First build cookie tin uke.

captain-janeway · Jan 15, 2019

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mXj3qrb5sFFLyLPk6

Just put together my first build. It's a cookie tin uke and it actually plays pretty well. Took some fiddling with the neck to get a good angle for the strings, but I managed to get them down to a playable height.

I get intermittent buzzing but I'm wondering if it's because I put off and on pressure on the top as I play, or just bridge movement. Maybe I need to figure a better internal bracing setup. Any ideas are gratefully appreciated

I love the cookie tin I found and I used the bridge from the uke I chopped up as the tailpiece, and part of it's internal bracing as the bridge.

Think I'll build a banjo uke with a Remo hand drum next time. Got great ideas from this first time. Put it together with a Dremel, good wood chisels and a Japanese hand saw.

Thanks to Titchtheclown and Jerryc41 for their help.

orangeena · Jan 15, 2019

looks great captain, could you post a sound clip? I am 3/4 through a cookie tin uke and contemplating making it electric or acoustic. hearing yours might help me chose.
Max

captain-janeway · Jan 15, 2019

I'll try and record one when I get home tonight. It's not quite as loud as my regular uke, but it can be heard pretty well. The tin's 10"x3.5" though. I think if I did a small tin I might mic it like a cigar box uke.

orangeena · Jan 15, 2019

Thanks that is what I was thinking. My tin is a little bit smaller than yours

captain-janeway · Jan 16, 2019

Can't get a decent recording on either phone or tablet. Just listening it sounds maybe 1/4-1/3 quieter than my concert. If the tin had an open resonator hole it would be pretty close.
Lemme know how yours come out and post it you

Lacole · Jan 16, 2019

That is one smart looking cookie! (Uke).

weerpool · Jan 16, 2019

nice job!! real cool looking uke

bonesigh · Feb 7, 2019

I love the color and shape of it. Cool Uke

captain-janeway · Feb 7, 2019

Finished a banjo uke yesterday. Neck didn't quite come out like I wanted. Think the tin actually plays better. Experiments
https://photos.app.goo.gl/69mxZ3tVLUH4WDJm7

Joe King · Feb 7, 2019

captain-janeway said:
Finished a banjo uke yesterday. Neck didn't quite come out like I wanted. Think the tin actually plays better. Experiments
https://photos.app.goo.gl/69mxZ3tVLUH4WDJm7

Looks very nice!

It's hard to tell from the photos, but the sound might be improved if you have a greater (lower) break angle to the strings from the back of the saddle to the end of the rim where they wrap around. More downward force is likely to create more volume, as well as help/prevent the strings from sliding laterally across the saddle if strummed with vigor.

As it appears, there looks to be maybe only about a 5 degrees downward angle from the top of the saddle to the block where the strings wrap around, and this seems not enough going by many other banjoleles and regular banjos that I've seen and also from reading about this, and talking to many banjo players about how the set up their bridge on the drum head.

Anyway - congrats on another successful build !

DPO · Feb 7, 2019

captain-janeway said:
Finished a banjo uke yesterday. Neck didn't quite come out like I wanted. Think the tin actually plays better. Experiments
https://photos.app.goo.gl/69mxZ3tVLUH4WDJm7

Hi,
You can buy a banjo uke bridge for around $5.00, which will give you a much better sound. The bridge you have is too big and too much wood in contact with the head which will dampen the sound.

captain-janeway · Feb 7, 2019

DPO said:
Hi,
You can buy a banjo uke bridge for around $5.00, which will give you a much better sound. The bridge you have is too big and too much wood in contact with the head which will dampen the sound.

I didn't adjust the neck well enough so I can't use the standard bridge unless I chop one way down. I was thinking of sanding gaps in the one I made.
With the standard bridge the action at the 12th fret is like 4.5 mm. With the crummy one it's like 3 mm. I may just chop up this drum and see if I can realign it, then just start over with a new drumhead. Hey, it's an experiment and my first one. I think I drilled the drum holes too much so there seems to be a little slippage at the neck. The tuning doesn't hold. Think I'll make the next one with just the 2 hanger bolts and skip the rod. I don't know if it needs it. The drum rim seems pretty secure.
Thanks Dennis

DPO · Feb 8, 2019

captain-janeway said:
I didn't adjust the neck well enough so I can't use the standard bridge unless I chop one way down. I was thinking of sanding gaps in the one I made.
With the standard bridge the action at the 12th fret is like 4.5 mm. With the crummy one it's like 3 mm. I may just chop up this drum and see if I can realign it, then just start over with a new drumhead. Hey, it's an experiment and my first one. I think I drilled the drum holes too much so there seems to be a little slippage at the neck. The tuning doesn't hold. Think I'll make the next one with just the 2 hanger bolts and skip the rod. I don't know if it needs it. The drum rim seems pretty secure.
Thanks Dennis

Yep, no real need for a rimrod, two hanger bolts will work, not a lot of tension with nylon strings. Don't give up, you're doing ok.

First build cookie tin uke.

captain-janeway

Well-known member

orangeena

Well-known member

captain-janeway

Well-known member

orangeena

Well-known member

captain-janeway

Well-known member

Lacole

Well-known member

weerpool

Well-known member

bonesigh

Well-known member

captain-janeway

Well-known member

Joe King

Well-known member

DPO

Well-known member

captain-janeway

Well-known member

DPO

Well-known member

Similar threads