Preferences - sound and size

pix.fairydust

pix.fairydust

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Hi everyone,

I've been playing for not that long but long enough that I'm starting to know what I like, and it got me wondering about other people's preferences. So my questions are...

Sound - what kind of sound do you like (and I know sound is hard to describe!) but do you look for that big, bold sound or "sweeter" more dainty sound?
Size - do you play one size over all others, or have a size you never play?

Just curious :)
 
I started w/ tenor, based on sound, but my fingers have had too many injuries to handle that without a struggle. Soprano wasn't right for me either. But concert is just right.

Favorite sound: Kinnard ukuleles. OK, actually that Moore Bettah that was recently auctioned off for $21k was the most beautiful sounding ukulele. But, being more realistic about what I might own, Kinnard ukes, to me, have a great sound.
 
I like a strong warm mellow kind of sound generally, I have ukes in mahogany, cedar, & acacia, & all of them are fitted with (Living Water) fluorocarbon low G concert scale strings..

After purchasing quite a few ukes, looking for 'the one', I came across the tenor scaled, concert bodied size, (long neck concert), & that really works well for me........so much so that my UAS actually stopped. :D

I don't play anything less than a concert scale uke - but I do have a couple of long neck sopranos.
 
Sorry about this meaningless reply, but I like the sound of a ukulele - sopranino, soprano, concert, tenor, and banjo uke. Every uke sounds slightly different, and that's fine with me. As for size, I play whatever I pickup.
 
Size is the easy part to answer. Tenors were too much of a reach. Sopranos were ok, but a little tight. Concert scale feels just right.

Sound is difficult to answer. Probably why many of us own more than one ukulele. I love my KoAloha for the bright, loud koa sound. My cedar & rosewood Loprinzi is mellower. My fir & mahogany concert scale/ tenor body Gary Gill has the bigger tenor sound with the concert scale. My Islander acacia laminate soprano has a wide nut size that allows me to have a soprano that’s easy to carry & play when camping. I’m hoping that the aNueNue spruce & rosewood concert that I just ordered will be a good mix of mellow & bright sound.
 
pix.fairydust said:
Raftergirl, have you seen anuenue concert + (I can't remember the full model name) that is spruce /rosewood? Looks like it has a big sound!
Click to expand...
That’s the one I just ordered yesterday from HMS. ANueNue Moon Bird concert. Spruce & rosewood.
 
Last edited:
I've just acquired a moon bird concert (highly recommended!) This anuenue + is a different beast again :p! Has a bigger curvier bottom, also a little cheaper than the moon birds
 
I prefer tenors then baritones. I like both tuned linear so I like a guitar type tone, full, open, resonant with good sustain. I prefer warm over bright but I still like good clear treble notes when finger picked, I just don't like a brash in your face tone when strummed.
 
pix.fairydust said:
I've just acquired a moon bird concert (highly recommended!) This anuenue + is a different beast again :p! Has a bigger curvier bottom, also a little cheaper than the moon birds
Click to expand...
Which model did you order? I’m not familiar with the concert+. The Light Bird is a new model that aNueNue & World of Ukes have arriving in January. Barry Maz reviewed the prototype tenor recently & loved it. It’s cedar & mahogany. I was leaning towards that one until HMS got more Moon Birds in stock. Mine is the Moon Bird concert without electronics. I’m adding a MiSi pickup to it. I should have it in a couple weeks or less. Very excited. The reviews & sound samples have been outstanding.
 
RafterGirl said:
Which model did you order? I’m not familiar with the concert+. The Light Bird is a new model that aNueNue & World of Ukes have arriving in January. Barry Maz reviewed the prototype tenor recently & loved it. It’s cedar & mahogany. I was leaning towards that one until HMS got more Moon Birds in stock. Mine is the Moon Bird concert without electronics. I’m adding a MiSi pickup to it. I should have it in a couple weeks or less. Very excited. The reviews & sound samples have been outstanding.
Click to expand...
Sent a pm talking moon birds more :)
 
DownUpDave said:
I prefer tenors then baritones. I like both tuned linear so I like a guitar type tone, full, open, resonant with good sustain. I prefer warm over bright but I still like good clear treble notes when finger picked, I just don't like a brash in your face tone when strummed.
Click to expand...

I thought I liked that brash kind of boomy sound, but now my playing has evolved so have my tastes a little.
Evolving learning curve!
 
Hard for me to say that I prefer a particular sound. I have three ukuleles and they all three sound different. I enjoy them all three. Like my kids, I can't say I prefer one over the others. I'm a re-entrant player. I have no desire to go linear, as I say in my signature, I do not live in the linear world. As far as size, I have two concerts and one soprano. I like them both. When it comes to the mechanics of playing them I get along fine with either. I have played tenors and they seem to be much the same as my concert and my soprano. I notice the difference if I go from the soprano to a tenor, but not enough difference between the three to affect my playing. I just don't play a baritone. It is too big for me and I don't like the tuning. If I ever get that urge I'm going to take it all the way and play guitar. That's me. I'm not the kind of person who has favorites. Variety is the spice of life.
 
I have played all sizes of ukes and like them all. After a couple of years of experitmentation the tenor with a low-G string emerged as my favorite size and I like the low-G for the extra low notes when playing chords.
 
I only play tenor cutaways with reentrant tuning, one of the things that attracted me to the uke is that reentrant sound. (I played guitar for almost 50 years and the way I look at it, if I want a guitar like sound, I'll just play a guitar.) I like lots of projection and sustain, though I have one custom made that's quieter, but does have great tone. In my first year I had 16, culled them down to 4, now I'm up to 8, 4 custom and 4 ready made.

8 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video
 
NewKid said:
I have played all sizes of ukes and like them all. After a couple of years of experitmentation the tenor with a low-G string emerged as my favorite size and I like the low-G for the extra low notes when playing chords.
Click to expand...

You like the low notes for chords?
Naturally the low notes add another sound, but where I really like the low notes is for melodi lines. To each his own.
 
For size I play a bit of concert and a bit of tenor. Transitioning between the two takes a bit of getting used to. I would like to try a 16 inch scale concert one day, perhaps that would hit a sweet spot.

For sound, I prefer a warm rich sound. Spruce is hence not my go to wood. Most of my ukes are Mahogany or koa/akacia. I believe that I have not yet tried my perfect uke, so I can't tell the wood of it yet.
I like the richness of my Cort Tasmanian black wood (akacia) ukulele, but I would love to pair it with just a bit more volume and definition.
 
I guess I tend to like a sweet sound. I have a cedar top (acacia sided) Ohana that is so musical and bell-like plucked. It’s angelic. For strumming I prefer my Córdoba. It’s solid acacia top and laminate acacia sides make the plinky/punchy sound I like.

As for size I prefer a soprano because I have short fingers, so it’s a better fit. My first uke was a tenor, which is too large and boomy for me.
 
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