What features would you want on your ideal uke?

Doc_J

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While every uke is unique and wonderful, I was wondering what features folks would want on their ideal uke. I’m talking features (not wood, inlay, or builders), just features.

Here’s my list ideal uke feature list: (BTW I don’t have a uke with all these features). I'm sure I missed some.

  • Slotted headstock
  • Side sound port
  • Offset sound hole with rosette
  • Bound top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Purfling top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Bound sound hole and side port
  • Medium frets
  • Pin bridge
  • Bone nut/ saddle
  • Passive pickup
  • Gloss finish

*** added
  • 13/14 frets to the body
  • Radiused fretboard
  • Cutaway
  • Laskin-style armrest
What's your on your list?
 
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While every uke is unique and wonderful, I was wondering what features folks would want on their ideal uke. I’m talking features (not wood, inlay, or builders), just features.

Here’s my list ideal uke feature list: (BTW I don’t have a uke with all these features). I'm sure I missed some.

  • Slotted headstock
  • Side sound port
  • Offset sound hole with rosette
  • Bound top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Purfling top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Bound sound hole and side port
  • Medium frets
  • Pin bridge
  • Bone nut/ saddle
  • Passive pickup
  • Gloss finish

What's your on your list?


classic either figure 8 or pineapple design.
A nice matte finish (not gloss actually unless its 100 % solid koa)
tenor scale
(this is just for a standard style uke).

Resonator all metal body resonator ukulele in concert or tenor size
(this is actually what im really after) preferred chromed metal not that brass color some are made with.
 
Tuners, neck, fretboard with frets, wooden bound cavity, nut and bridge, strings. So long as it has those, I'm good :)
 
While every uke is unique and wonderful, I was wondering what features folks would want on their ideal uke. I’m talking features (not wood, inlay, or builders), just features.

Here’s my list ideal uke feature list: (BTW I don’t have a uke with all these features). I'm sure I missed some.

  • Slotted headstock
  • Side sound port
  • Offset sound hole with rosette
  • Bound top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Purfling top and back, fretboard & headplate
  • Bound sound hole and side port
  • Medium frets
  • Pin bridge
  • Bone nut/ saddle
  • Passive pickup
  • Gloss finish

What's your on your list?

I love the look of a slotted headstock. Have yet to string one yet though not sure how hard it is.
Satin finish.
Satin wood (I want to find one!)
I saw an islander with this neat curve out on the part that your strumming arm hits the ukulele, which was so neat it took away the edge so the arm doesn't get marks in it, I always got marks on my soprano I thought it was so neat.
inlay rosette, inlay fret markers.
Concert or Tenor, I like both
 
Tuners, neck, fretboard with frets, wooden bound cavity, nut and bridge, strings. So long as it has those, I'm good :)

Love this answer. And here I thought I was going to be the minimalist with:

  • Koa top
  • Concert scale
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Tie or slotted bridge
  • No inlay, no ornamentation, nothin' fancy
  • Gotoh UPTs
  • 14-fret join

Come to think of it, that's pretty darned close to what I've already got... :)
 
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classic either figure 8 or pineapple design.
A nice matte finish (not gloss actually unless its 100 % solid koa)
tenor scale
(this is just for a standard style uke).

Resonator all metal body resonator ukulele in concert or tenor size
(this is actually what im really after) preferred chromed metal not that brass color some are made with.

I should have mentioned normal traditional style head stock but i actually prefer geared tuners for accuracy.
The slotted is cool looking but a bit 'too much' for me.
 
Radiused fretboards are nice.
I prefer fret markers on the side only and not on the fretboard itself.

Getting ready to order something?
 
Tenor
Radius fretboard, ebony
Double cutaway, or at least joined higher up the board than 12th fret.
body bevel for arm rest
BIG fretmarkers at 3 5 7 10 12 15, the 7th and 12th fret with a double marker or something else.
Side fremarkers in same position, with the markers actually bumped out, so I can feel them with my thumb.
Slanting neck heel for smoother grasping
Smooth satin finish

That's all playability stuff, aesthetics are another thing.

Also a double necked guilele/ukulele in tenor flavor with them extra harp strings up top.
 
I'd want a custom soprano with fighting jade dragons the size of Missouri on the fretboard.
 
