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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2   |
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| Making your own Electric Uke | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 04:21 am |
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1st Post |
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cody42 Approved
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I am wondering if it is possible or if anyone has ever made their own electric ukulele before similar to someone make their own electric guitar. I assume every thing would be about the same but maybe I am very wrong. I have been playing the uke for awhile now and am looking for a cool electric ukulele but I am having troubles finding ones I really like (at least in a realistic price range). So maybe making one is an option. I do have a bit of wood working experiene and have all the tools I would need so it doesn't scare me. Has anyone ever tried something like this before? Any advice? Thanks for all the help (ps this website has been great for learning how to play  )Last edited on Mon Mar 24th, 2008 04:23 am by cody42 |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 01:40 pm |
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2nd Post |
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ezmember Approved
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There are some here who have bought a uke and themselves installed or had someone else install the electronics. To me, that sounds like the best option, unless you really can make the whole uke yourself, which I'll bet not many of us could dare to do. If you have the electronics installed, you'll have all the ukes available on the market to choose from.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 04:14 pm |
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3rd Post |
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scrooner Approved
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No interest in the Bugsgear EleUkes? $209 for flamed blue maple tenor. http://tinyurl.com/2vtobe $249 for rosewood concert with 1/4" and 1/8" jacks. http://tinyurl.com/2tgszz
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 05:07 pm |
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4th Post |
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Mike Bagneski Approved
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This is sort of off-topic, but I've been toying with the idea of making an electric uke from a four string electric mandolin. The scale for the mandolins I've seen is around 14", which is close to a soprano uke scale. (The fingerboards might be narrow, but you'd need to use steel strings anyway, so the narrowness wouldn't be as noticable). In fact somebody's selling a Epiphone bolt on mandolin neck on eBay right now, and it could be the start of an electric uke using modified guitar parts. Just a thought...
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24th, 2008 06:03 pm |
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5th Post |
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lenf Approved
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cody42 wrote:I am wondering if it is possible or if anyone has ever made their own electric ukulele before similar to someone make their own electric guitar. Here's a link to a thread at ukulele cosmos you might find inspiring... http://www.ukulelecosmos.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5841
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25th, 2008 06:12 am |
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6th Post |
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neilg Approved
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Mike Bagneski wrote: This is sort of off-topic, but I've been toying with the idea of making an electric uke from a four string electric mandolin. The scale for the mandolins I've seen is around 14", which is close to a soprano uke scale. (The fingerboards might be narrow, but you'd need to use steel strings anyway, so the narrowness wouldn't be as noticable). In fact somebody's selling a Epiphone bolt on mandolin neck on eBay right now, and it could be the start of an electric uke using modified guitar parts. Just a thought...You could use the G and A strings from the mandolin tuning and you'd just have to figure out the gauges for the two middle strings. No reason why that wouldn't work.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25th, 2008 01:16 pm |
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7th Post |
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cody42 Approved
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I have seen the bugsgear and if I were to buy one that would be the one but I always thought it would be cool to make my own. Maybe a sweet maple or something with nice grain and a dark stain. Then I can make my own shape too. I just didn't really know if it was possible. I have to be honest though, I don't know if I really want to be the first to try  . I was hoping for someones advice who has done it before. Thanks guys, I will keep you updated
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26th, 2008 12:52 am |
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8th Post |
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scrooner Approved
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Here's another option, starting at $495. Handmade in the UK: http://www.uklectic.com/ These look & sound very nice. http://www.uklectic.com/electric_ukulele_video.html
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26th, 2008 05:28 pm |
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9th Post |
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evh7 Approved
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Has anybody played a Jupiter Creek uke? The seem reasonably priced and good looking ... http://www.jupitercreekmusic.com/ 
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| Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 01:36 pm |
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10th Post |
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ichadwick Approved 
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scrooner wrote: No interest in the Bugsgear EleUkes? I bought one myself (from musicguymic on eBay) and love it. Great fun to play, easy to carry, durable - and has a preamp built in so I can play with headphones and not disturb my wife when I practice. Doesn't sound like a uke, though: sounds like a nylon-stringed electric guitar. Not that it's bad, just not the bright, resonant sound of an acoustic uke. I also bought a Kala tenor with a pickup, so it gives me the best of both worlds.
