Uke with rosewood top

Ukecaster

Ukecaster

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Well, isn't cocobolo a variety of rosewood? Cocobolo Ukulele seems to be doing all right with it.
 
Too blingy for me!
 
I was thinking that maybe the nut width might be somewhat too narrrow. Also the bridge not as conventional. And ivory, huh, but if it is vintage, ok I guess.
Might be a good sounding instrument though.
 
Ukecaster said:
Saw this one on eBay, a fancy old one with Brazilian Rosewood back, sides and top. Vintage Bling! I'm no ukexpert, but don't think I've ever seen a uke with a rosewood top, never mind Brazilian. I wonder how an all rosewood top/body uke would sound?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HOLLYWOOD-SCHIRESON-CONCERT-STYLE-10-UKULELE/112883953975?hash=item1a48687137:g:~FgAAOSwUg9aZlBD

View attachment 107527
Click to expand...

And the bidding starts at $6,500? That's a bit extreme.

If you want rosewood, Butler Music has "demo" Ohana Vita Ukes with rosewood back and sides for $200 delivered. A friend just bought one, and I got one from Mim a couple of weeks ago. I see Mim has them again.
 
That seller needs to edit his post. He must have accidentally hit the "0" key three times.
 
Jim Hanks said:
Well, isn't cocobolo a variety of rosewood? Cocobolo Ukulele seems to be doing all right with it.
Click to expand...

:agree:

Plenty of reviews of cocobolo-topped instruments around, including two by Barry Maz of a super soprano and a tenor.

http://www.gotaukulele.com/p/ukulele-reviews.html

Also, Black Bear has done at least one. Duane discusses rosewood used as a top in this thread. Not sure if this one is still for sale. Might be! And for far less than the eBay uke! :cool:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...FS-New-Soprano-Rosewwod-Ukulele-by-Black-Bear
 
Well, I guess it is a rare uke from the 20s, and there is probably a collector somewhere who would want it.
 
My rosewood uke has sold. As to how rosewood topped ukes sound, they can sound very good even though rosewood is quite hard. Actually, any wood can be made to sound good and even excellent if made right. My next uke is made of Russian Olive and will be offered this coming week. Working with different woods is quite fun.
 
Ukecaster said:
Saw this one on eBay, a fancy old one with Brazilian Rosewood back, sides and top. Vintage Bling! I'm no ukexpert, but don't think I've ever seen a uke with a rosewood top, never mind Brazilian. I wonder how an all rosewood top/body uke would sound?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HOLLYWOOD-SCHIRESON-CONCERT-STYLE-10-UKULELE/112883953975?hash=item1a48687137:g:~FgAAOSwUg9aZlBD

View attachment 107527
Click to expand...

I've got an all rosewood baritone with steel strings that sounds terrific.http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?130247-Rosewood-Baritone-steel-string-from-Aaron%92s-Music-Service

Wow they are asking $6500 for that 20's Hollywood rosewood concert. It better sound good. Looks amazing for being nearly a 100 years old.
 
Pono has done a special edition of all rosewood tenors (including rosewood tops), about six years ago. They have been eagerly discussed here, if you use the forum search. If I remember correctly, Brüko has made some all Rosewood ukes as well.
 
The Hollywood ukes are in my opinion the most beautiful ukulele designs ever built.
Their models were graded in style from numbers 7-10 based on the woods used and decorative components.
This is their model 10. I've seen these sell for well in excess of 2k
but this one does seem a bit steep. I'd still buy it if I were able to afford it.
They are rare birds these days, especially in this condition. They play and sound wonderful.
 
Rakelele said:
If I remember correctly, Brüko has made some all Rosewood ukes as well.
Click to expand...

You do indeed remember this correctly. A friend of mine owns one, an all Brazilian Rosewood soprano Brüko with a flat body. It looks marvelous. But honestly, compared too my fully bodied Brazilian Rosewood soprano longneck with a cedar top - which is a real canon - it doesn't really sound that impressive. It sounds nice, though, of course. But the cedar top as well as the full body height make a huge difference, I feel.

But when I got mine, about four years ago, they told me that they are running out of Brazilian Rosewood which they had acquired in the days before CITES, in the 1980s. So there might not be too many new Brükos made of BR, and, in any case, you wouldn't finde them on their website, due to all these trade restrictions. I had to go there personally to come to know about it, in the first case. And on buying, I was advised to rather not taking it to the US.
 
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