Would like opinions on which woods would sound warmer, deeper for a ukulele . Not a fan of bright sounding ukuleles and would like something with a less traditional ukulele sound, more lower end guitar like.
Would like opinions on which woods would sound warmer, deeper for a ukulele . Not a fan of bright sounding ukuleles and would like something with a less traditional ukulele sound, more lower end guitar like.
A cedar topped uke, my favorite!
John
Cedar!! That's why I picked mine. This one sounds more guitar-ish (which for some people defeats the purpose of having a uke).
https://kalabrand.com/collections/so...cts/ka-atp-ctg
I had a tenor to start but it felt too big for me. I like the concert I traded it for just as well.
The wood is only a small factor, and also one that can be controlled the least as it changes from tree to tree and cut to cut. If you go with laminate it will be "warmer" than a solid, and a larger and deeper body will also add some warmth. The kind of strings you use will also be a major factor, probably much more than the type of wood ... thicker strings at lower tension may also sound warmer.
The strings and body size also play a factor. In addition to cedar, redwood has a mellower sound IMHO. And koa has a sweet less bright voice than say spruce.
K
Sopranos, Concerts, and Tenors including Baritone body at a Tenor Scale - 4 String, 5 String and 8 String :-)
For Sale: Seagull Nylon String
For Sale: National Mahogany Resonator
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Glad to see Mya Moe website still alive. Great resource for you here
https://www.myamoeukuleles.com/woodOverview.php
You never mentioned size, tenor will have more guitar like sustain and resonance then the smaller bodied concert and soprano.
Typically western red cedar and redwood are the warmest sounding softwood tops. Pair that with mahogany, koa, myrtle or walnut back. An all mahogany tenor is usually warm sounding. But these are generalizations and can depend on the brand and or builder. I have owned three spruce topped tenor that were warm and a cedar top that was bright.
Currently enjoying these ukuleles : *LdfM tenor, *LfdM 19" super tenor. *LfdM baritone, *I'iwi tenor , *Koolau tenor, *Webber tenor, *Kimo tenor, *Kimo super concert, *Mya Moe baritone, *Kamaka baritone, *Gianinni baritone, *Fred Shields walnut pineapple super soprano, *Kala super soprano, *Loprinzi super soprano, *Black bear ULO concert , *Enya X1 concert, *Enya X1 pineapple soprano, *Enya Nova *Gretsch tenor, *Korala plastic concert
It's hard to generalize—as individual designs can make a big difference—but to my ears the all mango and mahogany ukuleles tend have the warmest timbres. Spruce and cedar tops tend to lean toward the brighter side.
Cedar &/or mahogany for a less bright/jangly sound. Acacia is another option, though is a bit brighter sounding.![]()
Trying to do justice to various musical instruments.
Lots of good advice that I'll second. For a deeper, warmer sound, go for a tenor (or even a baritone). My suggestion in terms of tonewood would be Western Red Cedar as well. Also, different types of strings can make a huge difference, especially fluorocarbon. Last but not least, different builders have a signature sound that might affect the tone most: Most Kalas, Ohanas (as well as Anuenue, Flight, Kmise, Enya, Rebel) sound brighter to my ears than a Pono or Romero Creations. Same goes for custom builders: Mya Moe on the brighter side, whereas the instruments from Beau Hannam or Jay Lichty aim towards the warmest end of the spectrum.
Enjoying instruments by - Beau Hannam - Jay Lichty - Jerry Hoffmann - Luis Feu de Mesquita - Kala - Kamaka - Kanile'a - KoAloha - Ko'olau - Moore Bettah - Pono - Romero Creations - and others
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