Cutaway?

For my next uke I am considering getting one with a cutaway, but I'm a little unsure. There have been many times in my past that I got a hankering for a particular feature in something, but once I had it I never actually put it to use. I worry that this will be one of those features.

I don't spend a huge amount of time on the higher frets at this time, although I'm spending a good bit of time learning movable chords and alternate positions. I'm hoping in future to focus on jazz, albeit you an play jazz without going too far up the neck if you want to.

Anyone have any experiences you can share on adapting to a cutaway? Did it open up a lot of new possibilities, or did you wind up leaving it an idle unused feature?

I realize that this question is very individual in its scope. I'm just trying to get some feedback and maybe establish a trend.

Thanks

I'm no fan of cutaways on ukes. A guitar top has enough surface are that the highest frets can be tough to reach without cutaway. Ukes are small enough that it's really not much effort to reach over for those high notes. And I really don't like the way a cutaway looks on any acoustic instrument; they can be a necessary evil on an acoustic guitar, but taking a chunk out of an instrument as small as a uke really looks wrong to me. As usual, your mileage may vary.

I think it's more aesthetic than anything, but I dig it on my Korala.

Actually, I find cutaways rather practical.
I like doing high barred chords sometimes, and a cutaway makes all the difference for me.

I guess for some people, it has no effect as their play style never needs chords so high up on the fretboard.


Some people comment that a cutaway would adversely affect an ukulele's tone.
However, I have a different perspective to offer.

On a guitar, that logic makes sense.
A guitar is an instrument with some very low, bass notes.
In a guitar, having a body that is as large as possible is usually considered advantageous, as it would let the bass notes resonate better.
A smaller sized guitar generally has a "smaller" and less bassy sound than a bigger guitar.
Having a cutaway theoretically reduces bass-end.. (although the extent of the effect is also highly debatable in the guitar community; some people saying that it has no significant effect).

Getting to the point now, does the ukulele follow the same logic?
In my perspective, not at all. An ukulele is not an instrument that places importance on bass notes (except on a baritone, perhaps).
It is an instrument known for its high-end.

In fact, sometimes smaller body cavities (soprano size) are preferred over larger body size (eg: tenor), due to the tonal properties.
So is having a small portion of the body taken out in a cutaway actually detrimental to an ukulele's tone?
I highly doubt it.

I don't know or see a whole lotta folks playing constantly in the upper frets (12-19). Yea, on occasion but for the most part, no. Can you do the same thing without the cutaway? For you alone to decide . . . For me, it's purely aesthetic.

I'm totally hooked on cutaways, all my ukes have it, past and present. One thing I like about it is that when strumming big, I don't scrape the body there.

Kanaka916 said:

I don't know or see a whole lotta folks playing constantly in the upper frets (12-19). Yea, on occasion but for the most part, no. Can you do the same thing without the cutaway? For you alone to decide . . . For me, it's purely aesthetic.

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This seems right. I play beyond the neck joint all the time, and never have needed a cutaway. I have found that I cannot barr fret above there, but I just avoid trying.

I would get a cutaway for looks (if I liked the looks of them).

Fine to ask again, but common question. I searched the old threads for some fun reading, Knows. http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/search.php?searchid=6145988



And a good video from Gordon at Mya Moe. Me? I'd ALWAYS take a cutaway over a non-cutaway, given a choice. I have a cutaway Mya Moe baritone, a cutaway Pono tenor, a cutaway supersoprano pictured below (a luscious soprano bodied Asturias long neck from Japan), plus both of my electric KoOlaus CEs are cutaway--I definitely finger and chord in the cutaway notch. Especially on bigger instruments, like the tenors and baritone, there's plenty of great sustained tones and closed chords that sound spectacular way up the neck. Doubly true on the electric ones (KoOlua CEs), where high fingering is well-amplified and is the norm (sort of like any Fender, Gibson electric guitar).

No discernable tone change or volume difference in any of them, incl. the supersop (even if Gordon says they don't do cutaways on smaller instruments at Mya Moe). I think the wood bending for a smaller cutaway is quite difficult (labor intensive), as a guess. But it decidedly makes a difference in playing ease and access to playing, even if infrequently, the upper register (even if Jake doesn;t need one...lol). Why have an extended fretboard on a large instrument without a cutaway? Although with some serious wrist jockeying it can be reached, like Jake in this viedeo at 1:40 minutes, few could argue that it wouldn't be easier with a cutaway (maybe Jake wouldn't have to make such faces when he does it if he had a cutaway....LOL)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se6lau8NxFM

Taimane uses one and, as in this video, she's pretty close to the cutaway; when playing fast, prevents bumping body of uke with fretting hand. Note also that she braces her index finger on the cutaway often with her strumming hand, another fine use of the cut. I agree with others on the less finger scratching, too. Can you imagine the finger scratches from Taimane without one>? lol. Sounds particularly gorgeous when amplified (like Tai's black Kamaka), that oft-neglected upper register. Her video truly shows how pure and lovely the angelic upper register sounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CookkyMzTNE

Like the aesthetics or not (a personal choice), but it's hard to argue that the cutaway is purely for aesthetics; it's truly functional, even on a small bodied instrument like a ukulele. Bye now.

