short scale 22" bass?

I'm building an acoustic short scale 22" Bass.
I was wondering if there is a preference as to sound board wood. I have the choice of Spruce, Redwood and Mahogany.
I would also like a wound nylon/silk core strings. I have set but the "ball" end is not suitable as I don't want to use a tailpiece anchor. Can the ball be cut off with out subsequent unwinding?

I don't think the soundboard is going to have much impact, it's the strings and preamp that matter more, any one of those would be fine, pick the one you like the looks of most. If you plan to play along with anyone else, you will have to be amped, unless it's just for your own listening.

I would say don't cutoff the ball, but if you can wiggle it out, maybe that would work.

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This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 39)

Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
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I built a U-Base, redwood top. You can see it at http://jupiteruke.com/ukuleles-for-sale/41-u-base/
For strings; I really did not like the black, rubbery strings. They really need to be amplified, and there were all sorts of problems reported with them getting sticky, needing cleaning etc. I saw a ukulele group playing and the 'base' player was using metal u-base strings, "Kala U-Bass Metal Round Wound Strings". These seem much better, and make quite a bit of noise with no amplification. They do however have integrated ball-ends. Since I use a string-through bridge I cut the string holes in the bridge, threaded a small wire down through, out the soundhole, wrapped it around the upper end of the string, and pulled the string back through, leaving the ball end down below against the bridge plate.

jupiteruke said:

I built a U-Base, redwood top. You can see it at http://jupiteruke.com/ukuleles-for-sale/41-u-base/
For strings; I really did not like the black, rubbery strings. They really need to be amplified, and there were all sorts of problems reported with them getting sticky, needing cleaning etc. I saw a ukulele group playing and the 'base' player was using metal u-base strings, "Kala U-Bass Metal Round Wound Strings". These seem much better, and make quite a bit of noise with no amplification. They do however have integrated ball-ends. Since I use a string-through bridge I cut the string holes in the bridge, threaded a small wire down through, out the soundhole, wrapped it around the upper end of the string, and pulled the string back through, leaving the ball end down below against the bridge plate.

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I have lots of experience with the various bass uke strings. An acoustic bass uke is a unique instrument, with the fat poly strings it sounds very close to a standup bass. The black Road Toad Pahoehoe strings are not the sticky ones, the Aquila Thundergut creme color are, though outdoors and in humid climates, both will get sticky. I tried the various iterations of metal round wound with nylon core and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop them from farting and rattling on the frets.

If you're after an electric bass sound, a solid body bass uke would be better, like the RondoMusic.com Hadeans. On my solid bodies with piezo pickup, I use the black Pahoehoe and also Gold Tone/La Bella all steel flatwounds that still have a standup quality, but a little more of an electric bass sound. I also have a bunch of short scale electric guitars that were converted to electric bass on which I use the steel flatwounds and also black nylon coated steel. With the magnetic pickups, those sound a little more like an electric bass.

Thanks you both for your advise. I'm going with a redwood top and D'Aaddario Taylor Mini Bass Strings. I'll be using a though the bridge system like the Jupiter 41. I will post some progress on this next incarnation of the Bass'nBari soon

Pyramid strings no plckup. Holds its end up in a small acoustic group.

Thanks Pete, lots of interesting viewing there.

Omg, the Strangers on the Uke. Nice.