Bill posted a rhythm ring video: http://www.vimeo.com/7515315
Then Bobby Craddock posted one: http://www.vimeo.com/7651591
And I was challenged to do the same, and used my cigar box uke.
Trying out a Smokey’s Amp with my cigar box uke. The song is the theme song from a TV show I used to watch as a kid.
Step 8 of making my cigar box uke. In this final step I install and test the optional pickup.
I really like how the ukulele looks and plays, and I learned a lot building it. I would recommend Papa’s Boxes to anyone looking to buy or build a great cigarbox ukulele.
I think I’m going to take what I learned and build a lunch box uke later this winter.
Step 7 of making my cigar box uke. In this step the ukulele is strung and the bridge is placed.
Step 6 of making my cigar box uke from Papas Boxes. In this step I attach the angle bracket that goes between the neck and the cigarbox, and install the geared tuners.
Step 5 of making my cigarbox uke. In this step I drill the hole for the pick-up jack, then sand and finish the uke with five coats of satin gloss polyurethane.
Next up, attaching the tuners, stringing, and placing the bridge.
Step 4 (part 2) of making my cigar box uke from Papas Boxes. This is the longest step in the process, so I’m breaking it into 2 parts. In this part I glue and screw in the gear box bracket and the neck. Next is drilling the hole for the pickup jack and then applying the finishing coats.
Step 4 (part 1) of making my cigar box uke. This is the longest step in the process, so I’m breaking it into 2 parts. In this part I sand the geared tuner bracket, setup the neck template, and measure for the geared tuner bracket.
Step 3 caution - If you are installing the geared tuner then don’t follow the instructions for step 3. Don’t glue blocking A to the bottom of the box, but instead glue it towards the top of the box under the lid.
The directions would work well if you are installing the zither pins, but if you are using the optional geared tuners the screws for the back of the tuner will miss the blocking. I don’t think it will be a problem, but I put Gorilla glue around the exposed screws just in case. A ukulele shouldn’t exert the string pressure that a guitar would on the screws.
