Home Sign Up!

Browse Community Submit

All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Photo Ride Science Tech

Thumb Piano
by BobsDogHouse on February 7, 2007 Table of Contents Thumb Piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Thumb Piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Materials: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Cut out the wood parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Front face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Assemble the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 5: Dowels and Rods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 6: Sanding and finishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 7: Final assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 2 3 4 5 5 7 8

Step 8: Finished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Intro: Thumb Piano

I saw one of these somewhere a while back and always thought it would be fun to play with. A quick Google came up with several including the one in this picture. It's available online for about $33. I'm no kind of musician and I've never built a musical instrument before but this looks simple enough. I'd rather just make one.

Step 1: Materials:
Looking at the image I found on google there is no reference to tell exact size but I'm not really worried about making it accurate. I'll guess it looks to be about 5" x 7" x 1". For most of the parts I was looking for stuff I had sitting around. This is the parts list for what I ended up with. (2) - 3/16" plywood - 5" x 7" for the top and bottom (2) - 3/4" x 3/4" x 3' pine - 5" and (2) 7" for the frame (2) - 1/4" dowel - 2-1/2" to support the keys (1) - 3/8" aluminum rod - 4" to hold down the keys (1) - 3 1/2" nail - cut to 3-1/4" 5/8" x 18 brads - optional (2) - #6-32 x 1/4" T-nuts (2) - #6-32 x 1" round head bolts street sweeper bristles - enough to make 9 keys about 2-1/2" - 3-1/4" each. I had to buy the T-nuts and bolts but the rest I was able to scrounge. The "keys" were made out of street sweeper bristles. They're easy to find if you get out and walk much, just keep an eye on the street.

Image Notes 1. 3/8" aluminum rod 2. T-Nuts (#6-32 X 1/4) 3. Street sweeper bristles

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

4. 1/4" dowel 5. 3/4" x 3/4" sqare 6. 3/16" plywood cut to 5" x 7" (2 pcs. - top and bottom) 7. A 3-1/2" nail I had lying around 8. Round head slotted bolts (#6-32 x 1")

Step 2: Cut out the wood parts

Cut two 5" x 7" plywood sheets for the top and bottom of the box and the 3/4" pine into 4 lengths at a 45 for the sides - 2 @ 5" and 2 @ 7". Glue and (optionally) nail the sides onto the bottom with small brads, then set it aside. I didn't mind using brads to hold the bottom together while it dried. They won't show much but you could just clamp it instead. Just be sure to set them in deep enough so they won't stick out and scratch things.

Image Notes 1. Notice, sombody (not me) removed all the safety guards. This thing's a bit scary. 2. Cut the first end at a 45 degree angle then turn it over to cut the other end at the opposite angle.

Image Notes 1. Set them deep enough that they won't scratch anything it happens to slide across.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Step 3: Front face

Measure and mark the two points to drill for the T-nuts, don't make the holes too large for the T-nuts or they will fall out easily. I drilled 5/32" holes for the T-nuts 2-1/2" apart and about 1-1/4 from the one end. Measure and mark the 1" hole centered about 4-1/2" from the same end. I drilled the 1" hole part way through the back then turned it over and drilled the rest of the way from the front to avoid splitting either side of the plywood. When I was done I found that 4-1/2" seems a bit too close to the T-nuts you could move it a half to an inch further down. Also I found out that a 1" hole seems to make the higher notes sound louder, epically the B key. A smaller hole would tend to shift the emphasis to the lower notes. Using a 1/2" drill gauge held over the 1" hole seemed to bring out the F note. Drill the 3 holes and tap the T-nuts into place with a hammer.

Image Notes 1. Mark the center line then the rest of the holes are measured from there.

Image Notes 1. The T-nut will stick out through the plywood when it's in place so put a thick board or something under it so you don't crush the end of it. 2. Tap them in firmly but be careful not to crack or deform the plywood

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Step 4: Assemble the box

Assemble the rest of the box (Careful not to knock the T-nuts loose!). Brads wouldn't look good on the top so just use glue and clamps. Be sure to use some sort of pad between the clamp and the box. They aren't shown in the picture because I forgot and ended up with some clamp marks to sand out. - set it aside to dry

Image Notes 1. spread the glue out more evenly.

Image Notes 1. Put a small scrap of plywood or some other pad in here to keep the clamp from scaring the wood! At least on all the metal to wood contact points.

