What's the deal with mango?

Eriquito

Eriquito

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You may remember from my last post that my in laws are planning on buying me a new ukulele as a birthday present.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?24682-What-would-you-choose

So I sent them a link to Mainland and my dear mother in law responded with this simple question..."what's the deal with the mango?" I really couldn't say so I am asking you. Are there any significant advantages to this wood other than its cool to have an instrument made out of the wood of one of my favorite fruits?

Don't get me wrong, it looks really cool, but is there a sound difference compared to a soprano mahogany? I've hear its a more eco-friendly wood (right on) but I'm concerned with its qualities as an instrument.

I beseech you all for your ukulele wisdom.
 
I own a Mainland mango concert, red cedar concert and mahogany soprano. I'd say it has a mellow tone a bit richer than mahogany. The red cedar Mainland is brighter. The mango is my favorite of my Mainlands right now.
 
I just got a mango Kala concert size yesterday, and it sounds (and looks) beautiful. I'm a total uke newbie, though, so I can only compare it to an ultra cheapie that may-or-may-not even be made of real wood!
 
I have two mango ukes, and mango does have a distinctive tone. It is more mellow than most of the other tone woods, and has a unique kind of "under-watery" character to the sound. It is not wildly different from mahogany, but I know I could tell the difference in a side by side blindfold test. A good, bright sounding string sounds good on Mango... Worth Clears or Aquila.

–Lori
 
Traditional tonewoods are becoming scarce and expensive. Mango is abundant, and pretty. It works OK, but for me, not as well as the harder woods like rosewood, and then mahagony. I'm not a big fan of fruitwoods for instruments, but it is working out OK. I own a Mya-Moe resonator in Mango, and it is quite nice.
 
I have a kala mango sop and a tenor. They have a nice sound. It is a big sound, but not like koa and not as bright as some other woods. But, I am pleased with both instruments and I am even thinking about getting the matching baritone.
 
I just received my mango matte finish Mainland pineapple. I hear a difference from my mahogany, but I really need to let the strings settle in before I really to a comparison. Pretty uke, though.
 
pdxuke said:
I just received my mango matte finish Mainland pineapple. I hear a difference from my mahogany, but I really need to let the strings settle in before I really to a comparison. Pretty uke, though.
Click to expand...

The best to you with that one. I must admit I had my eye on that at the Mainland site...
 
luvdatuke said:
The best to you with that one. I must admit I had my eye on that at the Mainland site...
Click to expand...

Yes, I liked the Mainland mahogany matte soprano so much, I sold my Ohana gloss pineapple and bought this. I love the look of it, for me the geared tuners are a plus, and so far, it's a nice balanced sound that I'm enjoying.
 
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