rosbilt Tin Can Banjo / Ukulele

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:37:00 +0000

INTRODUCING THE ROSBILT TINCAN MANDOLIN:
Okay, I have a picture of the new Mandolin. The weight of the strings was so intense, it began to crush the cones. I have developed a new steel cone just for the Mandolins and used with a pick, the sound is pretty awesome. Actually, the vibrating hum of the tin can against the abdomen as you play is sort of like playing whilst lying on a vibrating Japanese drum. It really thrills.

I need feedback on on the Mandolin. So tell me. Go to 1207 Bloor St W (at Bloor + Brock) and check it out. If you want the single coil magnetic pick-up, let me know. Please leave your comments on the Great Mush-Uke fan page on facebook. Pictures are always welcome.

Soprano up and away! Fan page on Facebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Thanks to Natasha of the Sunk 'n City Gypsies, there is now a fan page on Facebook to share rosbilt TinCan Instrument photo's, stories, band events - whatever. Post on it! Tell us where you are and what you're up to!
The new 14" Soprano Ukulele is ready and will make it debut at the OOAK Spring show starting March 28 - April 01.
I can e-mail anyone a $3 off link to the show if you buy tickets online. Let me know and I'll send you the link.
Here's the prices on the instruments for this year: Soprano (14" scale without magetic pick-up - none of the Soprano's have pick-ups) $169.
Tenor Ukulele (17" scale without pick-up) $199 - with single coil magnetic pick-up, $249.
23" 4-string TinCan Banjo (they all have single coil magnetic pick-ups as well as being fully acoustic) $279.

New headstock

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:20:00 +0000

This is the new headstock. Why a new headstock? It is 20g lighter, galvanized (less corrosion over time) and looks cooler. I think anyway. It also is thicker so that I don't have to cut the tuners down like I have been doing - and re-drilling the hole posts.
Stocking up for the Spring show - my 23" Banjo is featured in the glossy One-of-a-Kind Media advertising kit and in the 150 000 copies of the Spring gift guide. I'm way proud, I tell you.

Sneak peek at the Iron Uke display for the Spring show.

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:36:00 +0000

Someone (all right, me) has uploaded a picture of the super secret new Iron Uke / TinCan Banjo display.
But can it bake a cake!? Or catch a bear? (yikes!)

Back in Business!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Okay! The new Ukes - lighter, smoother and with the single coil pick-up are now in stock at 1207 Bloor St W (Bloor + Brock). Also the 23" TinCan Banjo which is also lighter, smoother and has the coil pick-up as well. Check them out (one's gone already!)

No more Piezo's. Handwound single coil pick-ups!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Fully acoustic - and a single coil pick-up as well! I can get 10000 winds and still get it to fit into the new larger, stronger steel bracket that joins the lightweight tin to the neck.
The experiments are done, the coils work great with big, full sound and now I begin production.

I think I will change the back of the necks as well: instead of a V shape, I'm going to go for the 'D' shape, which I did for the wider 6-string fretboard. It will, however, add a slightly greater weight. For the lesser hand fatigue, I think it may be worth it. We'll see.

Next show: Spring One-of-a-Kind at Exhibition Place March 28 - April 01, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:01:00 +0000

If you've never been to the One-of-a-Kind show in Toronto at Exhibition Place then it's really time to visit. There are hundreds of vendors displaying the latest in hand-made everything. Plenty of parking. The WOW! factor is huge as vendors are handpicked to be at the top of their craft and their greatest and latest is displayed for you.
The Spring show is not quite as crazy or packed as the Christmas show so it's a good time to get acquainted with this marketplace.
I really hope to see you there: March 28 - April 01

Fantastic Christmas Season, new models coming

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:08:00 +0000

Wow! I'm sorry to those people who realized that I had to raise the price of the TinCan Uke - but, yes, you bought it anyway and I know you know it's worth every penny.
I promise (for this year anyway) that I will not raise the price of the acoustic 17" TinCan Uke anymore. What happened is that I am selling out again and have little money left over to show for it and am working 14hrs a day, 7 days a week to keep up.
It's not about getting rich: I have little desire to be a rich man (in terms of $$! I am already a rich man in the other important areas!) - but neither do I want to be a slave. So the price, really, is a happy balance between financial security and satisfying my market. I want everyone who wants one of my instruments to have one - within reason. I have bartered, given away and offered discounts to younger and older, needier folk - but the bottom line is also that I need time with my family and I need to pay the bills too.
I hope you understand.
Looking forward to donating some prototypes with the Sunk'n City Gypsies this year: this upstart Toronto punk/grassroots band have promised to put the new single coil acoustic/electric Ukes + Banjo's on the road and rock the new 6-string Mastro-caster humbucker. Right On!!
Just let me develop them first. Starting Monday. Stay tuned.

