Spruce Top Over Mahogany?

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luvdat

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A friend of mine who lived in Hawaii for 10 years made a kind a blanket statement that in general these days uke players there favored of course Koa over Mahogany...fair to say even spruce tops these days over mahogany?

Have spruce tops become pretty popular as tops?
 
Spruce has always been popular because it is a stiff softwood which transmits vibration well. Mahogany is, I believe, a hardwood but works well as a topwood. I've never seen a mahogany top paired with any other side and back wood, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done.

Ya' can't go wrong with a good hunk of spruce.
 
I'd say it all depends what sound you're looking for. I have a tenor 6 string with a spruce top, a solid mahogany concert, and a solid koa tenor. The spruce is a lot brighter than the mahogany, which is a little bit more mellow. I know that solid spruce tops with laminate back and sides are about the cheapest way to get into the solid wood arena, but around here, I'd say koa and mahogany reign supreme as far as popularity goes.
 
Thanks for your responses. Need to try out some more.
 
luvdatuke said:
A friend of mine who lived in Hawaii for 10 years made a kind a blanket statement that in general these days uke players there favored of course Koa over Mahogany...fair to say even spruce tops these days over mahogany?

Have spruce tops become pretty popular as tops?
Click to expand...

From a Hawai`i perspective, `ukulele made of Koa is built in greater numbers than Mahogany. Not sure how many companies actually build with Mahogany, other than customs. "Favored" could be interpreted as "by default" as well. The only time you'll really see mahogany is on cheaper instruments, or Martins.

And yes, I would say Spruce tops have become more popular. Question is, why? Here's some thoughts:
-More available on low end instruments like Applause, Kala, Oscar Schmidt (is that even considered an instrument?), etc, and its a way to get the (perceived) elusive "solid top".
-Players are looking for more out of their Tenors, with qualities that Spruce brings. This would be the high end side.

Personally, most of my tops are Spruce. Every now and then I'll get a request for a hardwood top, like Ramon's Khaya Tenor, and MGM's current Curly/Birdseye Koa thinline prototype. Otherwise, its Spruce (got a Bari on order with Redwood) for the most part.

-Aaron
 
Kekani said:
The only time you'll really see mahogany is on cheaper instruments, or Martins.


-Aaron
Click to expand...

I disagree with this statement. There are some lower priced ukuleles that make solid mahaghany ukes but mahaghany is not a cheap wood. Mele makes fine instruments in both koa and mahaghany. Pono is the same. To the average player mahaghany is a nice way to get into an all solid wood instrument but if you look at the guitar solid mahaghany guitars are quite pricey. I know that my preference (even though that isn't worth much) is that mahaghany has the best sound, koa the best looks, and spruce has the most projection.
 
I'd say it's more related to the fact that there's many new Uke players out there coming from the guitar world. Most guitars use spruce tops so that's the sound that's familiar to them.
 
fscott said:
I'd say it's more related to the fact that there's many new Uke players out there coming from the guitar world. Most guitars use spruce tops so that's the sound that's familiar to them.
Click to expand...

I agree with this statement. Spruce is a great tone wood. Just not my type of tea.
 
haolejohn said:
I disagree with this statement. There are some lower priced ukuleles that make solid mahaghany ukes but mahaghany is not a cheap wood. Mele makes fine instruments in both koa and mahaghany. Pono is the same. To the average player mahaghany is a nice way to get into an all solid wood instrument but if you look at the guitar solid mahaghany guitars are quite pricey. I know that my preference (even though that isn't worth much) is that mahaghany has the best sound, koa the best looks, and spruce has the most projection.
Click to expand...

I think Kekani meant cheaper as in any import.

Both Mele and Pono are imports. You don't see the K's making lots of 'Hogs. (Not to say they don't exist)
 
luvdatuke said:
A friend of mine who lived in Hawaii for 10 years made a kind a blanket statement that in general these days uke players there favored of course Koa over Mahogany...fair to say even spruce tops these days over mahogany?

Have spruce tops become pretty popular as tops?
Click to expand...
I guess it has to do with what the producers make available.
 
Kekani said:
Oscar Schmidt (is that even considered an instrument?)
Click to expand...

