Redwood

Slade

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Anyone else own a ukulele with a Redwood soundboard? I own several ukes and most have Spruce, Cedar, or Koa for the top. I bought a KoAloha BL a couple months ago and it has Redwood for the top. The sound is very distinct yet warm and soft. I’m finding myself choosing this one every night to play and the others are collecting dust...not really, they’re in cases. I’m not sure if I want to unload the rest because my search for the most awesome ukulele is over. What is everyone else’s favorite soundboard? I’m fairly new to this forum so whenever I figure out how to attach a sound file, I will. I’m attempting to attach a photo but it’s giving me a hard time doing that.
 
Wow. Can you post a sound or video file? I'm on the hunt for a new ukulele and am considering redwood. What is the body and sides of your instrument. Thanks
 
Yes, I have a tenor with a redwood top and I agree it is more towards the warm end.

For sound files, it's easier to use an external hosting site like SoundCloud, Box, or even YouTube and paste the link here.
For photos, I like imgur.com
 
Beautiful look and sound! Amazing! If you can, do post more video or photos.
 
Just beautiful! Yes your going to have to donate those other unused uke's to those of us that will never have the pleasure to play an Black Label KoAloha :cool:
You do know your going to have to keep at least one beater around though, don't you???
 
I had Beau Hannam make me a redwood top, Tasmanian blackwood back and sides tenor that is wonderful. Someday I'd like to get a spruce top as well....
 
Man that Koaloha is drop dead gorgeous, just stunning. That is one of a kind, no wonder you love it so much, congratulations.

I have two ukueles with redwood tops and I love the sound they produce. It has been said they fall been the brightness, punch and sustain of spruce and the warmth and mellowness of cedar and I agree. Both mine have great volume but respond well to a light touch also.

I have an I'iwi tenor with redwood and walnut and a Kimo super concert with sinker redwood and walnut. I commissioned the Kimo after owning the I'iwi a couple years and wanted another redwood walnut, great combo.

20160704_175941.jpg20160704_175747.jpg20180320_062053.jpg20180320_062921.jpg
 
I have a I’iwi being made right now. I chose sinker redwood and Myrtle back and sides.
 
I have a couple Spruce tops, a Ko’olau and a Toda but my ears prefer redwood.
 
I have a I’iwi being made right now. I chose sinker redwood and Myrtle back and sides.

My I'iwi is my most resonant and sustaining ukulele. Very guitar like in it's tone, strung low G and that is what I prefer. It will be interesting in how the new I'iwi compares to your Koaloha BL
 
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I have a Ko'olau CS with a Redwood top and Milo back and sides. Very warm and even sounding, one of my favorites. Not the loudest uke I have owned, but extremely well balanced across all registers. Here is a video of it, played by Corey Fujimoto:


https://vimeo.com/128111336
 
I have two ukueles with redwood tops and I love the sound they produce. It has been said they fall been the brightness, punch and sustain of spruce and the warmth and mellowness of cedar and I agree. Both mine have great volume but respond well to a light touch also.

Intriguing description. I sort of imagined redwood to be like cedar, but not so apparently. I like cedar on my baritone, but it hasn't interested me on smaller sizes. Redwood would be one wood I'd like to try out now.
 
I don't own a redwood ukulele, but have owned a couple luthier built classical guitars (Traphagen) and absolutely loved their tone and responsiveness. As other have mentioned, redwood is similar to cedar in character: warm, robust and seems to play in sooner than spruce. I believe redwood is a little softer than spruce (probably cedar too) and I found easier to ding and/or scratch than my spruce and cedar instruments. However I suspect the lower density is what helps give it such a big open sound if braced right.
 
I was told redwood would ding easier but I don’t care. They can look all beat up as long as they sound good.
 
Interesting subject. What is the loudest uke you have owned? Mine is a LfDM but it’s not my favorite to play.
 
My Kremono Coco Tenor is loud, really loud (cedar top). I suspect the loudest I have ever played. Tone is okay but I prefer the more delicate, longer sustaining but softer timbres of my Romero Creations instruments.
 
The uke on the left is my Redwood/Birdseye Maple Hive that I commissioned Jake to build for me. The one on the right is Spruce/Snakewood. I agree that it has a warmer tone when compared to Spruce. But it has a great tone, and plenty of volume. IMG_4215.jpgIMG_4212.jpg
 
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