Step 5: Dowels and Rods

Cut the aluminum rod to 4" and file the ends flat. I clamped it in the drill press and use the file to smooth and round the end off and used ultra fine sand paper to "clean" the aluminum. Carefully measure and mark the holes for the screws to attach the rod then drill the 2 holes at 1/8". Cut the head and point off of the nail (3-1/4") and file the ends flat. Put it in the drill press to round the ends and clean as with the aluminum rod.Cut 2 lengths of the 1/4" dowel to 3-1/4". Flatten both dowels along the length just enough so they don't roll easily. Hollow out a channel on the side opposite the flat of one of the dowels to "cradle" the nail in place. I did this using a motor-tool while holding the dowel in a vice. Set these parts aside for now.

Image Notes 1. Old dull hack saw blade, still it cut through easily enough. 2. Aluminum rod with stickers on it. Cut to 4" length.

Image Notes 1. With the drill press running it was easy to file the end of the aluminum rod rounded. CAREFUL not to get caught up in the spinning parts 2. Sorry this photo is so blurry, the camera insisted on focusing on the junk back here.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Image Notes 1. Nicely rounded and polished.

Image Notes 1. Hold 600 grit sand paper up to the spinning aluminum and it will clean it up nicely. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET ANYTHING GET WRAPPED AROUND ANY SPINNING PARTS. IT MIGHT TAKE A FINGER WITH IT!

Image Notes 1. A ball tip on my motor tool cuts a nice channel easily. 2. Cut a nice little channel to "cradle" the nail.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Image Notes 1. Give the nail the same treatment (and caution) as the aluminum rod.

Step 6: Sanding and finishing

When the glue has dried, take the clamps off the box and start sanding. Sand the edges flat and sand off any imperfections or pencil marks from the front and back. I like to sand off all the hard edges and corners just enough so it feels good in my hands. Dust it off carefully and put a coat of varnish on it. I put the bolts in the T-nuts so I could hang the box up to dry without it touching anything. When the varnish is completely dry rub it down with fine sand paper or steel wool to get a nice smooth finish. Put as many coats of varnish as you like.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Image Notes 1. Saw marks to be sanded off. 2. Un-even edge needs to be sanded flat.

Image Notes 1. It's flat but not quite straight. I just sanded it a bit more 'till I was satisfied.

Image Notes 1. Ok, it's not varnish, it's a some sort of an acrylic finish but it's what was sitting in my garage. I call it varnish.

Step 7: Final assembly

Assemble the whole thing as pictured. You don't need to glue the dowels or the nail in place, friction will hold it down when it's fully assembled. Be sure to place both dowels close to the aluminum rod (about 1/2" center to center) or the keys will bounce and buzz when you play it. Insert one street sweeper bristle and tune it roughly to a C note. Mark it and "cut" it to length, actually I just put it in a vice and broke it. File and sand it carefully to round and smooth the ends, if you don't it will make a sound scraping across your finger prints or worse scraping off your finger prints! Re-insert it under the "clamp" and do the same for each of the notes you want, I added a total of 9. If you want more you'll have to either make the whole thing bigger or space the keys closer than I'm comfortable with. I put in keys for C through G then A through D in this pattern: ====C ======A ========F ==========D ============C ==========E ========G ======B ====D The pattern was suggested by a friend that had a bit more experience with musical instruments than I have, but other people have since made other suggestions so arrange them in any order you're comfortable with. When they're all in, tune them carefully and tighten down the screws until you don't hear any buzzing when you play it.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Image Notes 1. Borrowed from my brother who plays the guitar. Thanks Jim. 2. That's tuned close enough for now.

Image Notes 1. Mark it for cutting. Closer than this would be even better.

Image Notes 1. It breaks straight but it has a sharp edge that must be filed and I like it rounded off.

Image Notes 1. D 2. I need to trim this one a bit more. It tends to tap aginst things and change the tune of that note. 3. G 4. F 5. C 6. B 7. The low "C" note in the middle. 8. E 9. A 10. D

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Image Notes 1. The screws are tightened enough that the keys bend upwards and they don't vibrate against the nail when played.

Step 8: Finished
I added a sample sound file, it doesn't sound as good as the real thing. I recorded it with my cheap microphone on my computer. Enjoy!

File Downloads

scale.wav (1 MB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'scale.wav']

Related Instructables

Instant Thumb Piano: How to make a set screw lamellaphone by yapruder

My Kalimba (Photos) by assassin10114

How to play the piano by schnuckel

Improve at sight-reading by jackbobpin

The Minty Kalimba by Deansrds

MP3 to MIDI (Windows only) by jdlink

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 62 comments

bigredlevy says:

Feb 2, 2010. 3:33 AM REPLY i made this one as a present for my brother. i used spring steel wire i bought from a hobby shop, and a nice piece of aluminium to mount the tines with screws for individual intonation.

theanzie says:
WOOHOO!

