Best wood for a "bell like" tone

With a case of UAS nipping at my heels I've been contemplating a new tenor uke. I've finally decided that my favorite ukulele tone is a "bell like" tone, that is, free from that percussive "ting" you get from an overly bright or cheap uke. And I want to avoid ting-free, but dull tones. As I'm likely to be getting a Mainland uke via mailorder I want to be sure I order what will most likely give me what I need.

What wood should I choose to get that pure "bell like" tone I want. It is incredibly difficult to compare tone from YouTube videos. There are so many variables: the microphone, fingerstyle with or without fingernails, pick or no, agressive vs. light touch. Heck, one guy went through a five uke comparison and I could tell virtually no difference in tone. But my best guess is that I should choose mahogany. They seems to come closest in my comparisons of videos with various brands.

I LOVE the LOOK of the red cedar. But based on a couple of videos, the cedar can easily sound a bit harsh. Is this a fair statement?

Any other suggestions? I probably should just ask Mike at Mainland and go with his opinion.

I'm in no hurry. I'm trying to stave this purchase off till my income tax refund early next year.

Opinions appreciated.

My opinion, tone wood combination.

Solid spruce top will most definitely give that bell like tiiing

Not sure. I've read and heard redwood gives a bell like tone. I own a redwood topped uke and not sure if I'd classify it as bell like. But for sure I'd classify it as best sounding top ever.

I think it may have to do with the combination of: Scale + Wood + Strings + Construction
...for me, I have only one with a bell-like tone: Koaloha (very light consturction) Concert scale, Koa wood, with Worth strings.
I've never really heard larger-scaled ukes sound bell-like.

I"ve heard it from several different "high quality" ukes using different woods. As Paul December pointed out, several factors beside wood choice contributes to that magic tone.

All else being equal, it'd be mango or sycamore for me.

My Kanile'a koa tenor, my Martin mahogany baritone, my Martin mahogany tenor copy by Yasuma, my myrtle and spruce custom by Brad Donaldson, and my Pono Pro Classic tenor which is rosewood with a cedar top all ring. I would say it is build quality top most. The Pono has the deepest ring and longest sustain.

Strings make a HUGE difference in all ukes. I found that fluorocarbons like fremont strings really created a bell like tone for my lanikai monkey pod.

Flourocarbons on spruce top would be my guess.

I own two bell like tone ukuleles. sounds more like a harp to me.

if your looking for just advice on which tonewoods and not consider the builder or construction method, then the best ive heard was Mango or Curly mango, very hardwood, and another option is quilted maple, or anyone of those two with a Sitka Spruce top.

Oh and you have to use Fluorocarbons like worths.

I would think you wouldn't want wood for a bell like tone.

Try brass.

I'm not convinced that the wood makes a huge difference in tone below a certain price point or for anything that is not solid wood. With the less expensive ukes, it is possible for the strings to turn a dud into something that can be tolerated or actually enjoyed. Example - I have a Makala Dolphin that sounded plunky and horrible with the stock strings. With Aquillas it sounds as good as or better than a $200.00 soprano uke that I have.

A few months ago, I would have said I wanted the same "bell" tone in a ukulele. I got a Ko'Aloha concert thinking that was my dream ukulele and it was for a while. Then I took a chance on two ukes from relatively new luthiers. One was a soprano with redwood top and the other was a tenor with douglas fir top. The douglas fir tenor sounds exceptional, maybe a little more like a guitar (great depth of tone). It is now my favorite uke. Here is my first recorded sound sample of my douglas fir tenor https://soundcloud.com/donald-mosser/sample-1-11-23-2013 . I need a better microphone.

The redwood soprano has good intonation and tone, but I am beginning to think a soprano sized uke is not capable of the depth of tone that is my dream uke sound. However, that little soprano has got me wanting a redwood topped tenor. Lichty Guitars has some sound samples (ear candy) of redwood topped tenors on their website, but they are out of my price range at the moment. Here is one of theirs that I particularly like for the tone : http://lichtyguitars.com/2013/08/22/cocobolo-long-neck-tenor-ukulele-u53/

I just wish I would have saved my money in the beginning and not purchased some of the low to mid-level ukes I own. Now, that I've had a taste of a custom grade ukulele in my douglas fir tenor, I must sell some of my lesser ukes if I want to fund another dream uke.

Good luck in your quest for your dream uke!

Spruce top, or for an all hardwood ukulele my quilted maple tenor rings with a bell like tone, and fluorocarbon strings on either.

Agree that best strings for ring are Worth Clears or Southcoasts.

I do not prefer fluoros, but I do think they are your best bet for a really clean tone with little overtone. I find all mahogany ukes have the most potential to be balanced and even tonally, so I'd go with any well-build mahogany with fluoros.

I think the builder and the construction methods make the most difference in achieving a sound quality you desire.

You might want to listen to ukes from different builders with varying tonewoods.

https://vimeo.com/theukulelesite/videos

I agree with Doc. You might pose this question in the luthier's lounge.

Remember it's the luthier that makes a big difference too...believe me

Stan is right, well everyone here is right....the luthier, the wood, and the strings all matter....brass would give the most bell like sound, I've heard a brass uke, and it sounded like a whole bucket full of bells!