Trumans Cigar Box Ukes

I made a pair of concert sized cigar box ukuleles for my sister and brother for Christmas. Mango neck, CBGitty rosewood fretboard, custom made mahogany plywood box and ohia wood bridge. I live in Hawaii and wanted to use local wood, hence the mango and ohia.
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  • Those are a couple of the prettiest things I've ever seen!!!

  • William, if you absolutely HAVE to get your hands on mango wood or koa, and you don't mind paying for shipping, there's a dealer here on the Big Island that will take your money. The place is called Aloha Woods and they are great people. http://www.alohawoods.com/

    My problem is opposite of yours...the cost of regular old oak is obscene for me here in Hawaii because it has to be shipped in!

  • can't find mango in NM

  • great looking builds

     

  • Thanks Randy and Delvero. After making these first instruments I am afraid I am hooked! Good to be a part of the Cigar Box Nation.

    Randy, mango is actually pretty soft. It is beautiful with a lot of swirl and color variation in it, mostly yellow and gray. This piece is spalted with all those black veins, making it particularly striking. I couldn't bear to cover it up inside the box, so I came up with the spliced top design you see.

    The other Hawaiian wood I used in these ukes was ohia for the bridge. It is very hard and chocolate brown, sometimes with a purplish sheen. When I graduate to making my own fretboards that is what I will use.

  • Really like the look of that Mango wood. Is it a really hard ?  I make custom bone slides with wood tops, I`m going to have to check that wood out....and awesome uke builds...really like the design. thx

  • Nicely done Truman! I like these.

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