Here's my new MP Negra Uke custom tenor!!

Hi guys! I just want to drop by to show what I just reveived from MP ukulele today. I've owned already a lot of ukes and custom from Koaloha, Kanilea, Kamaka, Pahu Kani, etc......but I always come back to Mike Pereira's uke as my main uke.... I don't know, I just love the way it feels and the tone of them...

So, here's my latest one from him....I wanted something different from all koa stuff. So I went for a Engelmann Spruce top combined with Madagascar Rosewood for back and sides.

I really like the Mad Rosewood headstock that Mike did...it change a lot from ebony headstock like the previous I've had...

I just love Madagascar Rosewood look and sound!!!!!!

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics....in real it's even more amazing!!!


Thanks!!!

Beautiful!

Gorgeous! Spruce/Rosewood is my favorite.

SailQwest wrote:

Gorgeous! Spruce/Rosewood is my favorite.

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I really spruce top combined with whatever....I just have enough all koa ukes that I'm kind of tiredof all koa sound.... But my preference is really spruce top ukes....

thanks

Agh all these customs are so, so purty! That Madagascar rosewood looks absolutely amazing -- how would you describe the sound of that particular combo? Any different from spruce/rosewood? (Or is there a sound sample lying about?)

StereoJoker wrote:

Agh all these customs are so, so purty! That Madagascar rosewood looks absolutely amazing -- how would you describe the sound of that particular combo? Any different from spruce/rosewood?

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Mad Rosewood definitely looks good!!! I was looking for Brazilian Rosewood but Mike doesn't have any so I choose Mad Rosewood that I think is probably the closest to the Brazilian's one.

I'm still breaking up the uke so it's hard for me to compare to my other MP ukes. But so far I can compare it to my other MP Sitka Spruce top-koa back and sides.

I can say that Madagascar Rosewood definitely sounds rounder and has more bottom end to the sound compare to koa. As far as Sitka vs Engelmann, I can say that Sitka has more projection than Engelmann but maybe a less articulate sound. So it's very strong and powerfull for strumming but for more picking stuff, I prefer Engelmann spruce.

So to sum things all, I can say that my Mp Sitka spruce top-koa back and sides is projecting more but my new Engelmann Spruce top-Madagascar Rosewood has a rounder and fuller sound and is more articulate and maybe more precise when comes the time to fingerpick.

I think both combos are very nice it's only a question of what you prefer and what you want to do with your uke.......and that's why I have UAS too!!!!! hahaahah!!

thanks

Whoa! Madagascar Rosewood! At first glance I thought it might be dark-stained Zirocote. That's one beautiful ukulele!

It looks like it has a larger plantilla than the typical tenor. It looks more rounded from the photos; almost like a guitar.

EDIT: I checked Mike's website. He does use a larger plantilla. That probably adds to the tone. Nice choice.

GVlog wrote:

Whoa! Madagascar Rosewood! At first glance I thought it might be dark-stained Zirocote. That's one beautiful ukulele!

It looks like it has a larger plantilla than the typical tenor. It looks more rounded from the photos; almost like a guitar.

EDIT: I checked Mike's website. He does use a larger plantilla. That probably adds to the tone. Nice choice.

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Thanks GV. Mike has a few sets of Madagascar Rosewood and send to me the pics so I choose the set I wanted and I choose this set...You can see the set at the beginning:



And this is before finish coating:



I think I made a good choice with that set because results are very nice!!!

As for the plantilla, Mike's uke has definitely a deeper body and I think he's doing it for all his uke sizes. Even my concert has a deep body like that.

What I really about his uke is that where ever you play on the fretboard and this even at fret 12-13, etc... you still get lots of volume and intonation is always perfect. My Koalohas and Kanilea don't have that volume and precise sound at the 12th and up fret for sure and I consider that I own a nice Koalohas and kanilea!!!

BeautifulBeautiful!

