And now for another sound direction.

Icelander53

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If it's really that dramatic I don't know. Right now my favorite tone wood seems to be cedar followed by mahogany. I'll say right before asking this question that I haven't been impressed by spruce for some reason. But I was wanting another uke and wanted some sound quality that would be somewhat different from either cedar or mahogany. Is there anything or, as I sometimes suspect, the build has more to do with it than the tonewood?

What's your opinion?
 
I have a eucalyptus back and sides with a mahogany top that looks and sounds great! Are you not a fan of Koa??
 
I have limited experience with Koa. I have access to two Acacia ukes that are nothing special to my ear but that may be more the quality of the build than anything in the wood. They sound pretty but are heavy and so very quiet and almost hard to hear at times. That's a turn off for me.
 
If you want a deeper sound take a look at walnut. Could top it with cedar or redwood for more range. Click on the video for the Compass Rose all walnut. http://gryphonstrings.com/instpix/43734/index.php Also look for videos of Covered Bridge cedar/walnut ukes.
 
But I was wanting another uke and wanted some sound quality that would be somewhat different from either cedar or mahogany. Is there anything or, as I sometimes suspect, the build has more to do with it than the tonewood?
Have you tried spruce? It's considered to be bright and loud. :)

While a luthier's build can definitely affect the ultimate result, certain tonewoods have certain characteristics that can't be entirely changed by the build.
 
Have you tried spruce? It's considered to be bright and loud. :)

While a luthier's build can definitely affect the ultimate result, certain tonewoods have certain characteristics that can't be entirely changed by the build.

I mentioned in the OP that I don't like spruce.
 
I have a mango pineapple soprano from Mainland that I love. It's mellower than spruce, but with a really nice ringing quality. It was totally surprising to me. Take a look at the Mainland site; their mangos go in and out of stock, and I think my model is out right now. But there are others.
 
sorry I always forget that. Tenor. The lower tuning you suggested I try did not really please my ears. Well it was kind of nice on one spruce uke of mine. I like playing with others tho and so standard GCEA is where I like to hang .
 
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sorry I always forget that. Tenor. The lower tuning you suggested I try did not really please my ears. Well it was kind of nice on one spruce uke of mine. I like playing with others tho and so standard GCEA is where I like to hang .
Gotcha. Hmm, I don't think you are going to get "deeper" than mahogany. You can go to the other end of the spectrum with bright woods like maple or something like a banjo uke or resonator.
 
Ice

I tried to PM you but your mail box is full
 
If it's really that dramatic I don't know. Right now my favorite tone wood seems to be cedar followed by mahogany. I'll say right before asking this question that I haven't been impressed by spruce for some reason. But I was wanting another uke and wanted some sound quality that would be somewhat different from either cedar or mahogany. Is there anything or, as I sometimes suspect, the build has more to do with it than the tonewood?

What's your opinion?

Since you like cedar ... you will love Redwood/Sinker Redwood. Here's a couple of videos:

 
I have limited experience with Koa. I have access to two Acacia ukes that are nothing special to my ear but that may be more the quality of the build than anything in the wood. They sound pretty but are heavy and so very quiet and almost hard to hear at times. That's a turn off for me.
What kind of strings? What kind of finish? What brand name(s) ?
 
And this Beau Hannum Redwood/Tasmanian Blackwood tenor:



Redwood intrigues me, somewhat due to the fact that I lived among those giants for a year of freedom fishing daily on the Smith River. Those trees are one of the most amazing things I've seen in this long life.

And btw that ukulele sounds amazing to my ear. I'd like one. I'll bet they're pricy.
 
Redwood intrigues me, somewhat due to the fact that I lived among those giants for a year of freedom fishing daily on the Smith River. Those trees are one of the most amazing things I've seen in this long life.

Redwood's great. Just keep it well humidified as it can be prone to splitting (and even then it might split). I have a gorgeous Mya Moe with Redwood top and I take particular precautions to keep it humidified, Ice.

Many guitar forum and uke forum threads on the brittleness of Redwood; here's one that brings the point home.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/archive/index.php/t-85548.html

While we're on it, and this is just my thoughts based on videos like these, that I would never get a body made of Brazilian rosewood. Crack city. Can't imagine a redwood top and a Brazilian rosewood body. Lol
http://youtu.be/Q6782J_zJLs

http://youtu.be/HXJPpeD2i_o

Both describe it in the first minute of video. "Two types of Brazilian rosewood: that that's cracked, and that that's gonna." Funny!
 
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