Lowes Christmas Market 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Well, here we are. I'm sharing with Jodi of a 'Weed Bit Natural'. It's little chilly at times but there's two radiant heaters going and the weather is really quite mild for this time of year. Note the ghostly Uke hovering in the cabin? Weird.

Waldorf Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Tons of people showed up at the Waldorf School in Vaughn on Saturday. The set-up pic is a little blurry as I forgot the tripod. My thanks to the happy new owners of TinCan Ukes!

Next stop - Lowes Christmas Market, Dec 02 - 18th. Now... back to work!

New dates 2011 / 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:31:00 +0000

http://www.torontowaldorfschool.com/ArtsCraftsFair

rosbilt TinCan Ukulele will be at the Waldorf School Fair Nov 19.
I will also be at the Lowes Christmas Market www.torontochristmasmarket.com starting Dec 02 untill Dec 18 2011. This is in the revitalised Gooderham + Worts Distillery down at the Mill St complex. Huge event, bring the whole family for the Ferris Wheel + much more!
I will also be at the Spring One-of-a-Kind show in April at the Exhibition grounds.
By then I should have the new single and double (humbucker) coil six string guitars up and done, ready for retail. What a sound! Really knocking me out.

Perfect weekend at the CabbageTown Fest. 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 05:29:00 +0000

Complete sell-out at the CabbageTown Arts Festival. Notice the Honourable Mention banner hanging up behind me? Yep. Not bad. Introduced the Tin Can Tenor banjo, acoustic with pick-up. Very positive response from people stopping to check it out. Will make a lot more of those. 23" E-B-G-D with Banjo strings.

Electric Tin Can Ukes!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:52:00 +0000

John 'JK' Gulley was wandering around the Distillery with his fiancee, singer Mati Haskell (www.matihaskell.com) and goofed about with the Tin Can Uke. Fun.

The electric Ukes are here. 1/4" jack with volume pot. Piezo element as pick-up.

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:37:00 +0000

It's nice to be able to sit outside and spin the resophonic cones (on my tiny lathe). The Iron Uke workshop can get very hot!

The paint tins are cut on a rotating jig with a plasma cutter.

Set up at the Distillery: Fri, Sat, Sun for 8 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 23:34:00 +0000

Well, here it is: set up a-la-carte Tin Can Banjo Ukulele's. If those folks who came by saying they would return tomorrow with their $$ actually do so: I'd better get back in the Iron Uke shack and start cooking up some more. There's two that just need tuners welded on and strung up, so I'll do that and bring them down tomorrow as well.

Tin can labels

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Mon, 30 May 2011 15:55:00 +0000

I forgot to add: the cans come with three different styles of custom labeling:
the labels are waterproof vinyl and so far: "baked beans", "sweet peaches and sour soothers - in heavy syrup", and "horny black toad spawn - just add spring water".
Or not - there's plain as well.
The resonating chamber and the lid is heated to red hot in an open wood fire and then quickly quenched in cold water. It blues the steel and hardens the metal.
Come and see at the Distillery Art Market, Friday 1 - 6, Sat 11- 6, Sun 11 - 5
Or visit the store at 1207 Bloor St W (Bloor + Brock) downstairs at Ransack The Universe.

Distillery Arts Market

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Mon, 30 May 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Rosbilt Tin Can Banjo will be at the Gooderham and Worts outdoor market Friday, Sat, Sun for the next 8 weeks starting this Friday (June 03 2011). I'm busy making a new display that will hang twelve guitars at a time and look real sweet. Tin Can Banjo's include a booklet and a carry bag.

Tin Can Banjo Ukulele

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 27 May 2011 23:45:00 +0000

Well, I have to say it: the tin can banjo's rock. I take a paint tin, cut it so it's 2" thick, add a shelf to the underside, a cone, bridge and lid. It's welded to a steel neck with a galvanized steel wrap around, iron headstock and man does it sound good. It's way lightweight compared to the Mush-Uke and has a traditional banjo plunk, with a Ukulele flair.
The strings are banjo medium weight and as the uke is four string, (the banjo strings come as a set of five), I take out the 2nd string and make it (in weight) 11 - 13 - 22 - 11 and that gives, for the 17' scale, a good A - E - C - G with just a nice amount of tension on the strings, both to weight the cone and to be responsive ( and friendly) on the fingers.
The thin banjo strings are extremely responsive to bending and tuning needs to be pretty precise or it sounds off, which is not a problem once the wire is stretched out and the cone is broken in; the wire strings stabilize and the guitar is a joy to play. The wires seem to take (like the nylons) about three days to stretch out fully although initially it seems to stretch out sooner because the stretching is more gradual. The cone as well needs at least three days of regular playing ( say 3 - 6 hours) to work in, and about three months to work in properly. I'll get a Youtube sound vid going soon. The Mush-Uke and the Iron Ukulele for now are on the back-burner. Tin Can Banjo is where it's at for me right now.
Contact me at ironuke@thegreatmush-uke.com.