Feb 3, 2011. 6:20 PM REPLY

CementTruck says:
Bigredlevy, Just curious as to how this came out. Does it sound OK?

Feb 5, 2010. 10:17 AM REPLY

I have a buss bar from a house fuse box laying around somewhere and have been itching to do something with it. It looks a lot like the aluminum bar you have in your image. Cheers!

bigredlevy says:

Feb 8, 2010. 10:17 PM REPLY you mean one of these http://www.tangible-technology.com/power/p2/8_buss_bar_5a.jpg right? i think that would work fine. the advantage is that you can tune each note individually. the problem i had with mine was the gauge of spring steel wire. i think mine was too thick, so the keys weren't as loud as i would have liked. i tuned mine by ear using a piano. this would do http://www.pianoworld.com/fun/javapiano/javapiano.htm

jakenzi357 says:
awesome! Good job.

Dec 13, 2010. 11:17 AM REPLY

darkdragonv says:
Have that same tuner..lol!

Jun 11, 2009. 5:40 PM REPLY

strato2598 says:
hahahha lol SAME!!

Sep 20, 2010. 12:48 AM REPLY

amcasiano says:
Thanks for giving me the idea to make my own kalimba. Keep it up!

May 2, 2009. 2:40 AM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

BobsDogHouse says:
Very Cool! It looks great! Thanks for posting a picture.

Oct 2, 2009. 12:17 PM REPLY

TehLonelyOne says:

Sep 28, 2009. 7:41 AM REPLY This is great! definitely going to make one, is the steel you used for the keys 1/4 or 1/8 inch wide? It looks 1/8 but I can't decide which to use, since 1/4 seems to wide...

BobsDogHouse says:

Oct 2, 2009. 11:45 AM REPLY The steel I used was about 1/8 inch wide but the width doesn't really matter as long as it's wide enough to be "plucked" comfortably and narrow enough to fit and be tuned easily. I can imagine that tuning a very wide strip might be difficult but 1/4 would probably be OK.

CatMan says:

Mar 31, 2007. 5:32 PM REPLY Great Idea! my uncle brought one of those from Africa, when i was a kid i loved playing semi-african music on it. i've been collecting street-cleaner-bristles for other projects, but i'll defenetly use some of them for this project! i might use a premade box, being lazy, and I also like recycling stuff.

Oledoug says:

Oct 2, 2009. 10:00 AM REPLY We are way out in the country and have no street sweepers but one thing we have used is the small stainless steel about 1/8" wide piece of stainless steel that is in a automobile wiper blade. They are the dickens to cut but make a wonderful sound. Check with your local garage and have them save you some old wipers as they replace them for folks. Doug

CatMan says:

Oct 2, 2009. 10:36 AM REPLY man, you read my mind, I discovered those a few months ago, and used them while building my anealling oven for glass-blowing. they are great because they are stainless. I didn't bother to cut them, just bent them and broke them. great stuff indeed, and for free !

yeah568 says:

Jul 4, 2009. 1:10 PM REPLY Heh, our local science center had like a workshop making these before. Basically, it was just a block of wood with two rubber bands holding the metal pieces in place. Wasn't as fancy as this, but it still works. Good instructable though. Mar 31, 2007. 12:15 PM REPLY Street sweeper bristles? I'm pretty sure we don't have street sweepers in downtownColumbia, SC. If we do I've never seen one. Is there anything else I could use? Rake teeth maybe? Even though rakes are kinda $$$ for ones with decent metal teeth.

b4k4hakujin says:

BobsDogHouse says:

Apr 1, 2007. 1:18 AM REPLY Rake teeth sound fine, maybe a bit wide though. The sweeper bristles are only about 1/8" wide but there's lots room for wider bristles. What ever you use, as rashfreedom said it just needs to have some spring in it.

rockabilly_renegade says:
I hang around auto parts stores a lot. would the thin metal pieces inside a windshield wiper work?

Dec 31, 2007. 10:32 PM REPLY

Mr. Bricoleur says:

I know this is a bit late, but yeah - i just made one out of them and it did work.

