Banjo ukulele

I've finished the Tambolele banjo ukulele banjolele call it what you will.
Total cost about £20. and about 4 hours work.
It's a bit rough as I just wanted to get it done and not spend to much time on the finish but because I was rushing I got the holes in the peg head wrong so had to fill and re-drill and paint the headstock to cover it up. The painting didn't go too well either. . It should have 12 frets but I didn't take into account the rim of the drum so had to cut the fret board a bit short so now it only has 11. However taking all that into account it actually sounds pretty damn good. I will try and sort out a recording of it so I can put a sound file up.
Any way here's the pics.

Taking the Tambourine apart. Pretty easy. the pins that hold the jingles in place just pull out.

Making the neck.

The neck was just made from some scrap Mahogany. I made a fret board from a Beli off cut and fretted it. I have now invested in a fretsaw as doing it with a coping saw was working OK it just takes too long and can quite easily go wrong.

The neck is shaped. I have cut a block to go either end of the hoop.

These are the only Construction photo's I have the rest are the finished item.

I made the neck quite chunky as a normal soprano I find too thin to play comfortably.

The nut and tuners are from a damaged Cheap ukulele I got in a job lot of spares or repair instruments many moons ago. I made the Bridge and fashioned a (Very Rustic) Tail piece from some sheet Aluminium. I almost wished I spent a bit more time on it. I am in the process of making two concert scale cigar box ukes.

Ukulele's and the Tambolele a Ukulele made from a cheap tamborine.

My little 2 yr old boy Leonard, loves guitars, no surprise really as he's surrounded by them. When he comes into my study he goes from guitar to guitar strumming each one in turn. Last Christmas we bought our nephew a Ukulele. After much research we got him a Hudson Aloha HUK-S soprano ukulele when he visited a couple of weeks ago he brought it around and Leonard had a go and really loved it and got on quite well with it. I also had a play and yes, I now have the bug and can quite understand why there so popular.
Any ways I decided to get a couple one for Leonard and one for myself.
This is the one for Leonard....

I saw it and it just had to be had and for £20 too you can't go wrong.

For myself I went for the Concert size Samick Greg Bennett UK70 for £80

Having received both of them and playing both, I thought it would be interesting to do a comparative review of them both.

Lets look at the aesthetics first I think they both have something going for them in this area. The Mahalo is fun and quite clever design wise with the double sound holes for eyes (I wish I had thought of it).

The Samick is also very nice with the funky headstock spruce soundboard, Book matched Rosewood back and rosewood  sides and Abolone Inlay around the edge and the sound hole. The tuners is where the Mahalo scores an upset. Both have cheap tuners The Mahalo however at least tries with the dolphin shape whereas the Samick looks like it has the cheapest open geared tuners without even tension adjustable buttons. for me this is a big let down considering the overall appeal. The trouble is it would even be difficult to upgrade as your going to be left with an exposed screw hole which is a shame.

Build Quality finish and materials.

(Taking price into account). The Mahalo is obviously made with the cheapest materials Maple ply and maple for the neck however it is made to be solid and reliable it's target customers are kids so it has to be. The Samick may be Rosewood and spruce but veneered not solid so "posh ply" And with a solid Mahogany Neck.

Again the Mahalo edges ahead with it's appointment of a "Tusq" nut and Compensated saddle and again the Samick lets itself down with a cheap plastic saddle and the nut is a thin bit of plastic.

The Finish on the Mahalo is perfectly adequate for the price, it is, missing any soundboard markers on the front, only having them on the side of the finger board which I feel is a bit unusual considering it is really a learners instrument but maybe that's a good thing as it means you don't have to crane your head over to look at it either.

On the box of the samick it states that it is of heirloom quality! It is finished in a high gloss lacquer which is very attractive bringing out the Rosewood especially nicely. There is the odd tiny blemish and scratch here and a big glob of glue on the fingerboard where the nut was glued on and  and with those tuners heirloom quality it isn't, but what you would expect for the money. In fact The mahalo is supposed to be a limited edition so may be more collectible in the future.

Sound:

So far, for me the Mahalo is ahead surprisingly but this is where the Samick should be far superior and thus even the score. well I was quite disappointed actually. The Samick was in tune out of the box whereas the Mahalo has pretty nasty nylon strings which don't stay in tune at all but I will be changing the strings on both of them. The Samick does have a very nice tone too it warm soft and mellow but very very quiet. The Mahalo is a bit more boxy and as the look of it would suggest more fun sounding and amazingly much much louder than the Samick and with the compensated saddle intonates better than the Samick (When it's in tune).

I was going to comment on Playability but as I am a novice to the world of Ukuleles and I have big hands  I don't find them particularly easy to play. The Soprano Mahalo is just too small so thats why I went for a concert size for myself. I know there is the tenor and baritone uke to consider. I will say that the samick does have quite a sharp edge to the body which digs into my wrist  and leaves quite deep impressions making  me look like a self harmer.

So there we have it the winner for me is the Mahalo. Crazy? yes. the Samick is very pretty (apart from the ugly tuners but sound wise doesn't live up to it's looks and certainly doesn't sound 4 times better than the Mahalo which looks fun sounds funky and loud and is cheap as chips. It seems Samick have concentrated on the aesthetics too much surely a solid spruce top would have been a better option.  I will however upgrade the saddle and nut for the Samick and Also get some better strings for them both which should make a bit of  a difference.

I wish I had bought the Hudson Aloha concert size now for about £60 as judging from my nephews Hudson Soprano it will be a very good instrument. for the money.

I have also decided to make a Banjolele As this is what I really wanted but funds are a bit low at the moment so I bought one of these.

£8.99 from Tonedeaf Music on EBay. This is what will make the body.  Updates will be posted shortly.