I recently got back into playing the ukulele after finding a really nice Favilla U3 soprano and absolutely love it. For a 70 year old instrument it is absolutely flawless in it's set up and plays like butter! Aside from the obvious and expected wear and tear on an instrument that age, it is great (especially since I paid under $200 for it, and had my repair guy look at it and after he played it he handed it back to be and said it needs nothing done to it. actually it was hard to get him to give it back he loved playing it so much!)
I'm looking for a second soprano (I used to really like concerts, but as of late I am in a soprano phase and have been playing more old-timey, ragtime, waltzes, etc. I love the way the Favilla sounds, being all solid mahogany, very pleasing, round and a tad mellow, but not tiny or small sounding. Very bell-like, pretty much the same as you would expect an old Martin to sound like. I am looking for something with just a tad more punch, but noting obnoxious and shrill. I have owned an Ohana CK-35g in the past and regret parting with that uke (after my repair guy did a very minor set up on it, it intonated perfectly all the way up the neck) and a Koaloha Concert, which was absolutely gorgeous and very loud, but I just seem to prefer the sound of mahogany over koa.
So what are your thoughts on the Mainland Red Cedar soprano? It's all solid wood, cedar top, rosewood sides and back. I'd get another mahogany soprano, but would like to mix it up a bit since I already have a nice mahogany soprano, but don't like the sound of koa, and still want to maintain somewhat of an old-timey sound. I am hoping the Red Cedar falls somewhere in between mellow and pleasing sound of mahogany and koa?
Thoughts and suggestions always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!
I'm looking for a second soprano (I used to really like concerts, but as of late I am in a soprano phase and have been playing more old-timey, ragtime, waltzes, etc. I love the way the Favilla sounds, being all solid mahogany, very pleasing, round and a tad mellow, but not tiny or small sounding. Very bell-like, pretty much the same as you would expect an old Martin to sound like. I am looking for something with just a tad more punch, but noting obnoxious and shrill. I have owned an Ohana CK-35g in the past and regret parting with that uke (after my repair guy did a very minor set up on it, it intonated perfectly all the way up the neck) and a Koaloha Concert, which was absolutely gorgeous and very loud, but I just seem to prefer the sound of mahogany over koa.
So what are your thoughts on the Mainland Red Cedar soprano? It's all solid wood, cedar top, rosewood sides and back. I'd get another mahogany soprano, but would like to mix it up a bit since I already have a nice mahogany soprano, but don't like the sound of koa, and still want to maintain somewhat of an old-timey sound. I am hoping the Red Cedar falls somewhere in between mellow and pleasing sound of mahogany and koa?
Thoughts and suggestions always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!
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