Hi folks, it's been a long time since I've been here but I do have a question. I own a cedar top baritone, and I know it's quite mellow, especially when one compares to a spruce top. Is there a type of wood that would go even further than cedar? If I may ask in this way... Obviously the ones who own different models and types of wood would probably be able to give some tips on the subject. Thanks in advance, Bruno.
Which top wood would be the mellowest?
- Thread starter bbb1
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About the only one that comes to mind would be an all soild mahogany baritone.
In my experience Mango has a mellower wood tone. Larger sizes tend to be more mellow too. Strings can make a big difference too. You could always experiment with them. Worth Browns are more mellow than Worth Clear.
–Lori
–Lori
Good call on the strings Lori. Nylon are more mellow sounding to my ear than florocarbon so there is always that option as well.
As to the top wood, listen to sound samples for what pleases your ear. Tone qualities are subjective, and one person's "mellow" can easily be another person's "muddy" or "dull". Same thing with strings. Then you must consider the player's style, which adds many more variables to the mix. Also bear in mind that even two instruments made of the same woods by the same maker or manufacturer, strung alike and played by the same person, may not sound exactly the same.
It's obviously best to be able to try an instrument before you buy, which is a privilege I've not had as I live in an area with very little in the way of stringed instrument availability, but even so, buying online also has its advantages, and you can play "catch and release" if you don't find what you like right away.
bratsche
It's obviously best to be able to try an instrument before you buy, which is a privilege I've not had as I live in an area with very little in the way of stringed instrument availability, but even so, buying online also has its advantages, and you can play "catch and release" if you don't find what you like right away.
bratsche
bunnyf
Well-known member
I have a cedar top Koa Bari and a cedar/saeple and find them quite mellow. I had a few solid all mahoghany baris (vint. Harmony, vint. Favilla) and the were a bit more mellow, I thought, even with the same strings.
What are the back and side wood? Bunny said it pretty right on. The most mellow Bari I've owned was an early '50's Favilla. They have a smokey blues joint mellow sound. I miss t.
I'd try different strings first. I like a wound D.G with a good tension; Southcoast HL-WB's. For unwound, probably Oasis, Living Waters or Martin. If a vintage 'hog or cedar I go Martin or some other nylon.
Have you tried different tunings? Dirk from Southcoast has a great explanation of string choice.http://www.southcoastukes.com/string sets.htm
I'd try different strings first. I like a wound D.G with a good tension; Southcoast HL-WB's. For unwound, probably Oasis, Living Waters or Martin. If a vintage 'hog or cedar I go Martin or some other nylon.
Have you tried different tunings? Dirk from Southcoast has a great explanation of string choice.http://www.southcoastukes.com/string sets.htm
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Nickie
Well-known member
Patrick said it right.....
They have a smokey blues joint mellow sound.
I've heard some mangos, and they seem kinda, well, quiet. My mahog uke is really mellow.
They have a smokey blues joint mellow sound.
I've heard some mangos, and they seem kinda, well, quiet. My mahog uke is really mellow.
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
I like a mellow sound, & I have found mahogany & cedar best to my ears, using (Living Water) flourocarbon strings. 
igorthebarbarian
Well-known member
Also consider the tuning of standard DGBE. If I recall from Southcoast Strings website, that tuning is too low in general. As mentioned above Strings - and tunings
Doc_J
Well-known member
Much of the tone comes from the builder. I've got an all maple tenor from Steve Grimes that is very warm, and a cedar topped tenor Luis Feu de Mesquita that has an exceptionally clear and bright tone. This is exactly opposite what in general I'd expect from tonewoods of these ukes.
I'd ask the builder this question.
I take that with a very large grain of salt, indeed. My baritone's 4th string is tuned a fifth below that (using a classical guitar 6th string), and I think it sounds wonderful!
bratsche
bearbike137
Well-known member
Rosewood top.
Pete Howlett
Well-known member
Here's a comparison for you:
kypfer
Well-known member
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Very informative, thank you ... now I realise I need (at least) two new ukuleles, they both sound wonderful, even if quite different!
:music:
13down
Well-known member
I used to confuse "mellow" and "soft," thinking that they mean the same thing. Cedar, I'd say, is softer than mahogany, but not mellower.
When people say mellow, they're usually referring to the frequency being lower. Mahogany sounds "mellower" due to producing notes with lower frequencies.
When people say "soft," they're usually referring to how quickly the notes decay. On cedar ukes, the notes often decay more gradually than on mahogany ukes. That makes them sound "softer."
I thought that was worth mentioning since, for a long time, when I heard people say "mellow," I thought they were referring to that soft fade of the notes, and as a result I described cedar as more "mellow."
However, I think the correct description would be that cedar is both brighter and softer.
When people say mellow, they're usually referring to the frequency being lower. Mahogany sounds "mellower" due to producing notes with lower frequencies.
When people say "soft," they're usually referring to how quickly the notes decay. On cedar ukes, the notes often decay more gradually than on mahogany ukes. That makes them sound "softer."
I thought that was worth mentioning since, for a long time, when I heard people say "mellow," I thought they were referring to that soft fade of the notes, and as a result I described cedar as more "mellow."
However, I think the correct description would be that cedar is both brighter and softer.
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Yes, it would be helpful if we were all on the same page regarding what constitutes a "mellow" sound. Personally, I have always thought of "mellow" as a tone quality or timbre descriptive word, pretty much synonymous with "dark", as opposed to "bright", the former sound (intonation being equal, of course) bringing out the lower frequency overtones and the latter the higher ones. Top tonewoods and strings both contribute to this quality spectrum, and indeed, particular strings often can be chosen to help offset a quality of the wood that the player finds too extreme in one direction or the other. As to the two examples in the video posted, I'd say the first instrument sounds brighter than the second, and the second one pleases my ear more, as I tend to like sounds I find darker - that is what I think when I hear "mellow", at any rate..
On the other hand, when I hear something described as "soft", I only think of it as having a low volume, or the opposite of "loud". Maybe that's just me, I don't know. (Sustain versus decay is also an entirely different matter, in my understanding.)
bratsche
On the other hand, when I hear something described as "soft", I only think of it as having a low volume, or the opposite of "loud". Maybe that's just me, I don't know. (Sustain versus decay is also an entirely different matter, in my understanding.)
bratsche