Zero fret

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:11:00 +0000

The Iron Uke has undergone another adjustment as I replace the Iron Nut with the Zero Fret. The Zero Fret has perfect action every time and the threaded spacing bar behind it allows you to adjust the string spacing to suit your fingers. What a breakthrough.
I got a chance to discuss and demonstate this innovation at the Gladstone Hotel this evening. Thanks to everyone who came out and made this such a happening event.
The Iron Uke will also be at the Distillery Art Market, starting mid June, in the open air weekend market, for a period of eight weekends. Hopefully there will be sunshine and not only seagulls and sparrows visiting my booth.

rosbilt IRON UKE is at the Gladstone Hotel, 2nd flr April 07, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:37:00 +0000

...along with a zillion other folks doing their thing. Come check it out! April seventh, from 7pm to 11pm

The Iron Ukulele is back, jack!

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:06:00 +0000

Now it's back... in the Mush-Uke style! Steel strings, lightweight metal neck, one piece biscuit and bridge:

The new lightweight Iron Uke has a hollow steel neck that surrounds a central spline for exceptional lightweight rigidity for the tension of the steel strings. The cone has been redesigned with steeper sides and a larger surface area to absorb pressure. The cone is also double turned: once on a convex mold and the second time on a concave mould, working the metal to a greater tensility.

Hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ4xQjALFeM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Actually, I'll do better video when I get a chance later. Doesn't really do it justice.

Full shielding with Piezo element connected to 200K variable resister (volume pot), grounded everywhere

and ready to rock

Ringless

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 23:51:00 +0000

To lighten up the Mush-uke further, I have removed the steel ring. The unique hand spun rosbilt aluminum cone now sits on a rabbet at the top of the sound well. The sound is a little more woody, but as good, possibly even better, than before. The soundwell is anchored to the through neck extension by a small metal plate on the outside.
I will post another youtube short to demonstate this new development. Please view these illustrations - and place your order. You will not regret it. Total Iron Ukulele awesomeness.

YouTube link

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:47:00 +0000

If you wish, you can hear for yourself what this design sounds like as I give the Great Mush-Uke a little strum and a pluck at 1207 Bloor St W in central Toronto. The theme is Gordon Lightfoot's 'ribbon of darkness' . No, I'm not the greatest but you can hear the great sound of this unique instrument.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-u_Oz6b0Dw

Sold out completely over Xmas (2010), thank you! (16 guitars, wow!) New Mush-uke, new design, now ready

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:16:00 +0000

...during the re-stock process I have tinkered a bit with the neck design and have made it faster and more tapered at the top. There are three ready to go at 1207 Bloor St W, Toronto, or from me, here at ironuke@thegreatmush-uke.com
The nut is still iron, polished smooth and welded to a strap running under the fretboard. Between the top and bottom iron straps is sandwiched a Spruce filler piece, sanded to a perfect contour, stained and polished.

A bolt passes through for maximum strength (nowhere near the fretting hand!) The neck assembly is faster, lighter and softer.

The 'echo stem' is an enclosed Spruce hollow box, lightweight and resonant. The aluminum cone still resides on the steel ring welded to the support bar.

The great Canadian Mush-Uke

noreply@blogger.com (Ross M. Stuart) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:54:00 +0000

Forged in a tiny hut buried deep in the heart of Central Toronto, the Mush-uke has an iron support structure comprising of a steel plate welded to an iron neck on which resides a hand spun aluminum resonator cone.

Each Mush-Uke is unique and a little different as each is separatly handmade. They are numbered and signed (rosbilt).

The fretboards are made of various woods, usually either Maple, Mahogany or Oak, depending on availability. Some fretboards have nail holes in them from ancient nails as I use as much recycled wood as I can.

The echo stems are usually of either Elm, Maple or Spruce. The echo stems are turned, polished and the centers cut out.

The mushroom cover caps are Spruce - either painted or natural (polished).

The resonator cone is hand spun by myself on a lathe and resides under the mushroom cap on the steel plate.

A Piezo element is securely hot glued into a slot inside the echo stem and attached to a 1/4" female jack.

You can get one for yourself by contacting me at my email address ironuke@thegreatmush-uke.com or by visiting the retail location at 1207 Bloor St W (Brock + Bloor) Toronto, On.

The tuners are welded to the iron headset, able to be unscrewed and replaced if necessary.

The nut and bridge are of iron. The bridge is adjustable.

This fun, unique, Ukulele format guitar is a must-have for any Ukulele enthusiast or eclectic musician.