What is a bigger decision maker for your next purchase? Uke size or woods used?

cyber3d

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So, if you are looking for another uke to add to your collection what is more of a purchasing factor? Uke size or woods used? You know, tenor vs concert vs soprano vs bass. Or are you looking at the same size as you already have but, in a different wood? Like Spruce top vs Mahogany top
 
I play tenor and baritone almost exclusively. So I look for different builders than what I own and then different tonewoods. At one time I had 5 spruce topped tenors and they sounded very different from one to the other. The builder really has the most influence on tone. Naturally a cedar or mahogany or spruce top from the same builder will have a different tone.

Then there is the appearance of the tops, lets not forget the back, beautiful cocobolo or walnut or myrtle. Add in high gloss or satin , sunburst, abalone trim, bindings of ebony, koa, maple. Ok there are just so many reasons to buy "one more uke":p
 
Excellent topic.

First is the size of the body. The nut size follows closely behind, then wood type comes third. I have come to realize that the 1.5 nut size is a must whichever size I look for. There are many Ukes out there, so when I start to look, the two are almost intertwined together in my decision making. Wood type is 3rd in that once I find the combo of things I like, I can then usually pick out a different wood from that builder.
 
Right now, I would have to say size. I have a soprano and two tenors, so I am looking first to complete my collection with a concert.

Then I’m also looking for a wood combo I don’t have yet. I’m thinking of an acacia or a cedar.

Just bought my KA-SRMT-TRI so I’m done for about 6 months to research and dream and :drool:

I need to up my playing caliber anyway before succumbing to a full-blown case of UAS.
 
Size is definately the first thing I look at - the scale length, followed by body size, then woods, then body shape.

(These days, I'm looking mainly at/for long neck concerts.)
 
Looks like I will be the only one to put tone woods / quality of build over EVERYTHING else, size included. There is no point getting the size I want if the sound is no good.
 
Looks like I will be the only one to put tone woods / quality of build over EVERYTHING else, size included. There is no point getting the size I want if the sound is no good.

I strongly agree BUT I don't play sopranos or concerts so it doesnt matter how good the build or tone. I start with size then build and tone.
 
Size and sound. I have tiny hands but can still play a concert. Just don't care for the high pitch of soprano.

Just go try some. One will call your name. If you have a good shop locally, just spend some time in there. If not, I'm sure lots of people can give advice. I like my cedar because it sounds lower pitched like a guitar. Spruce is much sharper.
 
Instead of looking for something that you have to ask about, try waiting for something to find you? Why buy a ukulele just for the sake of buying something?
 
I am mainly a tenor player, but have and play ukes in all sizes. I am comfortable with any size, but tenor has the widest tone range and widest potential for dynamics for my style of playing. Size played is also determined by my intention for the sound I want for the song being played.

Tonewood per se would not be the deciding factor in itself, but the SOUND of whichever wood and how it responds to the dynamics of MY OWN playing style would help make the choice.

Blindly saying a certain wood 'is the shizzle' and/or be-all/end-all and then buying it without playing first seems like a fools errand and recipe for disappointment to me.

Folks get brainwashed too often to think that the 'OMG [cedar, spruce, ebony, rosewood, tigerblood, etc] is the Holy Grail' based upon heresay. Take all that with a grain of salt until you can actually play a specimen and decide for yourself.

Also, size-wise, there are no 'rules' - what works for one person is highly specific to that person's intent as well as the agility/kinesthetics of their own hands.

"Your Mileage May Vary" and "To Each His Own" are in effect here.
 
A couple of years a go I made the mistake of buying a Kamaka tenor. Ever since then I've been on a hunt to find a concert and soprano that sounds and plays as good as the Kamaka. So for me it's sound followed closely by size. Tone woods and or other construction features not so much.
 
Has to be tenor and cutaway, plus good sound and price. Using my last purchase as an example; a couple members of our group have the Kala Thinline, the sound of which surprised me for such a thin uke, which apparently comes from an arch they bend in the back. I looked online and saw that a tenor cutaway was about $339 to $389.

I figured I'd ask Bruce Wei in Vietnam if he could make me one with flower sound holes like Ovation, but he carves the arch in the back rather than bends it, which concerned me that it would be heavy and not enough projection, and priced it at $620 shipped. Shortly after I found that Lanikai makes a Thinline tenor cutaway, including a preamp for $359 made of a beautiful Bocote wood. I bought it and it's better than I even expected.

Lanikai Thinline Bocote.jpg


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8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 8 mini electric bass guitars

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Since purchasing my concert, I've decided I prefer tenor, so I will look for tenor scale next time I'm in the market for a uke.
 
After a lot of experimenting, I've settled on concert as my preferred scale. I like variety, so I have a koa concert (KoAloha), a cedar/rosewood concert that has a slightly more compact body size (LoPrinzi), and a pear shaped Douglas fir/mahogany concert scale neck tenor (Gary Gill). I also have an acacia laminate soprano (Islander) that's my camping uke. I'm ok with the soprano scale because it needs to fit inside my sea kayak.

I guess scale size comes first, then a tone wood or shape that's different. I don't live in an area that allows me to "test drive" ukuleles first, so I never really know about the sound until after the ukulele arrives and I play it for awhile.
 
Size always for me, but I play all three sizes...soprano, concert, and tenor with concert being my go-to size so I'm not a good example because If I love the wood enough, It's liable to makes it's way to me regardless of size.
 
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