I believe cheap ukulele will "open" its' sound in few years. And expensive in few months.
What is different? It is not "wood opening up". Expensive Ukulele is made from (in average) 50-years-old wood dried under managed conditions 2-3 years, to the internal moisture 6%-8%, before it was used for making the instrument. So, obviously, 5-7 months of hard strumming would add nothing to such wood... maybe very little to wood structure (are you sure? wood was being 'strummed' by winds during 50 years at least!)
So, where is the trick?
Glue. Builds. Bridge. Nut. String stretch-ups. Bridge getting into proper place (some micro-adjustments). How else can we explain that few months of using improves tone?
You may say that 50-years-old vintage Ukes have definitely different tone and sustain: yes, but main subject of this discussion is "why few months of playing improve tone?" - and I believe it is not related to wood being aged.
What do you think?
What is different? It is not "wood opening up". Expensive Ukulele is made from (in average) 50-years-old wood dried under managed conditions 2-3 years, to the internal moisture 6%-8%, before it was used for making the instrument. So, obviously, 5-7 months of hard strumming would add nothing to such wood... maybe very little to wood structure (are you sure? wood was being 'strummed' by winds during 50 years at least!)
So, where is the trick?
Glue. Builds. Bridge. Nut. String stretch-ups. Bridge getting into proper place (some micro-adjustments). How else can we explain that few months of using improves tone?
You may say that 50-years-old vintage Ukes have definitely different tone and sustain: yes, but main subject of this discussion is "why few months of playing improve tone?" - and I believe it is not related to wood being aged.
What do you think?