Production tenors with 12 frets to the body?

Mivo

Mivo

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Some custom builders use or offer tenors with 12 frets to the body, and I learned that older Martin tenors also used this design. Same scale length, and with extra frets, just a different joint and bridge placement. My Barron River is designed like this and I think this is in part also why it feels and sounds so good to me.

Individual luthiers and vintage instruments aside, are there any "factory" produced shelf tenors that come with 12 frets to the body? Collings tenors have 13, but I'm not aware of any that connect at the 12th fret, so turning to the hive mind for information. :) Thanks in advance!
 
Larrivee ukes are all 12-fret Necks.
 
Cordoba as well.
 
Cordoba 30 series are 12 fret to body with a spanish heel construction. Their 24 series are 14 fret to body.
 
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All my Caramels are 12 frets to the body. Soprano, concert, tenor, and Baritone. You can't get more 'production' than a Caramel.
 
Newbie here....Can anyone explain any differences in tone /sound between 12 fret vs 14 frets to body ukuleles?
 
oldpoidog said:
Newbie here....Can anyone explain any differences in tone /sound between 12 fret vs 14 frets to body ukuleles?
Click to expand...

I don't think its a sound issue.

12 is traditional guitar (and I guess traditional uke) spacing.

Whether its 12 or 14, the scale length is the same. If you don't play up the neck 12 vs 14 probably isn't noticible unless you use the body join for fret reference instead of the nut, or the dots.

Personally... I don't understand why you'd want 12 fret. I find it very limiting. I very often need the 15th fret on the first string, which is only 1 over the body, and it makes me kinda want a koaloha because of their 15th fret join.

The need to go that high is not just mental. The whole reason for cut outs on the treble bout is because people need to reach those, and the 12 fret join design makes that difficult.
 
oldpoidog said:
Newbie here....Can anyone explain any differences in tone /sound between 12 fret vs 14 frets to body ukuleles?
Click to expand...

Nobody could do a blind listening test and discern where the neck is joined. But many luthiers say the sweet spot for the bridge is in line with the widest part of the lower bout. If you look at many 14-feet join ukes, the bridge is clearly above the widest part of the bout. There are many factors that affect tone and in some cases those who build both 12- and 14-fret joins on the same body shape may make accommodations in their bracing or other build aspects.

While for aesthetic reasons, I personally do prefer the bridge to be in line with the widest part of the lower bout, where the neck joins is never a major factor for me. I do play a few notes up around the 14th but they're accessible with either neck join and with or without cutaway. I have ukes with 12-, 13- and 14-fret joins. And I love them equally. ;-)
 
oldpoidog said:
Newbie here....Can anyone explain any differences in tone /sound between 12 fret vs 14 frets to body ukuleles?
Click to expand...

It depends on the design. The bridge should be located at the best location for producing sound (usually center of lower bout, but depends on design).
If the design of uke is for a 12-fret neck, then a 14-fret neck won't put the bridge in the best location. The difference is noticeable. Verified by a few builders I know.

I remember reading that Rick Turner had to modify his bracing when Compass Rose tenor changed from 12-fret to 14-fret necks.
 
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Thanks everyone. I have an older ukulele with the 12 fret to the body configuration. I do not think I have played enough yet to tell the difference in tone and sound between 12 and 14 fret to the body ukulele. I play mostly near the headstock.
 
oldpoidog said:
Newbie here....Can anyone explain any differences in tone /sound between 12 fret vs 14 frets to body ukuleles?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that there is any decernable difference in sound and tone due to where the neck connects to the body. I think the tone, and volume is defined more by construction methods and wood. One of my 12 fret tenors is very loud, which i attribute to it's very light build.
 
KanePono said:
I'm not sure that there is any decernable difference in sound and tone due to where the neck connects to the body. I think the tone, and volume is defined more by construction methods and wood. One of my 12 fret tenors is very loud, which i attribute to it's very light build.
Click to expand...

I think the difference is not so much where the neck connects to the body, but where the bridge sits on the soundboard. So, a 12 fret build will have the bridge sit lower on the soundboard. But, still agree with you that other factors probably play more into the sound differences.
 
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Not a production uke, but Hive ukes by Jake Maclay are also 12 frets to the body. They sound beautiful and his craftsmanship is impeccable, and I love his design aesthetics.

But, probably too many other variables in different ukes to say which one, 12 fret or 14 fret sounds better, and probably they both can, in different situations, e.g woods, bracing, strings, build, etc. And probably these other things may factor in more to the sound differences.

Might be an interesting experiment though and maybe some luthiers have tried it....... build 2 ukes as identical as possible, only one a 12 fret and one a 14 fret and compare the sound difference.
 
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Thanks guys! I did know about Brüko, but completely forgot that I knew. ;)

My preference for the 12 frets to the body design is partly also rooted in ergonomic aspects. It's easier and more comfortable for me to hold and play. I rarely go beyond the 12th fret (and so far never beyond the 15th), so easier access to the highest frets isn't a factor for me at this point.
 
I have a Brueko tenor. It is just 12 frets total. Not a problem for me as I rarely play up the neck. I have mine tuned dGBE. I also have a Brueko concert which is 12 frets to the body and 15 in total. It has a body almost as large as the tenor and I have it strung low G. The two together make a nice complementary pair as the low end is the same but the tenor sounds slightly more mellow as the highest string is E.
 
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