Once upon a time, I needed a ukulele. But since I play the guitar, it was difficult for me to transition to the 4-string uke. So I searched for a ukulele with 6 strings and I found this amazing 6-string guitalele by Gretsch. I loved it and played it all the time. As time went on, my music needed a mini banjo. So I ordered a Kmise banjolele from Amazon. I tried and tried to play with only 4 strings. Alas, I gave up and tried to find a banjolele with 6 strings online. None. Nada. Zero. So I had my good buddy who's a master craftsman luthier, take the neck off of my banjo/uke or banjolele and construct a sawed-off 6 string guitar neck and peghead, and attach it to the mini banjolele shell. Loved it! I play my mini banjolele all the time. But... now I had a leftover ukulele neck. It was so well-made that I hated to throw it out. So it sat around the house for years and got moved around from one place to another.
Finally, after discovering Cigar Box Nation and seeing the marvelous musical instruments that can be made by normal, ordinary guys like myself, I've come to the firm conviction that I know what to do with my leftover Kmise banjolele neck. I went to Menards and bought two poplar boards, 1/4" X 8" X 48". Then I ordered a ukulele bridge, nut, piezo disks and 1/4" phone jack from C.B. Gitty. I put it all together, using Tightbond glue, planing and sanding my 12" X 8" X 3" rectangular box. This is what I ended up with. It's actually my first time putting something like this together without access to really precision power tools. The bridge is about 1/32" off center. (You can tell by looking at the 1st string). But it plays and sounds pretty good, and even sounds better through an amp! So I finally found a permanent home for my throw-away leftover banjolele neck and that makes me a happy CBG'er! Thank you Cigar Box Nation for being who you all are and giving me the confidence that maybe I could recycle that neck!!
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