Hey everyone, Im doing a science design project at school, and I would really be helpful if anyone could send me step by step instructions and plans... please! It would help a lot since this is my first time doing this!! Thanks!
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Hey, and what kind of wood dye do I use for my ukulele?
Hello Tristan, I like to use linseed oil. It gives the wood a deeper, yet still natural color, and it also makes the wood feel better to your hand. (Just be sure to use a little bit at a time and rinse out the rag afterwards and dispose of properly. Oily rags can spontaneously combust).
As Jim mentioned, I have a cookie tin ukulele video on my profile page, feel free to watch it and ask me anything. Exact plans are hard to come by since people here tend to use found objects in their projects.
The only real rule (IMHO) is to pick a scale length (the distance between the nut and the bridge), and then buy strings that are suitable for that scale length (i.e. tenor ukulele=18", so you'd need tenor ukulele strings).
Then, make sure your frets are it the right places. I use this web site to print out a template on paper, then tape the template to the neck and scratch in the fret lines with an x-acto knife. (Then I remove the paper and make the cuts with a saw and whamo, bang in the frets.
http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/
Most of all, have fun and good luck!
You know for the fret board and arm (since I its a cookie tin ukulele)!
The choices for wood finish would be endless. You could use any shade of stain that you like (or that looks good with your tin). Then you could apply a top finish of poly, varnish, lacquer, etc. You could just sand the wood smooth and apply Tung oil. You could also stay with a primitive instrument approach and leave the wood unfinished altogether. All of the above option are correct. It's just a matter of taste. No need to over complicate the finish. Focus on the sound quality.
This website
https://circuitsandstrings.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/altoids-ukulele/
has various videos and partway down is a link called "altoids ukulele plans" which if clicked on gives detailed photos and plans of how to make one.
Along the top toolbar on the above page are links to other plans too.
Thanks!
Hey Tristan, I've made several of them but don't have any vids showing the process. Here's CBN member Hilo Greg's video. Some real good pictures after he sings.
http://youtu.be/PBAWk_h5vu8
Searching youtube or CBN pages will yield more.
Thank you!