New Ukulele Aroma .... What wood creates the strongest smell?

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molinee

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What type of Ukulele wood will put out the most aroma? Does it matter if it has a gloss finish? I have had numerous laminated and all solid Ukes: solid mahogany, a solid koa Kamaka, a few Kala's Mango, etc.... And none of them had a very distinct smell. What's up with that! :) I haven't tried Cedar or Rosewood yet, although I had a Cypress classical guitar and a Rosewood classical guitar and they emitted lots of great wood smell. PS... My vintage solid koa soprano Kamaka smelled like cigarette smoke inside... No koa smell at all. :mad: Anyone have a Mainland Red Cedar?????
 
I have a Mainland Mahogany Tenor that's fairly new and all I can smell is the gloss coating, lol.
 
Wild cherry has a nice aroma. It smells like wood, but it's a nice woody smell.
 
Spainish Cedar have a pretty strong and spicy aroma. I think it is usually only used for necks, and the uke probably needs to be built in the Spainish method (neck goes into the body) for the aroma to be noticed. However, I have 2 ukes built with the Spainish method using Spainish Cedar necks (both by William King), and only one has the strong Spainish Cedar scent, so I'm not sure if Spainish Cedar always gives off a strong aroma.
 
Fluke/Flea

Both sport that New Car Smell of fresh plastic. Nothing is emitted by the 1 / 2 that forms the neck as far as I can tell.
 
I had a Mainland Cedar Concert and it was very aromatic.
 
Sound Hole Sniffing

Nothing like sound hole sniffing to clear the sinuses! :)

Jude
 
My new soprano... koa/mahog.. doesn't really smell like much at all. However, my classical guitar, which is red cedar and Indian rosewood is amazing, and it was made in 2002. I'm guessing that a cedar/rosewood uke would have quite a bit of aroma.
 
The smell of my Kanile'a K1-S and my Lanikai LK-1S is heavenly. Both are solid koa. I always feel a little goofy sniffing their sound holes, but the smell is really just wonderful...
 
I love to sound hole sniff my 2 KoAlohas. The smell will always remind me of my factory tour there. The first time I EVER smelled fresh KOA!
MMmmmmm...... Koa.....

Cheers,
Skottoman
 
Mmmmm...NEW UKE smellllll! I love the smell of Sitka spruce or Cedar in the morning! The piney goodness mixed with beeswax and new striiiings....*whimper*! Maybe a little lemon oil thrown in just to be totally decadent! You know...you guys are SOOOO bad for my UAS! I haven't bought a new uke in 3 weeks...dadddy waaaaants a new uke!
:drool:
 
My Kala KA-CE has a lovely smell... not really that strong but its that freshly sawn wood smell. I've always loved the smell of fresh cut wood, I did have a Lanikai LU-21CE which got swaped for the Kala due to a few problems but that had the same kind of smell, maybe a bit more noticable though? That was made from Nato as opposed to the Kala's mahogany. I love it when I open the case and you get that first hit of uke scent your nostrils!...
 
I am unpacking 14 ukes today (or tomorrow if I can not get my hangers finished in time). No Koa, but cedar and spruce and mahogony. I will sniff them all and come back and report to you my findings on those ;)
 
Mim said:
I am unpacking 14 ukes today (or tomorrow if I can not get my hangers finished in time). No Koa, but cedar and spruce and mahogony. I will sniff them all and come back and report to you my findings on those ;)
Click to expand...

Wow! That's a lot of wood to go through. Appreciate it that you are taking time. Hope no one finds you passed out with your nose in the soundhole.... LOL
 
molinee said:
Wow! That's a lot of wood to go through. Appreciate it that you are taking time. Hope no one finds you passed out with your nose in the soundhole.... LOL
Click to expand...

Haha... I would not be so brave to be sniffing sound holes in my shop... but it is snowing... so chances are no one will be coming around :) So I can sniff away without looking like a looney!
 
Skottoman said:
.....The first time I EVER smelled fresh KOA!
MMmmmmm...... Koa.....

Cheers,
Skottoman
Click to expand...

UMMMMM Koa, I love to smell the sound hole of my Koa Kamaka!!! :drool:
 
my koaloha has an interesting smell to it
 
I have a Makapili Pineapple Concert Ukulele made by Thomas. It is my most aromatic uke. It is made of Acacia Confusa, but he says the aroma may be from the Hinoki wood bracing he has inside. I had wondered if it was the oiled finish, but he thinks it's the bracing.

–Lori
 
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