Why no maple necks?

vanflynn

vanflynn

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Forgive me if this is a stupid question but is there a reason that you rarely see maple being use for neck ukuleles? Lots of mandolins use it.

Thanks
 
DSCN1500.jpgWeight. There is no reason it can't be used but it is a lot heavier wood than Spanish cedar, etc. Here is a picture of a maple neck ukulele.
 
vanflynn said:
Forgive me if this is a stupid question but is there a reason that you rarely see maple being use for neck ukuleles? Lots of mandolins use it.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Good question: I guess that traditionally they didn't have maple to work with, but that is just a guess. I never really thought about it until recently. I just received my Boat Paddle Tenor Kayak Quilted Mahogany front, side and back with a curly Master Grade Maple for the neck. I don't notice any difference between the maple compared to the rest of my ukes that have Mahogany necks.
 
My incoming Pohaku has a maple neck :). But then again, it also has maple back & sides. While maple is probably the most common b&s wood for mandolins, it's still relatively rare for ukes. That's not unusual, as maple is generally thought of as having a sharp attack and quick decay, which is a traditional tone for archtop mandolins, but less so for ukes. So I imagine the reason maple necks are less common on ukes is because maple in general is less common on ukes.
 
Philstix said:
View attachment 60368Weight. There is no reason it can't be used but it is a lot heavier wood than Spanish cedar, etc. Here is a picture of a maple neck ukulele.
Click to expand...

Ahh absolutely....i didn't think about that in my response. But depending on the luthier, my BP Kayak is no heavier than my Compass Rose or my Koolau ukuleles
 
I have two Brüko's with maple necks. It may be a little heavier, but it's also strong.
My all maple soprano longneck actually has a lot of sustain! For a uke that is...
 
I am pretty sure if you ask the builder for a maple neck they would do it...I see Compass Rose ukes with maple necks..
 
Just to be clear, does the OP mean Maple used for the neck or the fretboard?
 
I meant the actual neck itself.

I have seen maple fretboards on Mya-Moes and it looks great against a dark wood
 
vanflynn said:
Forgive me if this is a stupid question but is there a reason that you rarely see maple being use for neck ukuleles? Lots of mandolins use it.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I know its an electric uke but my konablaster solid body baritone uke has a maple neck and poplar body.
 
I too have a Bruko with a maple neck - feels gorgeous
 
I have two ukes with maple necks and bodies, rosewood fretboards and spruce tops.
 
i know its obvious but hasn't been mentioned yet. By default the flea, fluke and firefly all sport maple necks. Some few higher end versions use walnut.
 
I like to use maple for banjo ukes.... Of course the weight of the maple neck is not really an issue due to the weight of the pot (or even just the hardware on the pot :) ).
 
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