I don't notice a difference in acoustic capabilities, so I get cutaway versions when I can. I don't really use the high frets, at least not yet, but it's nice to have that space for when I do 12th fret harmonics. It's also more options for later. If I were ordering custom instruments, they would all have it.

The Boat Paddle instruments have clear access to the highest frets due to their unique design.

Check them out here:

http://www.boatpaddleukuleles.com/instruments.php

These are realy great playing and sounding ukuleles as well. I love my ML Tenor.

I don't have any and probably won't in the future. I do remember that the Bushman Jennys look awfully nice with the cutaway.

kohanmike said:

I'm totally hooked on cutaways, all my ukes have it, past and present. One thing I like about it is that when strumming big, I don't scrape the body there.

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Never thought about that

Agree 100% with RichM. Having said that, of course I had to try one, and did. I had a concert cutaway and didn't like the feature. I understand there are different shaped cutaways, but know nothing about them, or what shape I had. However, as Rich observes, cutaways spoiled the uke for me too, symetrically and in general. I also think, though I have no definite info here, that a cutaway on a small-body instrument (uke) could do several things you may not want. Create less volume, less resonance, and especially if you have a pickup, could deaden the tone. That was my experience anyway. I might have liked that uke without the cutaway. With the cutaway, I played it when it was my only uke, but not very willingly or happily.

I've had other ukes since then, one tenor with a cutaway - same experience as above, and several without. With practice I learned to reach all the frets just as easily as the lower ones.

I hope this helps.

Any new uke of mine has got to be a cutaway. Essential if your a little plucker and not just a strummer IMO

I love cutaways and it is much easier for me to play up there. However, costs would deter me to have one on a uke.

If you want to really talk about useful additions, you need to add an arm bevel!

nongdam said:

I love cutaways and it is much easier for me to play up there. However, costs would deter me to have one on a uke.

If you want to really talk about useful additions, you need to add an arm bevel!

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Arm bevel, good. Cutaway, aesthetics. Most playing in that real-estate one could do so easily on a 12 fret-to-body, the folks I've seen play up there don't play up there consistently, just using it for passing embellishments, which could be accomplished easily enough otherwise. While preferring sopranos, 17 frets are a preference here, though only use those frets in passing, it's mainly because I like the way they look, and that's as valid as anything we discuss here, eh? Cutaways look pretty cool though, but it's sort of like the F style mandolins, an A style is quite fine and does the job equally well for those whose last name isn't Thile or Apollon, it just looks more... serious. Like the 17 fret sopranos or cutaway tenors.

I don't believe a cutaway takes anything from the sound though. If it does, it's minimal enough that most won't tell the diff, and if it floats the boat, and helps you get up there when you do, it's a go, eh?

I just don't like the look of cutaways. I know a lot of people think they look cool and buy them for that factor, even if they never even make it past the fifth fret.

I played a Kamaka for years - no cutaway. I played all over where the fretboard extends over the body, cramming my fingers up there. Then Chuck built for me and I got the cutaway after years of wondering about it. Now everything that happens up there is easier to play (no small deal when the frets are that close) and can be more consistent, clean, and articulate. For me it's worth it: I've always wanted to have the full range and not just "up to the 12th fret ... and some bonus frets they just decided to put there to temp you."

If you don't want/need/play those notes, I don't think it makes any sense to track down an 'ukulele with a cutaway. If you are always thinking "Boy, I wish that high E and F transition was easier to play," it might be worth it.

Neal said:

Cutaway, aesthetics

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This ^^

I love cutaways for the same reason I love single sided headstocks on instruments; I just think they look better.

Arm bevels are ridiculous on an ukulele. If you need an arm bevel you're doing something very wrong to begin with. ( and yes, I've built ukes with arm bevels). I've also probably built 100 ukes with cutaways. In my experience they have no detrimental effect in sound, tone, resonance or pitch when compared to a similarly built traditional model. BTW, I don't know a single builder who enjoys building cutaway ukes. Thats why there is normally a hefty up charge for them. Slotted head stocks are often order simply for the I looks. There's something about the added weight ( if guitar tuners are used) in the headstock that feels better to me and may contribute to a slight sonic advantage. Again, not scientific, just my own experience.