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in your opinon is building a ukelele more rewarding than building a guitar?

Get off my lawn punk!!


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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Yes. Sometimes. Depends. Maybe. If you are into ukes. I feel rewarded when I complete a birdhouse. But not as rewarded when I complete a fiddle or a guitar. Whatever you decide to build, you will get "the rush" when you strum the first chord.

I'm probably going to be hated by some for saying such a thing but...
Although I'd quite like to build a Uke, the way I see it at the moment, it will take me nearly as much time and effort as a guitar, and all I get at the end of it is a Ukulele. Sorry Uke lovers! I love Jake Shimabakuru's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k videos, and the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC9Y9Z3St8I (both highly recommended to those who haven't heard of them), but a guitar just feels so much... more.

I'm being slightly unfair though, I'm sure I'll build some one day.

A finely crafted ukulele requires as much effort as a guitar but has the advantage that I can play an ukulele, sort of.

Bob

I build ukes because it's cheaper in material than a guitar to build, but it requires the same amount of effort. I won't do a commission on it because people will pay maybe 200 dollars if they are in a good mood for one. It's not worth the effort.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I've built several ukes and several guitars. The most rewarding were a uke that a friend later couldn't get back from his daughter, and the replacement uke he needed(in progress), a bass that another friend plays, and a parlor guitar my 21 year old son plays.

Basically the ones that get used, regardless of design.

Not in dollars, but in many other ways yes indeed.

Oh, and if it is just the process in question, a uke wins for me hands down even though I play guitar. As stated before, it can be just as involved as building a guitar. And in the event it isn't played it takes up less room.

Yeah..

If Tiny Tim was alive today, would I get a bigger rush building a uke for him, or a guitar for Tony McManus?

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Cheers
Pete

Yo, jj

that all depends on your measuring stick.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Ukes seem to be all the rage down here in Australia. I, sadly, can't get the juices flowing and will likely never build one. The Tiny Tim reference is a big part, and I have never regarded a ukulele as a "real" instrument, growing up in the 60's and 70's when they were, well, you know....

So, again, if you like ukuleles, build one. I probably never will.......

I build both and find both rewarding. Some parts of a uke seem more rewarding because they're so small....like when I get a really clean rosette inlay or a tight bend at the waist. Other parts of a guitar are more rewarding though...like a good nut set up. Different challenges, different rewards

Come on, It's not like a Ukulele is a banjo!
- Rusty
Member UADA (Ukulele Anti-Defamation Association)


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Somewhere a group of violin makers are chuckling at the thought of guitar makers looking down their noses at ukuleles.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I build ukes to occupy my time, so I always have something on the bench, but since the payout is practically nil (I can maybe give it away at a swap meet) I really take my time building it. I also use it to test out techniques, inlays, etc. because it uses less material so if it doesn't work, I am not out a whole crapload of materials that are expensive as heck.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I am sure some find it so ... Included is a photo of a Mark Roberts Ukulele on display in the Portland Airport.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

I was thinking the same thing. Which is why I told him to get off my lawn!

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Well duders,

Some people pay to know what they think or feel. Have to be told when they are having fun, whats good or bad for them or oh my, rewarding!

Is true!

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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I have to disagree that a uke is as much work as a guitar. I don't find that to be true. Less bracing, linings, materials, finish, etc. I just haven't had that experience.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I build both and find uke building is a gud way to refine ones gtr making skllls. Some operations are more difficult binding / purfling and FB clearances are a lot tighter IMHO www.ateliertomistrings.com

This is rather comical question from the OP, but for those saying building a uke takes as much time and energy as a guitar, that seems a stretch. For a tenor or baritone, you may be closer to approaching something close. But a soprano seems pretty quick to whip out. Probably at least a 3:1 ratio for me, if not better (3 little ukes to 1 guitar, building one instrument at a time). Same basic steps, but with ukes there's simply less actual work at each step. Of course you can spend more time with custom design, inlay, shape, and such, but that's an unfair comparison.

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Aaron Craig

Wow! Now THAT is a Ukulele.

No.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"