Favorite Soundboard / Tonewoods

[Swamp Yankee]

Mahogany all around. I like it even better than koa.

[MopMan]

Softwood top: cedar/redwood/spruce
Extremely dense back and sides: ebony/rosewood/walnut

gives a beautiful singing voice with lots of resonance, sustain, and a rich blanket of ringing overtones

[Rllink]

I want loud. Something that will cut through the background noise and stand out in a group. Cedar and spruce work for me. I have not had any experience with anything else except mahogany so I can't really speak on the subject with a lot of authority. I like the sound of mahogany maybe better, but it just doesn't project itself. I play the mahogany to relax sometimes.

[glennerd]

Earlier on this thread DownupDave mentioned how some chose based on looks, others on sound. I'm of the later group and chose based on sound. Looks would be a bonus for the top board. Although the back and sides looks enters the picture.

I used to feel that Spruce and Maple were too bright. I had preferred the deeper, mellow sounds. I didn't fully appreciate sound demos playing up the neck. I only wanted to hear the deepest tones possible from a uke. Thankfully my tastes have grown. And I really appreciate when an instrument can play up the neck and continue to demonstrate sustain, intonation, etc..

Lucky for me I don't have to choose: I don't care for the look or the sound of spruce on a ukulele, but I play soprano - I might feel different if I played tenor. Oddly, on a guitar I prefer the look and sound of spruce and don't care for the look of a darker wood for the soundboard.

[snowdenn]

I'm partial to mango. With spalted mango especially, it's hit or miss visually. I don't think there's a tonal difference between spalted and regular mango.

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