Plastic Ukulele Project on KickStarter
9August 22, 2012 by Tim
Plastic Ukulele KickStarter Link
To start; this is not my project, but I am supporting it by buying the $125 version.
As some people know, I love DIY and design type stuff and when Colin posted this on UkuleleUnderground.com’s forum I was very excited. The idea seems really cool and something I can back.
- It is cheap. at least so far.
- Seems to care about schools
- Seems like a solid design
- Made in the U.S.A.
- LOVE THE TUNER DESIGN
I really hope this gets funded. I know the neck is weird, but I think it might just work.
Make sure to go to the KickStarter page to watch the video and hear it.
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Ukeeku.com 
I do not own an all plastic ukulele, but do own a 1950s-era Roy Smeck wood uke with plastic fingerboard, all made by Harmony. I’ll say this: The feel of a plastic fingerboard does take a bit of getting used to, but the sound of my wood Harmony with plastic fingerboard seems no different to my similar instruments with traditional wood fingerboards. I really like the idea of this all-plastic uke, but am still thinking about the question of whether or not to make a pledge. I do hope the project materializes.
I’m undecided. The collector in me wishes Scott would have incorporated one design element into the uke for those initial project supporters. Something like a unique imprint or different colored tuners. I realize that my thinking is not in line with the project’s intent, but I’m a bit greedy when it comes to laying out $125 for a plastic ukulele.
You are not crazy. I thought the same thing
Really an interesting design and the sound is pretty good. The idea of something unique in the initial ukuleles would be nice, even if it was just something minor.
Nice report!
Just remember- unique adds cost. Henry Ford painted his model T’s black to make a faster and cheaper assembly line. If this flies I bet he adds colors later, but if he doesn’t get funded the tooling won’t get made and then no future models…
I too think this is cool. The advantage of a molded fretboard, top and bridge, is that intonation should be dead on all the way up and down the neck. I do have concerns about the frets eventually wearing.
I wonder about the (what appears to be) flat back to the neck. I figure that because the neck is solid plastic, if I can’t get used to the flatness, I can file & sand to get the feel I want.
I pledged $145 because I feel that peg tuners on a soprano is too touchy to get tuned. Pegheads would be nicer, but I’ll settle for friction pegs.
I too have a Harmony with a plastic fretboard & wooden body. I also have a Flea with the wooden fretboard, plastic back and sides with wooden top. The Flea has been my travel uke that I take on international mission trips, but I think that will change when (if) I get the all plastic uke.
I saw this project on Facebook, I wasn’t able to back but I did think it was pretty awesome.
love the design of the molded fretboard.
[…] August I reported on a KickStarter project to make a plastic ukulele (Link HERE) Well it looks like it is a go and they are taking pre-orders!! $100 + Shipping, with a shipping […]