Building a Cardboard Tenor Ukulele (Including Demo)

[homegrownguitars]

Its about 14.5cm wide at the waist, and 16.5cm at the front and 21,5 at the back

[narutosaenz]

hey i could use a little help here i cant get the shape right in the drawing of de uke so i thought you could help me to draw it answering this question: what is the width at the center of the uke there where it curves in cause that its my problem the only one i have please answer me

[eggywardy]

he has 69 likes...

[carly13r]

while my guitar gently weeps :)

[WhiteDragonTile]

@carly13r and later dream a little dream of me. good music FTW :)

[homegrownguitars]

haha, sure you don't mean awful?? lol.

[azzythecoconut]

completely awesome

[iBankai145]

I made one and I didn't paint the inside of the body with glue and it almost collapsed on itself. Do you think the reason why is because I didn't paint the body with glue?

[homegrownguitars]

@iBankai145 Probably more likely that the wooden bracing wasn't strong enough.

[JordanLolss]

The Beatles rock :)

[francesco149]

How doesn't the body fold on itself for the string tension?

[homegrownguitars]

@francesco149 Magic! Nah, there's quite a lot of wooden bracing supporting it.

[rehan9824]

@homegrownguitars btw the song u ver playin is it from the beetles

[homegrownguitars]

Yes - While my guitar by george harrison

[homegrownguitars]

No problem, just send me your email address

[yahoo415]

do u think u can email me the pdf for the measurements

[kiteboarder810]

are the frets wood or plastic?

[homegrownguitars]

@kiteboarder810 wooden cocktail sticks

[kiteboarder810]

@homegrownguitars, I'm building my own cigar box uke. how would I make the bridge?

[homegrownguitars]

it's all cardboard except the neck which was scrap mahogany with a 4mm ply fretboard and the ribs/bracing etc which bits and pieces of scrap softwood -probably some sort of pine.

[alexis221woodworks]

I love that!!! Great job.....would like to try and make one....what kind of wood for top and back would you reccomend

[homegrownguitars]

Wish I had the time, unfortunately I don't. Maybe next time I make something daft! Yes I did make the bridge.

[pinkl3monad324]

can u make a verbal instructional video.. it would help alot!!

Also did u make the bridge??

[homegrownguitars]

Haha! Have a go, the shoe box version sounds much the same and is much easier to do. If you send me your email address I can send a pdf file of some instructions.

[w1llhaven]

Fantastic! I wish my maker skills were as good as yours as I would love to make my own.

[hoosierhiver]

impressive!

[HPFats]

i built one myself! love it!

[8000cheese]

I don't know HOWWWWWWWWW! lol YOU WERE DIVERTED!!!! NO ONE ALERTEDDDD YOU!

[homegrownguitars]

@8000cheese haha. Just be grateful I wasnt singing it as well!

[supermoocow2]

were you playing "while my guitar gently weeps"? that sounded sick!

[homegrownguitars]

Haha. I plead guilty on all charges guv, but I'm a sick person, otherwise I wouldnt be making ukuleles out of cardboard.

[theSuzala]

This is brilliant!! I would love a copy of the template as well. keep me in the loop please!- thanx

[mouthbreather1]

Since I don't have the time to order fret wire for my ukulele project, I might have to do the same thing you did & use wooden rods for frets. Any advice on scoring the fretboard evenly & avoiding any potential fret buzz? I'm completely new to instrument-building, and am trying to get whatever advice I can.

[sikke3]

can you maybe give a tempate ?

[homegrownguitars]

Can't at the moment, my son's taken it with him to Uni. You could email me in a month's time, should be able to oblige then.

[CubandLucasa]

what song was that when you were strumming

[homegrownguitars]

@CubandLucasa i suppose its a bit like La Bamba- just 3chords F,Bflat and C

[geoff1945]

What a great idea. There is a band in Britain who get some great sounds out of scrap metal.

[musicfamily]

Very interesting. Your video got me thinking. Thanks.

[2210love]

U just did a Great job!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you soo much for ur effort, this is just exactly what I want!!

Xp

[sjeter61]

Fantastic!! I would have never thought it would sound so good. I hope to make one myself.

Do you flatten out the toothpicks after they are glued on??

Steve

[homegrownguitars]

Thanks. No, I filed the slots so that half the toothpick sat in the slot and the other half stuck out. They ended up being a similar height to ordinary frets.

[1313geoff]

Great video,i think i will attempt to make one, one thing i would like to know is how do you know what distance the frets are apart. I have 3 Guitars and the frets are slightly different in distance, even when the number of frets are the same. If you could help it would be much appreciated, thank you

[thetootsietim]

I vaguely remember a programme from many years back where a luthier demonstrated that the soundboard (top) is the important bit, not the back or sides, so A decent bit of ply, properly braced, with cardboard sides and back should be even beter. Once I finish making my recycled strim stick (from an old broken guitar) I might try one of these.

[homegrownguitars]

@thetootsietim Yeah, you're dead right. I think a famous classical guitar builder (Torres??) once made a guitar using papier mache for the sides and back to prove the point. Best of luck with your projects!

[mrhopinjon]

Hello, Thanks for the demo. I too would like to make onte of these. Do you have some plans for the bjody size and shape and neck speck? Thanks mrhopinjon

[goniometer]

Mate, you have got quite a talent there!

But why on earth would you use materials that sound worse than wood?

I like cardboard a lot -always makes me think of new gadgets i gently pulled out of a box for the first time :-)

[homegrownguitars]

Haha! Temporary insanity is the likeliest explanation. I just like messing about I'm afraid.

[homegrownguitars]

Thanks Ken. Just need to learn to play like you now! I reckon with Nickel silver frets it would have sounded not much different from a solid wood instrument.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

Really brilliant. Now I am impressed.

[homegrownguitars]

If I ever do another I will, but it's too late now for this one I'm afraid.

[shmitty985]

ok awesome hope you make another one !

[shmitty985]

can you make a video showing how you actually did all this ? maybe make one on cam ?

[grimpadre]

Great tips, and kudos on While My Guitar Gently Weeps! You are good, sir.

[homegrownguitars]

Thanks for your kInd words.

[josephhoh]

brilliant!

[ruth7784]

That's great, very clever! Sounds good too! :-) x

[russelljenkinsfearn]

Great work and very inspiring, thanks

[eerteep]

cool!

: )

p.