Tenor help please

rem50

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
1,445
Reaction score
0
Location
Eastern NC
I am looking to get a tenor. I want a mellow sound but not low "G". I have been looking at the boat paddle ukes but I have never had the opportunity to hearing one in person. To give a little more info, I like the Koaloha neck design along with sailor uke necks. Can anyone point me in any direction? Let's say I have a 2K dollar cap. If I don't need to spend that much that is fine with me :) Thanks for the help..... would like to hear from any BP uke owners to hear first hand what they think too. Thanks, Rem
 
I am looking to get a tenor. I want a mellow sound but not low "G". I have been looking at the boat paddle ukes but I have never had the opportunity to hearing one in person. To give a little more info, I like the Koaloha neck design along with sailor uke necks. Can anyone point me in any direction? Let's say I have a 2K dollar cap. If I don't need to spend that much that is fine with me :) Thanks for the help..... would like to hear from any BP uke owners to hear first hand what they think too. Thanks, Rem

Not sure of your budget but the most mellow tenor I've ever played was a Kamaka.
 
My William King koa tenor is mellow. It's a larger tenor and the nut is 1 1/2", but extraordinarily mellow.
 
Not sure if the boat paddle ukes are mellow, but of all the ukuleles I have ever played the two boat paddles that I got to play made me want one.
 
I've played several hogs and none of them were mellow...I played Donaldson, Martin, Collings...Kamaka's are pretty mellow.

If you want custom, you can use Western Red Cedar
 
Last edited:
Compass Rose or Kamaka HF-3
 
Duane Heilman of Black Bear builds some of the warmest sounding High G ukes I've ever played Dean, I'd seriously consider contacting him. But I'm sure there are many other great builders who could help you out. I also owned a beautiful Covered Bridge uke (though it was a concert scale) which had a western red cedar top with walnut back and sides. It was as Perry describes - lovely and warm but with plenty of punch. Aside from those, you couldn't go wrong with a Collings UT-1 or a Kamaka HF-3.
 
Thanks for all the help everyone. I really appreciate the wood recommendations along with other luthiers. I love the warm sound. I am looking at a custom build because I am really only wanting a "one time buy"........ ok, stop laughing everyone, I can dream can't I? Any other suggestions?
 
Hi Dean. I have a custom Boat paddle large body tenor. Narra back and sides and a Western Red Cedar top. The red cedar is definitely warmer than any of the spruce top BP's I have played. Right now I have it strung with Worth browns, which adds to the warmth of it. However, I don't know if I would describe it as being warmer sounding than any of my Koa tenors that I have strung reentrant (a KoAloha and a MB). It has fantastic note separation.

Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions.
 
I would recommend a Covered Bridge Uke (just like this one).:)

 
Top Bottom