Music to Your Ears
3D printing is rapidly finding its way into more and more industries, and for good reason. It’s captured the attention of millions worldwide and proved itself useful for businesses, while also providing a fun and productive way for hobbyists to spend their time.
The impact on the music industry is no different. There’s a variety of 3D printable instruments and instrument accessories out there, but one thing that’s surprisingly simple to print is a ukulele.
In this article, we’ll offer some of the most unique 3D printable ukulele models, ranging from fully 3D printed to upcycled to electric! For each model, we’ll include a description of the design as well as link to the project page. All of the models listed can be printed and assembled right from your home, allowing you to finally combine your interests in music and 3D printing.
If you want to embrace the music but aren’t able to print yourself, check out Craftcloud by All3DP. Thanks to our many partners around the world, you’ll have a vast array of materials, colors, and finishes available to you.
What You'll Need
Before we get started, let’s go over some common materials you’ll need for 3D printed ukuleles.
First off, something that probably won’t come as a surprise is that you’ll need strings for your ukulele. You’ll also need a considerable amount of your chosen printing material, as some of the larger models will require a lot of filament.
Some of these models require metal screws or tuning pegs, but each design will tell you the specifics of what you need. Some projects may also recommend using certain tools for the construction of the ukulele, such as a screwdriver or a scraper.
Whichever ukulele you choose to make will have its own quirks and requirements. We suggest reviewing the project page of the ukulele you’re interested in making, and reading comments from other makers, to learn more about what materials and hardware you’ll need.
Simple Soprano
The simple soprano ukulele is super easy to print and even easier to play. Of all the incredible models we found, this one is the most like a store-bought ukulele in shape.
The project also works with normal ukulele strings and standard tuning. This particular model has been tested and tweaked for over a year to ensure a remarkable sound and an easy playing experience. You can hear the end result in the video below.
The ukulele has two printing options, a single-piece body and separate neck (two parts), or a two-piece body and neck (three parts). The only materials you’ll need that aren’t printable are the strings and tuning pegs, but the design does include a file to print matching peg heads.
Who made it? Solstie
Who printed it? This piece has been printed over 130 times and is a very simple print, hence the name. The link below also includes extremely detailed instructions for printing and assembly.
Where to get it? Instructables
Banjo
Store-bought ukuleles come in all shapes and sizes, and 3D printable ukuleles are no different. This banjo ukulele has a variety of options to create unique and distinct sounds and look cool, too.
This fun new take on the ukulele still sounds and plays like normal and is relatively simple to print on most small-output printers. The design for the banjo ukulele is customizable, with three different bridge designs to choose from.
This model is actually the creator’s second attempt at this design, and has a much fuller tone and louder overall sound than the first model. The project page also includes the full list of materials needed and assembly instructions.
Who made it? chuckbobuck
Who printed it? This banjo ukulele has 23 recorded makes and can be seen on other sites including Reddit.
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Travel
If the traditional ukulele shape isn’t unique enough for your taste, or simply too big for your traveling musical needs, this travel ukulele is perfect for you. The size of this ukulele also makes it a much easier print for smaller printers, only taking up a 200-mm printing area.
As well as its tiny size, this ukulele also has a unique design, with tuning pegs on the body rather than at the top of the neck. Even though this ukulele is small and unusually shaped, it still plays wonderfully and tunes just like any other ukulele.
The travel ukulele comes in five printable pieces. It does require some extra hardware and a bit of assembly, which is described in detail at the link below.
Who made it? avocado_boat
Who printed it? This design has been printed at least 19 times and is relatively cheap to print because it doesn’t need much filament!
Where to get it? Thingiverse
Cigar Box
Unlike the other designs in this list, the cigar box ukulele is more along the lines of a fun 3D printed upcycle. This model takes a cigar box, preferably a wooden one, and uses it as the body of the ukulele.
With the cigar box, a 3D printed neck, tuning pegs, and a body frame that fits into the box, you can have your self a cute, recycled ukulele. There’s also some other hardware needed such as screws, socket head caps, strings, and more, all of which are listed on the project page linked below.
In spite of its unorthodox shape, this ukulele plays beautifully and is a cool way to use 3D printing to reinvent and reuse existing objects in your home.
Who made it? FunnyJohnnyPrinter
Who printed it? The cigar box ukulele has been downloaded over 37 times and is a relatively simple print.
Where to get it? Cults
This pocket-size ukulele is definitely small, though based on the picture it still looks a little too big for your pocket! The pocket ukulele is a miniaturized version of the traditional ukulele shape.
Unlike other designs in this list, the pocket uke has its own pegs to be printed, in addition to the neck and body. The two main printed parts are attached with a hidden dovetail joint.
All of the parts, when printed separately, can be fit into a build area of 200 x 200 mm. The one tricky aspect is the hollow body, which can’t be printed with supports because removing them would be too difficult and potentially damaging to the model. The designer recommends using a dual-extruder 3D printer capable of printing in different materials, so that you can use a water-soluble material for the body’s supports.
Who made it? Sparky
Who printed it? The files for the pocket ukulele have been downloaded 104 times.
Where to get it? GrabCAD
Electric
Finally, the Nuke electric ukulele is one of the most impressive 3D printable ukulele models we’ve seen. In spite of its unique, modern shape, the electric ukulele is designed to be extremely sturdy with no easily breakable protruding parts. The design was inspired by the creator’s interest in musical instruments and his desire to create a bigger market for 3D printable products around the world.
The electric ukulele is almost completely 3D printed and can be hooked up to a speaker using an auxiliary cable. Its design is functional and interesting, making it not only a fun playable piece but also a personalized piece of décor.
It costs $5 to download the printable files and you’ll need two extra pieces of hardware: a piezo buzzer and a panel-mount jack. You can find more details in the free, downloadable instructions.
The only tools you’ll need are some super glue and a utility knife. Assembly shouldn’t be hard at all as the instructions walk you through the whole process, splitting it up into 44 steps.
Who made it? Juan Carlos Noguera
Who printed it? While there isn’t a specific number of recorded downloads or prints, it’s evident that the Nuke has been printed numerous times, and can be seen on YouTube, and even a TV show!
Where to get it? Nuke
Lead image source: ElvisExMachina via Thingiverse
License: The text of "3D Printed Ukulele: 6 Great Projects" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.