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Build a Styrofoam Cooler Ukulele!

This has got to be the most alien-looking uke you'll ever see... BUT IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE! Simply put, the Styrofoam Cooler Ukulele is nothing but a neck without a body and a huge cooler screwed to the butt end.

Watch the video to hear it for yourself:

Here's the parts I used:

1x2 plank of maple, 33 inches long
A separate thin plank of oak for the fretboard
Small piece of maple for the floating bridge
Medium/Medium fretwire
A four pack of Shane Speal signature tuners
A pack of standard ukulele strings
a used styrofoam cooler
One drywall screw and a large washer to anchor the cooler to the neck.

This is a very easy project!

Scoop out the headstock and drill for the tuners.
Make the fretboard separately (I chose a 13.5" soprano scale) and attach it to the neck.
Create a floating bridge that is high enough for proper string height.
Drill two holes for each string, 2 inches behind the placement of the floating bridge. These will be your string anchors where you feed the strings through and tie them tight.
Drill a pilot hole at the end of the stick for the cooler screw
String up the ukulele.
Attach the cooler to the end of the stick using a drywall screw and washer.

Note: This ukulele was inspired by Bart Hopkin's seminal book, Musical Instrument Design: Practical Information for Instrument Design. (Purchase on Amazon here.)

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Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on May 31, 2016 at 11:22am

Now now... My family keeps telling me you cannot lose that which you never had. I get Shane's subtle point.... Anything that will resonate will sound good! I am thinking ammo-can uke...

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on May 31, 2016 at 12:06pm

That is just too cooler! Have to wonder how little volume is there with just the stick? Could also try a plastic flower pot or old piece of Tupperware too.

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Box Nation on May 31, 2016 at 1:14pm

Very little volume with just the stick. I tried them both and the difference in volume was staggering. The styrofoam is just the perfect low-tech resonator!

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Permalink Reply by JL on June 1, 2016 at 1:52am

Mod 2.1b - a paint stir stick inside the cooler between the screw-washer and the Styrofoam. might improve the volume some and might improve the stability of the connection (oops, I bumped the cooler clean off).