CIGAR BOX UKULELE MASTER CRAFTSMANSHIP

MEETS COMMODITY MATERIALS

William J Jehle

™

SquidWerks LLC

1

EXTRACTING

MEASUREMENTS

FROM A

PERSPECTIVE

PHOTO The key to working in perspective

is a set of lines that intersect at a

vanishing point. The lines that extend

from the vanishing point create the

illusion of depth in a flat drawing.

Using the technique in reverse, as in

this photo, allows for the perspective

to be put in context with parallel lines

that extend to and meet at a distant

point on some imaginary horizon.

Placing the photo on a larger sheet of

paper to allow for plenty of room to

find the vanishing point, I started with

the base of the cigar box in the photo

and extend a straight reference line. The

line is longer on the left side to find the

vanishing point. A shorter section of

the line on the right side will be handy

for measurements later.

2

Extending a second line from the

photo towards the left to estimate the

vanishing point. Before marking the

entire line, I tested lines both from the

nut and from the top of the cigar box.

Since the nut is small, it was difficult to

find an accurate vanishing point at the

other end of the rule. A second line

from the other edge of the box

improved the location of the vanishing

point.

After a little more trial and error, I

marked the vanishing point on the first

reference line. From that point I then

extended additional reference lines

across the bridge, soundhole top and

bottom, the cigar box top edge, and the

nut. I added another line across the tip

of the endpin, though I don’t expect to

need it because it’s more for display than

for the instruments tone.

3

To the right of the photo, the reference

lines extend outward. Using a

protractor, I marked a reference point

(on that first reference line) in a place

where I have plenty of room to work.

From that reference point, I make

another at 90º.

Using a straightedge, I draw a line from

the reference point through the mark at

90º. This will become the vertical

reference line for all measurements.

4

To the right of the vertical reference

line, I write the measurement of a

similar 1886 brand cigar box. I also add

some arrows extending from the

measurement to the perspective

reference lines that correspond to the

top and bottom edge of the cigar box

in the photograph.

I put a name on each of the

perspective reference lines. That way, I

can refer to measurements later as

“bottom-to-top,” or “bottom-to-nut,”

or even “soundhole-bottom-to-top.”

5

Using the straightedge, I measure the

vertical line that cuts through the

perspective reference lines corresponding

to the bottom and top edge of the cigar

box in the photograph. Even though I

write this measurement off to the left

side of the line, where things are closer

together, it’s still the measurement of the

vertical reference line.

Using the straightedge again, I measure

the vertical reference line from the

bottom line to the nut, to the bottom of

the soundhole, to the top of the

soundhole, and finally to the nut. Writing

these measurements in a table will be

handy to calculate the measurements for

the full size cigar box ukulele.

6

Measurement From Photograph From Cigar Box

Bottom to top 109.5 mm 214 mm

Bottom to bridge 29.5 mm 57.6 mm

Bottom to soundhole bottom 58.5 mm 114.3 mm

Bottom to soundhole top 84 mm 164.2 mm

Bottom to nut 204 mm 398.7 mm

With that conversion factor and the measurements from the photograph, it’s a

simple matter to calculate the full size cigar box ukulele measurements. Also, since

everything was measured from the bottom edge of the cigar box, simple addition and

subtraction can calculate any other measurement you may need.

For example, the string scale is the distance from the bridge to the nut,

398.7mm - 57.6mm = 341.1mm

Or about... 13 7/16 in

It may sound like a lot of work, but here’s where naming lines and measuring come in

handy. For all of the measurements taken from the photograph, I know one

measurement for the long edge of a Sam’l J. Davis y Ca 1886 cigar box — 214mm.

From the photograph measurements and the cigar box, I can compute a conversion

factor

214 mm / 109.5 mm = 1.954

7

MEASURING UP

It may seem odd to measure everything in millimeters and then convert to

inches. The main advantage is that working with millimeters allows for really

simple math. A conversion to the more familiar western units in inches is just

the last step.

The interesting measurements for this first Soprano scale ukulele are its string

scale, the size of the sound hole, the placement of the sound hole, and the

position of the bridge.

I did not attempt to measure the string spacing, width of the bridge, or the nut.

It’s not impossible to do so. In fact, I could make several educated guesses

about its construction based on other examples that I’ve seen.

8

~13 1/2”

~2”

~2”

~2 1/4”

Rather than guess, it is easier to take a

closer look at the 1997 Kamaka concert

scale cigar box ukulele on site at The Cigar

Box Guitar Museum.