Thanks Bao, I appreciate the kind words. You always have a good eye for tonewoods. Also, thanks to everyone else for your kind comments on the uke.
Mike

Everyone is commenting on the wood, which is remarkable for sure, but what about those lines? Rubenesque comes to mind. Very shapely, a work of art.

Wow. Had never heard of Mike Pereira. I was really amazed to see how reasonable his prices are on the website. I noticed he uses redwood a lot. Any idea what the sounds quality is like from that? As a native Californian, I have a particular love of redwood, but have never heard it in an instrument.

(I'm actually a bit of a saddo. Any time I see a redwood tree in England, I go charging at it like it's going to run back toward me in slow motion, arms outstretched.)

I have two of Mike's ukulele's, a rosewood/cedar baritone and a red wood topped baritone pineapple. They both are incredible instruments. As I said in a previous post, they are tone monsters. Very simply, they are the best ukulele's I've ever played.

That is a very beautiful ukulele. I'd love to hear it. Why though is there a "thumbs down" icon on the heading of the thread?

pulelehua wrote:

Wow. Had never heard of Mike Pereira. I was really amazed to see how reasonable his prices are on the website. I noticed he uses redwood a lot. Any idea what the sounds quality is like from that? As a native Californian, I have a particular love of redwood, but have never heard it in an instrument.

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Hi pulelehua! You never heard of Mike...Well I think it worth that you take a look at his work. He's very affordable too!!!
I've been commissioning him for my ukes for a while now... Actually he build for me already 4 ukes!!!! I have to say that I like them all.

I noticed that his ukes really shines after a good breaking time though. At the beginning, everything is there but once you get it and played with it for a while and find the good strings combo, it's there that you realized the potential of his ukes. I would say that it ukes from K's company most of the time sound good right away but don't open up that much. Mike's ukes do open up with time.....Well after 4 ukes from him...I start to know them better!!

As for redwood, Mike really like redwood, I think it's actually one if not his favorite tonewood for soundboard. My first custom uke from him was a combo of Redwood with Padauk back and sides.






I really like that combo too!!!! Maybe it sounds a little but warmer than spruce top but the sound is still very crisp. The look of Redwood with Padauk is very cool too!!!

By the way, Padauk is an amazing wood for back and sides.....It makes very boomy and loud ukes...so if you want good projection, I think it worth to consider the redwood-padauk combo.

I think the Sitka spruce-top with Padauk must be a very good combo too...

Anyway, if you have any questions, Mike is very open and very kind so ask whatever, he will answer to you!!

thanks

fumanshu said:

Mike has a few sets of Madagascar Rosewood and send to me the pics so I choose the set I wanted and I choose this set...

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Now that's a good luthier who collaborates with his customer!

fumanshu said:

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Thanks for that photo. The size and shape of the lower bout suggests that the top would have a larger active area than a typical ukulele. Combine that with a deeper body for added resonance and that should produce a really interesting tone.

Make sure you share any recordings that you might have.

GVlog wrote:

Now that's a good luthier who collaborates with his customer!

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Seriously, Mike gives really good service. It's really nice to be able to see what the luthier has in stock and even more nice when you can pick or choose what you want.. But for someone who is new to all that, Mike can help a lot too.

Thanks for that photo. The size and shape of the lower bout suggests that the top would have a larger active area than a typical ukulele. Combine that with a deeper body for added resonance and that should produce a really interesting tone.

Make sure you share any recordings that you might have.

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I'm a true believer that the larger of the soundboard can play a significant role in how the sound will resonate. I'm saying since I do own a Super Tenor Kanilea and it's really clear that the larger bout on it really brings something to the tone and projection of the uke.

I'll try one of these day to do a clip to compare a few tenor ukes that I own.

thanks

Amazing grain.

Here's a nice interview with Mike:

http://ukulelereview.com/2008/10/28/interview-with-mike-pereira-of-mp-ukuleles/

It sounds like he probably built a lot of the necks some of you are playing.

KevinV, the thumbs down icon appeared after my last reply... it's something I think I unintentionally did.