develop.

Before you get TOO carried away with 'painting' this beauty - this might be an opportune time to review the effect that colour may have on the tone of your instrument....(It always surprises me that I don't see this discussed more often ...)

Wave propagation theory and harmonic resonance can be your friend I have a mate in the physics department at the Australian National University that has done some research on this - I am PMing you his email....

Really interested to see what you come up with!