How about mahogany.

Rod Searle · May 10, 2015

Just an add on to my previous thread re a soprano or Tenor
as my next uke.
I have a laminate Kala and Koa Kamaka concert.
What are your thoughts on a Mahogany concert as my next
well in the future purchase instead.

Buc-a-Roo · May 10, 2015

For my ears you can't go wrong with a good cut of mahogany. Warmth and punch.........good wood. But it's your ears that need pleasing, and so, grasshopper..........listen to the wood.

sam13 · May 10, 2015

I have come full circle.

Originally bought a Mahogany Baritone then a Mahogany Tenor. Both sounded great but I wanted something else. Sold them.
Bought Cedar tops, and then Spruce Tops ... kept them.

But am looking to get a Mahogany re entrant tenor ... I really like the Mahogany warmth and tone, it has an average tone decay ... meaning it has nice sustain.

Good choice for either a soprano or a Tenor.

katysax · May 10, 2015

I like mahogany but I prefer it with a spruce or cedar top.

hammer40 · May 10, 2015

Not always high on the "bling" factor, grain wise, mahogany can get overlooked sometimes. There is a reason that it has been used on instruments for "ever" though, it has such a lovely warm, sweet sound, and over time it just keeps getting better. Either all mahogany, or paired with a cedar or spruce top, makes a very fine instrument!

igorthebarbarian · May 10, 2015

Not bling-y at all is probably its biggest downside considering that cedar and spruce seem to "pop" more. But as I posted/pondered in a different post, I had several people say that they thought Mahogany was one of the more stabler woods. So it has that going for it too... A good reason to own one of each!

hammer40 said:
Not always high on the "bling" factor, grain wise, mahogany can get overlooked sometimes. There is a reason that it has been used on instruments for "ever" though, it has such a lovely warm, sweet sound, and over time it just keeps getting better. Either all mahogany, or paired with a cedar or spruce top, makes a very fine instrument!

Hippie Dribble · May 10, 2015

There aren't many sure things in this life but mahogany is one of them.

RonT · May 10, 2015

"There aren't many sure things in this life but mahogany is one of them." Second that...
Cheers,
R

deschutestrout · May 10, 2015

Mele makes some beautiful mahogany ukes, that are pretty easy on the pocket book. I have a Mele tenor and love her!

MDL · May 10, 2015

I have an old Martin Style O. It's all mahogany and it has a lovely tone that keeps getting better. Very simple looking uke, but it's a sure keeper.

spookelele · May 10, 2015

Ribbon mahogany is beautiful. Not sure why we don't see it more. Has a 3d shimmer not quite as dramatic as a curl or quilted grain but quite attractive.

PhilUSAFRet · May 10, 2015

I always loved mahogany ukes, but in the last year or so, I've heard some amazing cedar topped ukes that has me re-evaluating my original bias in favor of mahogany. I agree about the Mele's. I also love my Pono mahogany MCD-E.

Nickie · May 10, 2015

I only have one solid mahogany uke, and I love it!

Debby · May 10, 2015

I love my Mainland mahogany concert. It's beautiful, esp with the rope binding. And it sounds great!

Cocobolo Ukuleles · May 11, 2015

You can't go wrong with mahogany. I think that most would agree with that. However, when we first started working with mahogany we were using "tropical mahogany". When we switched over to "Honduran mahogany" we were very impressed with the difference. It is much lighter and easier to work with. More importantly, it has a much fuller sound to it than the tropical mahogany that we were using. The tropical mahogany was brighter, harsher, and not as easy on the ears. I am not a mahogany expert by any means, but that has been my experience with it.

One of my favorite soundboards though is a western red cedar. WRC has a very full sound that is hard to beat. At the end of the day it depends on what your ear likes. Try YouTubing some sound samples of different tonewoods to see what is most pleasing to you.

Good luck! Keep us posted on what you decide.

Ukejenny · May 11, 2015

Love my mahogany soprano. I also love my husband's mahogany tenor. They Both have very nice tones, but the soprano has much more jangle to it and the tenor has much more sweetness.

Icelander53 · May 11, 2015

Depends on if it's solid wood or not. I like mahogany for the sides and back and cedar for the top. I do however have a Gretsch cutaway that is hog with solid top and it's a great uke and not expensive at all. In fact for the money it's the best uke I own. But I do love my pono's more and I really do love the cedar top ukes.

NewKid · May 11, 2015

Three of my four ukes are all honduran mahogany and the only size I don't have in mahogany is a concert. Yet.

coolkayaker1 · May 11, 2015

Mahogany is, hands down, my overall favorite "desert island, one uke" wood.

Vintage 'hog, dried out and percussive like a stretched goat skin, so much the better.

Captain America · May 11, 2015

The builder above makes sense to me. I opted for a hog soprano, since I wanted the Classic Uke Tone. But my cedar topped Kala LaSalle just sounds so very sweet. Buy both. You need them.

How about mahogany.

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