Pleasure Paul
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It cannot be volume, as most decent ukes are almost unbearably loud (to my wife at least). So what is it?
What makes a great soprano?
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Peace Train
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For any instrument, it's a combination of sound (resonance, vibration, sustain) and construction (materials and construction itself) vs user-feel and playability. These are emotional factors in and of themselves, and some people also connect with visual character, historical significance, a particular maker, what's popular, price, etc. Much of it is somewhat subjective, including the choice of soprano over concert or tenor. So it really comes down to what you enjoy and what works for you and the music you intend to create.
billten
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I think it's too much determined by the player but my answer regardless of all the physical factors would be "the one you play all the time"...
actadh
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I agree. I think it is the one that is in tune with your musical journey at that point in time.
I played a vintage Silvertone soprano for six months and loved it. I was able to find nuances and coloration of the songs I strummed that made it a joy. It went everywhere with me.
Then, I got my Opio and played it for about six months. Wow, what a ukulele! It was like riding a Thoroughbred horse instead of a nag. It made me sound like a real ukulele player. I played it all the time and really advanced my technique.
But, cold weather hit and I didn't want to take it out and about in cold/hot/humidified/unhumidified environments, so I got an OXK soprano. Loved it from the moment I played it. I could really make it bark or whisper. It was perfectly in balance with my beginning fingerstyle playing.
Now, I grab my Bruko maple and have been enjoying going through Wilfred Welti's solo ukulele pdf that was just posted here. The Bruko is perfect for playing it at this time. I have to play with a bit more care due to the higher tension Worth Browns, but it is a good thing to be more careful with fingerings and placement.
I love all the aforementioned ukuleles - I played the Silvertone today, in fact. But, there is always that one that connects a bit more.
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Numero Uno: Playability. No uke, soprano or otherwise, can be considered a good one unless it is supremely playable. And to my way of seeing things, playability is a direct result of quality of build, with neck set the most critical factor. If the neck is set right all else can be accommodated. Be it mahogany or koa or other wood matters not for playability.......it's how the wood is put together that matters. Secondarily, tone and sustain are qualities found in a good soprano. I've found that tone is quite subjective and sustain is better in older builds rather than new........perhaps developing over time as the cuts of wood settle down to being one resonant whole. My two cents worth on a good soprano.........
Ukulelerick9255
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Years of vocal training and she can hit all the high notes.
zztush
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The more we practice with our sopranos, the greater our sopranos become. The more we take care our sopranos, the greater our sopranos become. The more we customize our sopranos, the greater our sopranos become.
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Everyone may have different preferences....but like in any Ukulele, tone, intonation, playability and comfort are main factors
Pleasure Paul
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I used my uke only for strumming as I liked that style best, but now that I'm playing from John King's "famous ukulele solo's" book, I started noticing that there is a quality called 'sustain' which seems in short supply in my (old school) ukes. So I guess a little sustain won't hurt a uke, and make it a more universal musical instrument.
Pleasure Paul
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I love the 1830 book "Méthode pour la guitare" by Ferdinand Sor. It is full of wisdom. Sor says the same, he prefers a guitar with good playability over a less playable guitar with better sound. Because it will enable him to play all his music. He also relates this, like you, to neck set. Could you be more precise what you mean with it?
Croaky Keith
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Sound/tone, volume, & sustain would make for a good one in my opinion.
coolkayaker1
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Koa.
It's the angle between the fingerboard (neck) and the instrument's top (soundboard). Difficult to explain without a photo or drawing......google "guitar neck set angle" and look at images. The principle is the same be it a guitar or an ukulele: a proper neck set will allow for best action adjustment in an instrument, whatever action a player may desire, be it high or low. A poor neck set is very limiting in this regard, though there are a few solutions that crafty luthiers know of that can compensate for a bad set.
Pleasure Paul
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Like photographers say: 'the best camera is the one you have with you'. This criterium is a pretty good reality check. By this, my Kala travel uke would be my best, or now my Timms, which I just got and took on holidays. But I am slightly awed by the price of instruments. My Ditson is really the best, but it's in the case often. There's a saying (or was it an ad?) "you'll enjoy the sound long after you forgot the price", perhaps I have to learn to live by that.
Pleasure Paul
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I seem to get it. A proper neck set will create a window at the bridge for action adjustment. Sometimes shops call it "healthy amount of saddle".
Pleasure Paul
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what does koa better than other woods?
CdnSouthpaw
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I think other than the quality of the build in general, a soprano needs to be lightly built and with a thin finish. A great soprano needs more than volume, it needs the tone wood to contribute.
lakesideglenn
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What makes a good soprano for me is playability, which is a topic in itself, and "bark & bite" when needed.
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