does the pineapple shape have a different sound?

As the title really - sorry if its been asked before, I did do a search ...

Just wondered if the different shapes gave a different sound, or is it an appearance thing only??

Thanks

They have a bigger resonance chamber so size for size give a bigger sound than their counterpart waisted cousins.

Another UU member made a comparison video a while ago:



If the uke is made by the same builder, of the same wood, and uses the same strings, there is a difference in sound. In general, though, I believe these other factors matter as much or more as the shape. My various sopranos sound nothing alike.

To me they sound louder and a more of what we think of as a traditional ukulele tone.

they have never been on my radar, mainly because the other shape appeals to me more. But for some reason I always assumed it was an aesthetic thing only, which is a bit thick as I know a bit about instruments and changing the shape would reasonably be expected to change the sound ...

The regular uke is more figured wood than the pineapple in his demonstration. That might make a difference. Also, even though they came from the same batch, etc, each piece of wood is a little different in its sound properties even when it comes from the same tree.

One key feature (in most cases) is 14 frets to the body, this allows easier access to the higher notes on the fingerboard.

Camsuke said:

One key feature (in most cases) is 14 frets to the body, this allows easier access to the higher notes on the fingerboard.

Click to expand...

It is the case with most longneck sopranos, regardless of the body shape. But pineapples don't tend to be joined at a different spot, as far as I know. There are, of course concert and tenor pineapples, which likely join at a higher fret, but they are not so common.

I have two "economy-class" pineapple soprano ukuleles. There is a tonal difference between both of them, which may well be down to the type of strings fitted, but they both have better bass response than my "economy-class" soprano ukulele. By "economy-class" I mean all-laminate body with little or no ornamentation, but otherwise tonally acceptable

Experience suggested that the pineapple shape would be better for "low-G" strung instruments and experiment proved this to be correct. One pineapple is strung with Aquila "reds" with a low G-string, the other with Aquila "5th's", tuned like a mandolin. The same strings, when fitted on my conventionally-shaped ukulele, exhibited reduced bass response.

I do find the pineapple shape to be aesthetically pleasing and if I was buying just one soprano ukulele it may well be a pineapple, just to be a little different, but I don't feel there's any specific advantage to the pineapple body when strung with a conventional re-entrant (hi-G) set of strings, all other factors being equal.

Just my tuppence-worth ... YMMV