Introducing the Electro-Acoustic Ukelation
As if the ukulele wasn’t portable enough . . . Monty Ross, an electrical engineer based in Washington, has developed a AA-battery-powered, solid-body, electro-acoustic ukulele, known as the Ukelation. The Ukelation features an under-saddle pickup along with a built-in speaker and effects including echo, chorus, tremolo, flanger, and phaser. Though the body size is similar to that of a soprano, the uke features a tenor scale length and is strung in low-G tuning. Also of note, the company is committed to sourcing “orphan wood” from the “scrap heap,” and their wood choices include koa, maple, walnut, and cherry.
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In order to cover the costs of custom parts and tooling, Ukelation is currently running a Kickstarter campaign. The company hopes to ramp up production in the spring of 2015 and expects the first batch of instruments to be ready for customers by summertime.