I have a number of nice, but smaller, wooden cigar boxes sitting around, so I decided to take a shot at building a couple of tenor scale cigar box ukuleles. I've ordered strings and tuners and plan to use the nontraditional "Low G" tuning. I will also install a 27 mm piezo. I have no problem fretting the neck and will use the standard tenor scale of 17".
My questions is this: Has anyone here built a CBU? How did it turn out? Any suggestions for a first time uke builder?
Thanks for input.
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Here's a video clip (short) of the jam session we rocked the box at! Blues Jam on a Uke with Ky Mojo
That's all I build! I build concert scale ukes because the proportions with the body and neck just look and feel right to me as a long time guitar player. Also it can easily accompany ANY instrument and lends itself well to anybody who already plays the guitar. There's no special tuning, no slide needed, and it's ready to go right out of the "box". I took mine down to a local jam session and played with several guiatrs, a standup bass, a clarinet, an accordion, and a fiddle... and was able to jam with them all!
I built a tenor uke and I loved it. I played it almost as much as my factory made uke (until I gave it to my sister). The one thing I tried on my uke was a bolt on neck through the heel. I put threaded inserts into the heel and glued a block of maple on the inside. Drilled holes through that and the box and bolted the neck on through the 2in sound hole. I put some bracing on the inside. I just copied a pattern from a Google image search for ukulele bracing. My first attempt at gluing the bridge/saddle piece failed on me. The paper on the top of the box tore away after I tuned up the third string. Stupid thing hit me in the nose. I went with a floating bridge after that, but I did successfully glue one down on my second uke.
I don't know what the magic of playing a ukulele is but it's hard to be bummed out when I'm strumming one.
Happy building!
Try a blues lick on a uke - it goes from "I got the blues so bad" to "I can't stop giggling so bad"
"I don't know what the magic of playing a ukulele is but it's hard to be bummed out when I'm strumming one." - Nathan Binns
I'll have to use that... QFT
Turned out amazing... Sounds awesome! I used a floating bridge, and I cut it to compensate...
Check out and join the cigar box ukulele forum! My cbu is my favorite build to date (posted there under Olivia uke). I think they are easier for a couple reasons and harder for at least one. Easy - short neck and nylon strings are lower stress so you don't need as much beefing up on the box or neck which makes for a simple build. Hard(er) for fret accuracy, as it is a short neck any error is magnified. Also you have to decide on the size - four scale lengths to choose from. All string advise I've found seems to suggest not cheaping out and getting Aquila or other good strings.
Hey Tom
I'm in the same boat. I've ordered stuff off Ebay (tuners. nut,saddle piezo and pre amp). Things are coming in slowly. I'm going tenor length as well. Hope you get some good advice here.
Bob