____________________ Ian ------------------------------------------- Ukulele reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm Harmonica reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/harmonicas.htm |
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| Posted: Sat Apr 5th, 2008 01:41 pm |
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11th Post |
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ichadwick Approved
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cody42 wrote: I am wondering if it is possible or if anyone has ever made their own electric ukulele before similar to someone make their own electric guitar. I assume every thing would be about the same but maybe I am very wrong. I looked at buying a miniature electric guitar and restringing/tuning it for uke style. Just remove two of the pegs, fill in the holes with wood glue and finish... maybe even cut down the head so they don't show. I found mini Strats and Teles locally for about $100, but they're still bigger than a uke, at least baritone scale if not longer. There are some electric travel guitars that are shorter that would probably work. I had one in the 80s I recall ZZ Top played with, but I'm not sure if it's still made. In the end, I went with the Bugsgear tenor and I'm happy with my choice. No mess, no fuss and fun right out of the box. Now I want to see if I can add some extra digital circuitry to it for extra effects...
____________________ Ian ------------------------------------------- Ukulele reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/ukuleles.htm Harmonica reviews: http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/harmonicas.htm |
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| Posted: Fri Mar 6th, 2009 11:01 pm |
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12th Post |
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shifty devil Approved
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I have built a tenor electric uke (solid body) I love the way it sounds. It is nothing if not plugged in...can just hear well enough to practice on the couch in a quiet room, but the thing is a monster plugged into my small amp. I am currently building a half watt tube solidstate amp for it and my other off the wall instruments. They are easy to build from scratch if you have a little wood working experience and a few simple hand tools. All I have is a jigsaw hand drill and wood rasp and a few files. you can dafinitly build one. I am building them for several people right now. If you are still interested I would be more than happy to help you build one Ben
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| Posted: Mon Apr 6th, 2009 01:05 pm |
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13th Post |
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stringdidj Approved
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I used to make electric ukuleles, though these days I am sticking to acoustic instruments only, I do have bridge/neckplate hardware left for these plus plans available if anyone is interested, my site is easy to find on google, regards Michael J King 
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| Posted: Tue Apr 7th, 2009 08:56 am |
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14th Post |
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grc Approved
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My dad's in the process of making me a tenor scale electric uke. He's made several acoustic sporanos and they sound great. Says the electrics are so easy to make, he's going to start making them for sale in a local music shop. I played the electric at his place the other week and it sounded great although he's removed and re-worked the neck since then as it was too chunky. I should get it when I go over there on Easter Monday. Pictures after that. Can't wait! Last edited on Tue Apr 7th, 2009 09:02 am by grc |
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| Posted: Tue Apr 7th, 2009 10:17 am |
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15th Post |
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stringdidj Approved
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I look forward to seeing your Dads work! Having a steel strung tenor sized electric ukulele means you can use thinner strings (which have to be thicker on the soprano steel strung!!)making the instrument feel just like an electric guitar. I used to only play soprano, for years I wouldn't even touch a tenor or concert uke!! but I am now a convert, my tenor ukulele is my favourite instrument Last edited on Tue Apr 7th, 2009 10:18 am by stringdidj |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 8th, 2009 07:12 am |
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16th Post |
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grc Approved
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It won't be steel strung, it had an aquila gCEA wound third set on when I last saw it and I don't think that's changing. Hope not, I don't want steel strings.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16th, 2009 07:28 am |
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17th Post |
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grc Approved
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Here's a piccy of my first electric tenor  Attachment: uk1.JPG (Downloaded 41 times)
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16th, 2009 07:29 am |
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18th Post |
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grc Approved
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and another Attachment: uk2.JPG (Downloaded 39 times)
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| Posted: Thu Apr 16th, 2009 07:30 am |
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19th Post |
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grc Approved
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Last one... I'm happy with this. It's just getting some work on the string trees then .... Apple Logic Studio here I come... Woo! Attachment: uk3.JPG (Downloaded 39 times)
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20th, 2009 03:36 pm |
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20th Post |
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Baron Approved
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I didn't make one, but I bought a Risa uke that is made in Germany. I also retuned it in DGAD, which you can hear on the song FEEL SO GOOD, from my Tiki Cowboys EP-CD "A Taste Of Tiki" on myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/tikicowboys SEE the metal stringed Risa uke on YouTube (tuned DGBE) at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8haCsD9KpRw I really like this uke, but I did have to have some work done on it because it was having grounding issues. I had a guitar repairman sheild the electronics and it was fine then. The uke came strung as a baritone Ukulele.  Attachment: TikiCowboyTLYELLOWwide.jpg (Downloaded 25 times) Last edited on Mon Apr 20th, 2009 03:40 pm by Baron |
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