I Can Only Imagine: 2-String Chugger License Plate Cigar Box Guitar
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The Mysterious "Ukulele Echo Device" From the 1920's
In our relentless pursuit of strange and unusual tone for cigar box guitars and other instruments, we were floored when we tripped over this little piece of history: The Echo Uke featuring the Ukulele Echo Device from the 1920's.
Some Echo Ukes include a special device apparently intended to add to the instrument's tone. This "Echo Device" was one or two strips of thin metal attached to the inside of the top of ukulele directly opposite to where the bridge is mounted.
Note: This is the same philosophy used by Ozark guitar builder, Ed Stilley when he placed springs and metal objects inside the guitar bodies. See our article about Stilley here for more info.
The photograph above shows the echo device on a piece of the top from a badly damaged Y'Ke'Ke Echo Uke. The top and bottom photographs on the right are from a concert-sized Echo Uke and a soprano "Pele" model Echo Uke. These photos were taken by laying a small mirror inside of the ukuleles and catching the echo device's reflection through the ukulele's soundhole.
The labels of some Echo Ukes contain the claim "Echo Device Patented" but they list no patent number. Searches at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have yet to locate the patent.
The photograph above shows the echo device on a piece of the top from a badly damaged Y'Ke'Ke Echo Uke. The top and bottom photographs on the right are from a concert-sized Echo Uke and a soprano "Pele" model Echo Uke. These photos were taken by laying a small mirror inside of the ukuleles and catching the echo device's reflection through the ukulele's soundhole.
The labels of some Echo Ukes contain the claim "Echo Device Patented" but they list no patent number. Searches at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have yet to locate the patent.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Primitive Acoustics on
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I used sections from an old bandsaw blade that I thinned down with my sander to make my tines. I thought mounting them on the underside of the top, the end block and the back (like the original design) gave the best sound. Every box is going to sound different and you may need to experiment with different tines and placement ideas to find what sounds best for you. Gitty's should work, other sources include tines from old metal rakes, bandsaw and coping saw blades, street cleaner brush tines, electricians snake (fish tape), windshield wiper blade cores, bobby pins, etc. Spring steel is best in my opinion.
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