I sure don't mean to start an argument but I have an Oscar Schmidt OU-245SWK all solid mahogany tenor ukulele that is one very nice instrument. The build quality and playability are superb. I admit that it does not have the volume of some of my other ukuleles but the tone is sweet as can be. In a quiet environment, the instrument sounds as good, if not better, than any other of my instruments. It is one of my instruments that I consider a "keeper". And yes, I understand that Oscar Schmidt has experienced some quality problems in the past, but not on the one I have. So I felt that I had to say someting good about Oscar Schmidt.
 
When choosing which Uke to buy I listened to a lot of Uke videos on youtube. I found I liked the sound and projection of the spruce. I am a loud person, I need a loud uke ;)! But I may get a mohogany in the future. Differnt ukes = different sounds = different preferences.
 
thejumpingflea said:
I think Kekani meant cheaper as in any import.

Both Mele and Pono are imports. You don't see the K's making lots of 'Hogs. (Not to say they don't exist)
Click to expand...

Yeah but cheaper can lead someone away from a good ukulele for a fraction of the cost of a K brand. Makes sense I suppose.
 
Mim said:
When choosing which Uke to buy I listened to a lot of Uke videos on youtube. I found I liked the sound and projection of the spruce. I am a loud person, I need a loud uke ;)! But I may get a mohogany in the future. Differnt ukes = different sounds = different preferences.
Click to expand...


Sounds like you caught UAS!!!
 
thejumpingflea said:
I think Kekani meant cheaper as in any import.

Both Mele and Pono are imports. You don't see the K's making lots of 'Hogs. (Not to say they don't exist)
Click to expand...

Thank you.

The OP is asking for comment about a statement from a friend that has lived in Hawai`i for 10 years, so I commented based on that, and the perception from Hawai`i.

As Melissa stated, its what is available, and right now, the 4 major companies - Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanile`a and G-String - simply build what moves, Koa. Personally, I've built 3 all Hogs, and 3 all Koa, so I'm running 50%, which is REALLY high for Hogs, but my numbers don't make a dent and shouldn't be counted.

I should define a little more to avoid a misleading statement from me: In "general", the hogs in Hawai`i are found on cheaper instruments, or Martins, or customs. Spruce will be the same, cheaper instruments (even Oscar Schmidts included as an instrument), or Customs. Midrange Factory Instruments from Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea and G-String are Koa - let's just call Ko`olau a high end Factory instrument.

Note: most `ukulele players, here, are not guitar transfers. Most `ukulele players, here, start as `ukulele players, as a kid. And they move towards Spruce tops more than likely as an upgrade (because now they have a custom), or add on to the arsenal.

-Aaron
 
Last edited:
Kekani said:
Thank you.

The OP is asking for comment about a statement from a friend that has lived in Hawai`i for 10 years, so I commented based on that, and the perception from Hawai`i.

As Melissa stated, its what is available, and right now, the 4 major companies - Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanile`a and G-String - simply build what moves, Koa. Personally, I've built 3 all Hogs, and 3 all Koa, so I'm running 50%, which is REALLY high for Hogs, but my numbers don't make a dent and shouldn't be counted.

I should define a little more to avoid a misleading statement from me: In "general", the hogs in Hawai`i are found on cheaper instruments, or Martins, or customs. Spruce will be the same, cheaper instruments (even Oscar Schmidts included as an instrument), or Customs. Midrange Factory Instruments from Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea and G-String are Koa - let's just call Ko`olau a high end Factory instrument.

Note: most `ukulele players, here, are not guitar transfers. Most `ukulele players, here, start as `ukulele players, as a kid. And they move towards Spruce tops more than likely as an upgrade (because now they have a custom), or add on to the arsenal.

-Aaron
Click to expand...

I picked up the ukulele in Hawai'i (while living there) and everyone either had a kamaka or a Mele (Lived on Maui and Oahu) but that was before all the options became available. At that time it was either Koa or Mahaghany (mele offered both) Kamaka only Koa. The "K" companies know that Koa sells in Hawai'i. Every home I ever visited had something made out of koa in it. Kekani how long have you been building? I have been meaning to ask you about your ukes but i always forget.
 
I guess "cheaper" should be replaced with "affordable" the build quality of Mele, Honu, Pono, even Kala and Ohana being very high, and consistent from what I have seen with the labor costs in the 3rd world countries of origin as well as CNC computer machining allowing consistent quantity production determining the final price more than material cost. Most people who buy a Hawaiian made 'ukulele want it made from endemic Hawaiian Koa wood or it just isn't truly Hawaiian. Made anywhere else and wood species is less critical.
 
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