When I say it's not bikepacking related I sort of lied because to me it is in a way. I discovered you can get a playable plastic ukulele, either soprano (small) or concert (medium) which I bought for £30. Both are small and light enough to carry on your back and as it is made of plastic and cheap to buy it doesn't matter if it gets wet or broken when I crash. Anyhow, as I enjoyed learning to play it I decided to take lessons and bought a decent entry level one for £135 and no, I will not be taking that one bikepacking.
I then discovered that people make their own so this is my effort at a banjolele, a cross between a banjo and a ukulele. Cost £40for parts and postage. Hand drum £13 from eBay, neck and fretboard £7 from eBay China, tuners £7 eBay China, strings £8 UK music shop, banjo bridge £4 eBay, few quid for some picture hooks to tie the strings to. Apart from assembling it I only had to rebate where the tuners fit as the posts where a bit short, shape the neck to accommodate the drum top and cut and fit the internal strengthener.
All in all I'm very pleased with it but heaven help any of you who decide to accompany me on future bikepacking trips , only joking, wouldn't dream of inflicting it on anyone but myself.
IMG_20170421_133811 by youngray50, on Flickr
IMG_20170421_134140 by youngray50, on Flickr
IMG_20170421_133850 by youngray50, on Flickr
IMG_20170421_133828 by youngray50, on Flickr

And this is the plastic one I've had out bike packing twice now.
IMG_20170421_142321 by youngray50, on Flickr

Ooh ooh what would we have on the Bear Bones meths stove song sheet?

from me.

Super duper lovely. Crikey that is taking me back. My dad used to make his own banjos, including a tiny one he would take everywhere. We camped loads as kids and he was always leading the campfire sing-a-longs. His rendition of Duelling Banjos was amazing - disturbing, but amazing. Deliverance, indeed.

Ray, I'm not musical but that is a nice bit of work, hope you get lots of fun from it.
FYI, my wife recently bought a ukulele from Lidl, wooden, Chinese made, cost her about £15 seem OK might be good for bike packing too at that price. She got hers to use at a summer camp she runs every year, makes a change from the guitar for singalongs apparently.

PeterC wrote:Ray, I'm not musical but that is a nice bit of work, hope you get lots of fun from it.
FYI, my wife recently bought a ukulele from Lidl, wooden, Chinese made, cost her about £15 seem OK might be good for bike packing too at that price. She got hers to use at a summer camp she runs every year, makes a change from the guitar for singalongs apparently.

It your wife takes to it and decides on an upgrade for not too much money then I recommend a Makala Dolphin at £30. It will sound and stay in tune better than the Lidl one. There is also a good website called "Got A Ukulele" I recommend. Barry Maz, the guy who runs it is the ukulele equivalent of Stu, down to earth, tells it like it is and takes no bullshit.
Thanks for the positive comments​ too folks.

That's ace, Ray. Top stuff.

Greez

S.

Good work! I've been thinking about building a cigar box guitar but haven't got past the thinking stage. I have a mate who makes a living playing the blues on his ex-wife's knicker drawer.

I fancy a cigar box one too but the boxes in my opinion are overpriced so I'm thinking of an oil can one. Lots of builds on you tube.

I took my banjolele to my class today and asked my tutor to see what he could get out of it. After playing it a bit he said " that's quite nice, how much was it?". Both he and my class where a bit surprised at my answer so I'm well chuffed, .