Who likes mango?

Ukecaster said:
To me, the mango grain patterns are nore variable than other woods. Sometimes beautiful flame or quilt, but other times with what look like dirty dark smudges.
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I agree if you look at something like the Pono mango models. They certainly look plain or even stained or dirty, but spalted mango is where it's at for me. Something like the Romero Creations mango ukes look absolutely stunning. I mentioned earlier that if I didn't prefer the sound of koa to mango so much I would already own one of those mango Romeros.
 
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As with all other woods, the more you pay the prettier they tend to be. Cheaper mango has odd staining that makes it look almost damp but the highest grade is almost up there with the highest grade koa.
 
I like mango wood when I can play the instrument BEFORE buying. I am reluctant to buy a mango instrument online (especially spalted) because of something I read a few years ago (can't find it now) about its splitting. Is this true or just an unfounded rumor?
 
I have a Rebel double cream mango soprano that I adore! It’s my only soprano and the one I play most often for casual practice or strumming on the couch at home. Sweet, balanced sound that isn’t too boomy but also not too jangly. I think mango really works well in the soprano size. It’s beautiful too...slightly figured, a light streak of sap wood. Just lovely.
 
I once had a mango pono tenor -- i'm on the hunt for one again - i miss it tons!
 
bellgamin said:
It looks to me like the neck meets body at 15th fret instead of 12 or 14. Is that usual for a Koaloha? Also, I wonder why the bridge is so large? Also, an instrument that expensive and all they provide is a canvas case? On the other hand, the wood is very unique and attractive.
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The current KoAloha tenors are 14 frets to the body, but the previous generation had 15. I believe last year was the switch, although it feels so long ago, like everything before March of this year.

The bridge looks normal to me for a tenor. I usually only see small bridges on sopranos.

I don't know about the case, but that's an inflated price. Partly because they're scarce since they haven't been made for a few years. Partly because it's Japan, and they're very optimistic when pricing their ukuleles in American markets. These used to go for about the same as the koa models.

I remember trying to hunt one of these down, with no luck. I'm pretty happy with the mango tenor I got instead, but I wonder if KoAloha couldn't have made some Opios from mango. Although I suppose that might have cut into their Hawaiian line the way their import acacia seems more popular than their Hawaiian-made acacia ukes. Then again, KoAloha seems to have been unable to get any mango for their Hawaiian ukuleles for a while.
 
Counter said:
There is also a mango Koaloha concert on Reverb -

https://reverb.com/item/33021297-koaloha-mango-concert-ukulele

But the wood doesnt look that nice. I don't understand why they can't find a good source.
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The front looks fine to me. The back isn't that great but still doesn't bother me as much as the strap button. I don't hate strap buttons but would prefer something cleaner without one unless it's going to be used to perform. I don't get why they didn't leave it up to buyer to decide if they wanted it or not. Maybe someone ordered it and changed their mind.
 
I agree. I'm not sure how a vendor can describe something as 'mint' when they have put a hole in it :)
 
I only like mango when it’s spalted. I do wonder the tonal quality between a spalted and non spalted mango.
 
AustinHing said:
I only like mango when it’s spalted. I do wonder the tonal quality between a spalted and non spalted mango.
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I really like mango's tone but, when it comes to appearance, I only like mango when it's a darker-than-usual hue. Light colored mango looks to me like a poor spruce specimen with the measles, and spalted mango looks like a really really bad skin disease. But... to each his own (as the lady said when she kissed the cow).
 
AustinHing said:
I only like mango when it’s spalted. I do wonder the tonal quality between a spalted and non spalted mango.
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That's interesting, I always just took spalting to be a visual difference, but I suppose there could be some tonal differences. I'm not aware of anyone making the same model with both types of mango. But I have both on very different ukes. Compared to each other, the spalted mango rings clearer, maybe slightly thinner, with more pronounced mids and highs. The non-spalted mango is a bit warmer and more lush, with a fatter, deeper, slightly mushy sound. But they have different strings (one with a wound low G, one with a non-wound low G), different bodies (one is noticeably thicker), different neck lengths (12f to the body vs. 14f), and different bracing as well. Given all those variables, I feel like the spalting is probably one of the least attributable factors in the difference in tone.
 
Some spalted patterns do give me the chills though. I think someone shared a for sale spalted mango uke and I thought the pattern resembled human spine and some said it looked the underside of a horseshoe crab.

I would like to think that the lightly spalted mango may sound similar to the non spalted mango. But a mango soundboard with heavy spalted pattern all over the entire surface may colored the tones quite wildly. But that’s just my imagination as I don’t own any mango.
 
AustinHing said:
Some spalted patterns do give me the chills though. I think someone shared a for sale spalted mango uke and I thought the pattern resembled human spine and some said it looked the underside of a horseshoe crab.
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I find this funny given the paintings in your signature. I think I remember that thread, or a thread like that, about a spalted mango uke with a weird pattern. If I recall, some people liked it. But I thought it was eerie too.
 
Thanks for checking out my paintings, snowdenn! I don’t know.. some things just creeps me out when I do like horror stuff.
 
I have never heard a mango instrument whose sound I liked. That includes the mango guitars Martin recently built, using a design that works great in mahogany or koa. I’ve had the same experience with mango ukes — they sound like they’re stuffed with foam. I don’t know if anyone has ever made instruments out of rubber tree wood, but I imagine they would sound similar.
 
gochugogi said:
When in season locally, I eat mango nearly daily for 5 or 6 weeks. I can't imagine cutting down one of these beautiful trees for a musical instrument when a single tree can feed a dozen families for a month or more.
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My understanding is that mango is a relatively sustainable wood for instruments. Most mango used that way comes either from fallen trees, or trees that are no long producing enough fruit at a commercial facility, so the tree is removed and then a new tree is planted in its place.
 
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