Banjo Ukulele (Banjolele)

thingiverse

This unique banjo-ukulele is a result of Geoff Wiley's collaboration with its creator, born from a Makerlele that was printed out for learning purposes. The project began in 2013 and involved several iterations to achieve an instrument that holds pitch and has a rich tone. Feedback on the design is welcomed as musical instrument design using advanced technology like this is an exciting challenge. To build, you will need soprano ukulele strings, M4 nuts, and M4x50 socket head screws, all of which can be found at BoltDepot. Use MakerWare to slice the files and print "PLATE 1" without a raft and "PLATE 2" with both rafts and supports for added strength. Prepare your build surface with blue painter's tape for the first plate, and hot level your bed to ensure even layer adhesion. After printing "PLATE 2", remove support material from the neck and headstock. Assemble the instrument by dropping captive nuts into the neck and securing the headstock, then fastening the neck using the two M4x50mm bolts nearest to the back edge of the head frame. String the instrument as per the provided diagram, insert the bridge, and carefully tune each string for optimal sound. This design is still evolving with plans to eliminate fasteners in favor of dovetail joinery and optimize nut height, bridge geometry, webbing design, and fret and string spacing. If you have a better understanding of musical instruments, the creator would love your input to help take this unique design to the next level.