What does it mean when a ukulele "opens up"?

I am looking at the possibility of getting a solid mahogany pineapple ukulele. The description says it will "open up with time". What exactly does that mean? I know it is referring to the sound, but will it get louder or richer or what?

Thanks in advance! :confused:

Don't believe that, no one can predict that, it's a marketing ploy to attract buyers.. shame on them
It means to pass on that company and ukulele.
In terms of the term opening up, it means that the ukulele build has settled in and by vibrations and age seasoning, maturing the wood.
 
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So, then, this "opening up" (except for the possibility of it sharing its feelings :p ) is more or less wood settling in to and adapting to its new environment. So, the sound could improve or not.

I would not buy an instrument in hopes it will improve. If it doesn't sound good now, it prob won't change enough to sound good later. And even if it did, I'd have to play a crappy sounding instrument until some miracle happened (which woudn't happen because I would lose interest in it).

My main concern is that I would not want it to get louder.

Maybe a laminate would be a better choice because it would prob be quieter . . .
 
So, then, this "opening up" (except for the possibility of it sharing its feelings :p ) is more or less wood settling in to and adapting to its new environment. So, the sound could improve or not.

I would not buy an instrument in hopes it will improve. If it doesn't sound good now, it prob won't change enough to sound good later. And even if it did, I'd have to play a crappy sounding instrument until some miracle happened (which woudn't happen because I would lose interest in it).

My main concern is that I would not want it to get louder.

Maybe a laminate would be a better choice because it would prob be quieter . . .

Yes some think the vibrations mature the wood too, yes you're right, if it don't sound good now, it probably won't be as good as buy a great sounding ukulele maturing. Some laminates sound pretty nice, it's finding that needle in the haystack and trying as much of ukes as possible try before you buy.. I don't knock laminates, only the uke snobs do lol ��
 
So, then, this "opening up" (except for the possibility of it sharing its feelings :p ) is more or less wood settling in to and adapting to its new environment. So, the sound could improve or not.

I would not buy an instrument in hopes it will improve. If it doesn't sound good now, it prob won't change enough to sound good later. And even if it did, I'd have to play a crappy sounding instrument until some miracle happened (which woudn't happen because I would lose interest in it).

My main concern is that I would not want it to get louder.

Maybe a laminate would be a better choice because it would prob be quieter . . .

What happens if you throw a sock inside a uke? I would think that there would be a way to make a ukulele quieter. I'm sorry that your ears are sensitive to sound and that you have to deal with it. My circumstances are a little different and I am always trying to find something louder. It is not my experience that opening up means that a ukulele gets louder as time goes on. It is more about tone I think.
 
What happens if you throw a sock inside a uke? I would think that there would be a way to make a ukulele quieter. I'm sorry that your ears are sensitive to sound and that you have to deal with it. My circumstances are a little different and I am always trying to find something louder. It is not my experience that opening up means that a ukulele gets louder as time goes on. It is more about tone I think.

It's really weird. I have a 50% hearing loss and yet loud sounds bother me! I once bought a spruce top ukulele that I had to return because I could not handle the volume.

Hm . . . wonder if the spruce was more resonate than usual and that was the problem? I need to talk to my audiologist about that. Lucky for me, he is a big music fan and plays guitar so he understands the issue.

I've never stuck a sock in my ukulele before. Might have to try it! Should I take it off my foot first? :biglaugh:
 
Yes I don't prefer a bright tone at my age as its too much discomfort, and some loud bright ukes are too
Irratating, brask for my ears, get a warmer tone from certain types of solid woods ukes, you can also use softer compound thicker lower tension strings to get a warmer tone. Stay away from spruce and cedar if this is your issue and go with woods like mahogany for a warmer tone and change the strings. Good luck, happy strummings
 
Yes I don't prefer a bright tone at my age as its too much discomfort, and some loud bright ukes are too
Irratating, brask for my ears, get a warmer tone from certain types of solid woods ukes, you can also use softer compound thicker lower tension strings to get a warmer tone. Stay away from spruce and cedar if this is your issue and go with woods like mahogany for a warmer tone and change the strings. Good luck, happy strummings

Thanks! I could not do cedar anyway, because I am allergic to it! I am looking at either the mahogany laminate or solid.

I appreciate the info on the strings. Got any recommendations? I have Worth Browns on my Mango Pono soprano (that I will prob sell because I can't stand those dang friction tuners)!
 
Interesting idea about putting a couple of socks inside the uke. I once bought a uke from a private seller, and when I unboxed it, I discovered that it was stuffed full of socks; I always felt like I got... hosed... on that deal...
 
It's a term from the guitar world that is used when people buy a dud that sounds terrible but decide to stick with it and eventually figure out to play it in a way that makes it sound better.
 
Like most mechanical machines, wood based stringed instruments change. It is a combination of the properties of wood coupled with the the mechanical structure.
Some people think a ukulele sounds the same plugged in vs using a mic.. some people can tell the room is dry/hot/cold based on the sound of the instrument.. recorder players will warm up their instruments before playing..
Vintage instruments do sound different and have unique sound that is claimed to not be there when they were brand new..
Someone in this thread said it best, it is better to start with an instrument that sounds good and see how it changes vs owning one in the hope it will improve..
 
Thanks! I could not do cedar anyway, because I am allergic to it! I am looking at either the mahogany laminate or solid.

I appreciate the info on the strings. Got any recommendations? I have Worth Browns on my Mango Pono soprano (that I will prob sell because I can't stand those dang friction tuners)!

Strings are personal preference like tone. Some don't like the thicker strings like the koolau alohi I, but if you can manage the thickness they have a warmer tone due the soft compound and thickness. Worth brown are nice strings too, much thinner imo
 
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Strings are personal preference like tone. Some don't like the thicker strings lime the koolau alot I, but if you can manage the thickness they have a warmer tone due the soft compound and thickness. Worth brown are nice strings too, much thinner imo

So, if I hear you correctly, I need thicker, lower tension strings for a softer sound.

I have been playing my enya soprano and my Pono tonight. That enya has terrible strings on it. I need to change them. Playing the Pono has made my right ear hurt. It has Worth Browns on it and is also solid, not laminate. The Pono sure does sound better, though . . .

I may need to focus on getting a laminate pineapple uke - less resonance.

Sure is frustrating trying to figure this out . . .
 
I believe I read in a thread on the Forum and a couple of other places that torrefied wood mimics aged opened-up wood. Spruce is the wood that I have seen as being torrefied.

An excerpt from an article on Reverb by Dana Bourgeois
reverb.com/news/are-torrefied-tops-the-new-industry-standard-dana-bourgeois-weighs-in
Published Sep 23, 2016 by Peter Schu

"...torrefied wood - is sometimes also referred to as roasted or tempered.

"In a nutshell, torrefaction involves heating wood in the absence of oxygen to remove water and volatiles. Electric guitar necks have been getting this treatment from certain builders for some time, making them lighter, stiffer and more resistant to temperature and humidity changes.

"When applied to new acoustic guitar tops, torrefaction gives them a similar molecular composition - and therefore tonal response - to vintage guitars tops after decades of aging."
 
So, are you saying I should get a new uke and then roast it in the oven to speed up the aging process?
:rotfl:
 
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