haolejohn
Well-known member
anyone ever played a uke with a redwood top? I am thinking of getting one but I have never heard a redwood topped uke before.
Redwood anyone?
- Thread starter haolejohn
- Start date
isn't redwood a softwood?
DeVineGuitars
Well-known member
Redwood is by far my favorite uke top. It combines some of the nice highs you get with spruce with some of the soft sweetness of cedar. And is a bit louder than koa.
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haolejohn
Well-known member
OK. so it is a good top then? BTW your ukes make me drool. I used to only lust after a Moore Bettah. Now I lust after two
Uke Republic
Well-known member
Redwood is what Devine said fo sho. I understand Ohana may use this tonewood in a ukulele soon. Perhaps late 2011.
DeVineGuitars
Well-known member
Yeah, it is soft so you have to take a little more care when strumming. It will dent easier, but it is well worth it.
Another big factor is the quality of the redwood. It varies greatly in the width of the grains. The tighter the grain, the more it behaves like good spruce and will dent less. I would steer clear of any wide grained redwood though, It is not nearly as stable.
Another big factor is the quality of the redwood. It varies greatly in the width of the grains. The tighter the grain, the more it behaves like good spruce and will dent less. I would steer clear of any wide grained redwood though, It is not nearly as stable.
iDavid
Well-known member
From what I have read, a Redwood top goes great with a Maple back and sides. The maple gives the uke a loud bright sound and the redwood mellows it out. I think it would work similar to cedar.
DeVineGuitars
Well-known member
It's a tad bit more aggressive than cedar is but it does go very well with maple.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
I've built a few with sinker redwood. Big woody, boomy sound. Pain in the butt to work with though.
WestPhillyUke
Well-known member
As gorgeous as it is, stay away from the lovely curly redwood. Curly wood is wood that has dramatic runout with the direction of the runout changing a couple times per inch or so. To make it as strong as straight-grained perfectly quartered wood, a thicker piece must be used, with more mass and more damping.
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haolejohn
Well-known member
I'm looking at koa back and sides with the redwood top.
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haolejohn
Well-known member
wow. My two favorite (lusting after) makers in here
One Day Chuck, I already have my idea for my MB. It'll be my graduation present
OldePhart
Well-known member
I've had a mountain dulcimer with a redwood top. Very loud but kind of mellow - similar to cedar - like cedar, will dent if you look at it hard.
John
John
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haolejohn
Well-known member
I went ahead and got one.
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...-Uke-on-its-way-Mele-Tenor-Cutaway-with-Mi-Si
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...-Uke-on-its-way-Mele-Tenor-Cutaway-with-Mi-Si
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
Just make sure you give that uke all the humidity it wants John. The back appears to be flat sawn...........
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haolejohn
Well-known member
OK. Thanks for the heads up Chuck. I usually keep two hercos in my nice uke cases. Summer no need, but I learned my lesson the hard way. I am going to get an Oasis and we are buying a humidifier for the music room.
what is the difference between flat and quarter sawn?
Greetings,
Here are some pictures of my first uke purchase. This is a WoodMagic 8-string tenor.
It included this note from Jay Web:
This is a Mando uke tenor 8 string, arch top in redwood that is 1000 years old, and 100 years dead. The body is all koa, sound hole is palm wood, bridge is purple heart. This uke is a one of a kind.
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