Jul 4, 2009. 12:21 PM REPLY

BobsDogHouse says:

Jan 1, 2008. 10:23 PM REPLY I'm not sure, I don't have any old wiper blades to look at but it sounds like a possibility. Just make sure they're a fairly springy not "bendy". Also as I recall from changing my wiper blades, they're a bit sharp so you might want to blunt them a bit. Good luck and if you build one, post a picture!

assassin10114 says:

Mar 28, 2009. 1:36 PM REPLY how do you tune this? do you just put a certain amount of the piece of metal on the side you play from the thing that holds them down?

Mr. Bricoleur says:

Jul 3, 2009. 7:36 PM REPLY umm, okay. just look at it this way: the more the key (metal piece) is sticking out from where it touches the "nail support part", the lower the note, and vice versa. Just refer to an already tuned musical instrument to get the right pitch for tuning your thumb piano. hope that helped :D

MisterMissanthrope says:

Jan 31, 2009. 2:02 AM REPLY Still sounds good, and looks great, ive always wanted one of these, but im going to be working without saws soon, and might try making it from a box i find or tin something, nice ible.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

some_person says:
what is the use of the aluminum rod? can't you just use a staple gun to staple the prongs on?

Apr 6, 2008. 1:27 PM REPLY

kalimbamagic says:
If you staple the tines, you'd better have the tuning exactly perfect.

Jan 31, 2009. 12:36 AM REPLY

Timsan says:

Dec 14, 2008. 2:03 PM REPLY Having the aluminium rod means you can adjust the tuning if need be. You can even move the tines around to create your own custom tunings. For example, if you use 15 tines (prongs), you can have a 2 octave major scale: G E C A F# D B G A C E G B D F# Or you can use an 11 tine setup to get a pentatonic scale: GDAEBGADGBE The 8-note kalimba is an easy place to start. It's usually tuned to the major scale: C A F D C E G B. Have a dig through http://www.kalimbamagic.com for more information on the types of kalimba, tunings and lessons on how to play it. There's a stack of videos here: http://www.youtube.com/kalimbamagic I particularly like the one called "First Look Inside"

I'm amazed at what you can do with this little thing. I think I'll be making 3 or 4 of these little beauties!

Timsan says:

Dec 14, 2008. 2:10 PM REPLY Just to clarify those tunings, the bold G in the middle is the longest tine. The tunings are in the key of G, but that's entirely arbitrary. You can tune it up in any key you want.

Quinns says:

Mar 31, 2007. 5:35 AM REPLY Cool! I love making my own instruments and i'd love to do this one... but i live in australia and dont know what to use for the 'keys' any ideas?

podup365.com says:

Dec 13, 2008. 4:25 PM REPLY When I was in Zambia, many kalimba's made by hand used old stainless steel silverware handles. I bought two of them, one with part of a gourd mounted underneath instead of making a box. They both sound very different but neither of them was tuned. I think they are meant for display only. Having a tuned one would be cool. Nov 10, 2008. 6:58 PM REPLY maybe you could cut up a pop can? idk but I'm gonna give it a shot. Ribs said Africans used flattened nails. if the pop can doesn't work i got some nails and a hammer =P (someone might end up dieing...)

fearme36 says:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

Mr. Bricoleur says:

nah... pop can metal would be really easily bendable and so it wouldn't be springy enough for keys. :(

Jun 28, 2009. 11:44 AM REPLY

rashfreedom says:

Mar 31, 2007. 1:12 PM REPLY I have used old metal rakes for the keys, it seems any steel that has more carbon than mild steel will work. Basically it needs to have some spring to it so when they are played the keys return to position. I have used Bobby Pins (hair pins) for small kalimbas (thumb piano).

spinach_dip says:

Apr 4, 2007. 4:35 PM REPLY Is the sound decent from the bobby pin ones? Of course it won't be as loud as the bigger ones, but is it audible, and does it stay in tune?

BobsDogHouse says:
A more dirct link: http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/om13500.html

Apr 5, 2007. 3:11 PM REPLY

BobsDogHouse says:

Apr 5, 2007. 11:19 AM REPLY There's an audio link to a thumb piano that looks like it was built from something like an altoids tin and bobby pins, it sounds good. Start here: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=197853

srohwer says:

Nov 10, 2008. 8:09 PM REPLY There's a great text on Mbira - Thumb piano: The Soul of Mbira: Music and Traditions of the Shona People of Zimbabwe by Paul F. Berliner He's an ethnomusicologist who went and studied in ZImbabwe. There are also detailed instruction on building one, including native tunings, which are slightly different than Western tuning. Amazon for $5 used. Oct 26, 2008. 5:52 AM REPLY In Southern Africa these are called Mbira. the base is often just a solid piece of wood and the keys are made out of flattened nails. the whole instrument is often placed inside a large gourd which acts as a resinator.