  • Tenor or Baritone
  • 5-String - octave G (D on baritone) course
  • Bound body (but don't care that much about binding on fret board)
  • Fret markers visible from side of neck.
  • Good balance (hard to achieve with a 5-string)
  • UPT tuners (primarily to contribute to balance and I don't like the look of pegheads, even if they are lighter)
  • Access to at least 15th fret on the A side.
  • A good active UST pickup - probably MiSi just for the simplicity and light weight
  • MUST have good intonation all up the neck, decent volume, and "perky" tone that grabs me.
  • A radiused neck would be really, really nice but not essential.
  • String-through-body (not pin) bridge a huge plus even though I despise restringing them.
  • A carbon-fiber reinforcing strip embedded in the neck would be another huge plus (or, even better if it can be done without throwing out the balance, an adjustable truss rod).

My Boat Paddle M-style 5-string tenor meets all of the above except the UPT tuners (I didn't realize Jerry would do them and didn't think to ask, I may retrofit some), the radiused fretboard, truss rod, and the string-through-body bridge. I really don't expect to ever buy another tenor unless I just trip over a deal too good to pass up.

My next uke will probably be a five-string baritone big brother to my BP tenor, and probably configured exactly the same unless Jerry starts offering a radiused fretboard and string-through-body design.
 
Great thread idea! I was thinking of posting something like but ya beat me to it :)

mine would have to have top koa, with a fender sized neck, but with the feel of my pono's fret board. where the neck connects has to have some neat design like the KoAloha's. Then the sound hole to make the hawaiin islands, with turtles as the fret markers.

low action and not too high tension on the strings.

This is sounding like this will cost alot/ seems like a franken-ukulele of what I like about my other ukuleles.
 
My next uke will probably be a five-string baritone big brother to my BP tenor, and probably configured exactly the same unless Jerry starts offering a radiused fretboard and string-through-body design.


Jerry does sophisticated compound-radiused fretboards and I'm sure he can do a string-through-the bridge as well. I almost ordered the radiused fretboard but decided I didn't really need it. The string through the body has a nice clean look but I like the simplicity of the tie to the bridge.
 
Gee, no one already owns their "ideal" uke? Forever dreaming of something different? I'd almost bet that once you landed the ukulele of your dreams........your dreams would change and you'd be off in a search for the next one. That's the major symptom of ukenosis..........there's always a better one just over the next hill.
 
Gee, no one already owns their "ideal" uke?

As I noted, I'm close... I'd say I own three of my "ideal" ukes, give or take a feature or two. But I'm not on the lookout for any more unless my needs change considerably.
 
I've come very close but costs have always been the deterring factor. With that said, I love most of my ukes!
 
Jerry does sophisticated compound-radiused fretboards and I'm sure he can do a string-through-the bridge as well. I almost ordered the radiused fretboard but decided I didn't really need it. The string through the body has a nice clean look but I like the simplicity of the tie to the bridge.

Wow...I didn't know about the radiused fret boards or I would have ordered one on my tenor.

The radiused fret board really isn't that big a deal with only four (or 5) strings and them being nylon, but maybe I'll have him do that on my baritone when I can order it.

John
 
gee, no one already owns their "ideal" uke? Forever dreaming of something different? I'd almost bet that once you landed the ukulele of your dreams........your dreams would change and you'd be off in a search for the next one. That's the major symptom of ukenosis..........there's always a better one just over the next hill.

that's it!!!
 
Tone
Well-Intonated
Clear, with Acceptable Level of Overtones
Sustain
Projection

Playability
Concert Scale
Slim Neck
Almost Straight Neck (not the Inverted-V Shape)
Radiused Fretboard
14 Fret-to-Body
Cutaway that Provides Access to At Least 16th Fret
At Least 19 Frets in Total
Side Fret Markers at Positions 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17
Low Action with No Buzz
Soundboard can be driven using light-medium tension flurocarbons strings, i.e., does not require high-tension strings to produce an acceptable volume

Protection
Body Binding
Soundboard Purfling
Soundhole Binding with Purfling or Rosette
Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer or Gloss Polyurethane

Others
5-String, with Octave G strings in 1 course - Love the rich 5-string tone
Geared or UPT Tuners - for more accurate tuning
Good quality active pickup that does not discernably affect unplugged acoustics (e.g. L.R. Baggs 5.0) - for recording and gigs

Optional
A feature that allows the player to select either 5-string, 4-string retrant, and 4-string linear (don't know whether this exists)

PS: I already own this dream uke. It has all the features listed except for the last one.
 
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I'll take the radiused fretboard and the cutaway. Perfect wood pattern, perfect intonation and wonderful sound and a fat neck with a low action. All for under $350.:nana:
 
I do have desire of some personal preference features.

I love beautiful figured wood top and body;
Sustainable woods would be good, no need to be the precious Koa;
I love natural wood rosette and bindings, they match nicely with natural oil finish;
I want slotted headstock, but not a must;
Of course with nice sound.

That would make a natural wooden look & feel ukulele.
 
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