Ribs says:

Mr. BeanyMvBeanBean says:

Oct 20, 2007. 4:50 PM REPLY One of my Mom's friends has one of these using a hollowed out gourd instead of just the wood. Just an idea if anyone would like to try it.

Sue D. Nymme says:

I was doing fine until I got to the part that says, ...and tune it roughly to a C note. I have no clue how to do that. Can you help? Thanks.

Aug 28, 2007. 9:35 AM REPLY

BobsDogHouse says:

Aug 28, 2007. 1:41 PM REPLY Good question, I guess if you haven't done it before it can seem confusing. I'll describe the process I went through but remember I'm not a musician either. Assemble it as shown in the first picture of step 7. Tighten the screws just tight enough to hold everything down firmly and "pluck" the bristle by pushing it down slightly with your thumb or finger and sliding off the end. You should hear a crisp note - although it may be a bit sour. The tuner I used gave instant feedback of the note heard. Determine if the note should be higher or lower using an tuner and slide the bristle forward (toward the hole) to go lower or back (away from the hole) to go higher. For the first not you want a "C" not a sharp ("C#") or flat ("Cb"). Insert the next bristle and do the same thing for "D" or "E", just follow the pattern above. Remember the first pass is just to get an idea of where to cut the bristles. After they are all cut to length you do it again much more accurately, with them all installed and held down a bit tighter. When fine tuning I found it helpful to hold down all the bristles but the one I'm tuning because they tended to vibrate as well and confuse the tuner. If you don't have a tuner you can use your computers microphone and one of the many programs available on the web. I found a few at http://www.mymusictools.com/download/instrument-tuner/ (I haven't tried any of these and don't know anything about them but they look like they could do the job nicely). If you're actually building one, I'd love to see a picture of it! Please post one.

liny says:

Jul 6, 2007. 5:13 PM REPLY That instrument is a kalimba right? I saw those in Argentina, France and another country. I have one made of Pumpkin shell and Steel plates cut to make the stripes of metal is has. It is really easy to tune those things when you have good musical ear.

Mace42 says:
nice

May 9, 2007. 8:03 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/

photozz says:
What about using old hacksaw blades? I know they are wider, but you might be able to cut them...

Apr 6, 2007. 10:05 AM REPLY

BobsDogHouse says:
I may be wrong but I think you might find them a bit tough to cut.

Apr 6, 2007. 11:13 AM REPLY

Quinns says:

Apr 18, 2007. 2:30 AM REPLY i had some blunt ones laying around and i realised that, even if you cant cut them , you can just snap them to a rough size and then you just have to move them on the thumb piano :)

Quinns says:

Apr 18, 2007. 2:33 AM REPLY oh! i think you meant cut them lengthways... you could probably grind them? angle or bench grinder? i didnt find the thickness a problem my self... they sounded ok too :)

cronen says:

Apr 3, 2007. 9:22 AM REPLY Here's the source for the kit (and plenty of other musical kits). http://www.musikit.com/ You can find blueprints, spring steel for the tines and even hardware kits so you can supply your own wood etc... I've made several of these and even made piezo pickups to amplify them. A lot of fun.

BobsDogHouse says:

Apr 6, 2007. 11:21 AM REPLY Too many cool kits! I personally wouldn't buy a kit for something as simple as a thumb piano but many others there look like fun! They also sell the "prongs" for thumb pianos here seperately. http://www.musikit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=prong&Category_Code=thum prongs] BTW, I referenced your link on another reply and forgot to give you credit. (sorry!)

cronen says:
I like this solid wood thumb piano design: http://elderly.com/accessories/items/CBP8.htm

Apr 6, 2007. 11:41 AM REPLY

which is what I make using materials from misikit and lowe's...pretty much the only thing I buy from musikit is the bulk spring steel for the tines, everything else can be sourced easily at the local store. These are very simple to make and have a different tone based on the hardwood you use. The tines can be cut using a dremel or a hacksaw and then smoothed with a grinder or dremel.

pipotin says:

Apr 6, 2007. 9:27 AM REPLY hey you guys i just wanted to ask something to the creator of this thumb piano. for the keys you talk about some "street something thingies" can t remember exactly what it was and i have no idea what you re talking about do i have to buy those or can i fine them somewhere else?? thanx a lot

view all 62 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thumb-Piano/