Seeking a contralto-sounding ukulele

I own several excellent baritone ukuleles tuned up to A. I also own a splendid Ohana tenor-scale ukulele with a baritone-sized body that I tune down to Bb. My favorite "regular" tenor ukulele is a Romero Grand Tenor, all-solid mahogany. That one is tuned C but, even so, it is very VERY dark and warm and moody and LOADED with timbre. It loves minor keys and ranchero musica. Me, too.

In other words, I prefer an ukulele that is strong on low-mid-range and can do a great job of accompanying (NOT dominating) sad songs and "message" songs.

Here's a voice -- a 16 year old (at the time) beige contralto. Her amazing lows & power best illustrate how I want my next uke to sound. If you can put me on the trail of a ukulele that sounds (for a uke) like this girls sings (as a human), PLEASE let me know.

Beautiful singing, glad to discover her, thanks.

Can’t help you on the ukulele hunt, though. Seems like what you have would do the trick, what’s not working with them?

Ziret said:

... ...Can’t help you on the ukulele hunt, though. Seems like what you have would do the trick, what’s not working with them?

Click to expand...

Thanks for your very kind comment. My ukes are working fine but I have a terminal case of UAS so I want to give myself a new ukulele for Christmas. :drool:

My Romero Creations Mahogany Tiny Tenor seems to have the sound you're looking for but you might already have it with your Mahogany Grand Tenor.

As a different tonewood, maybe look at cedar? It sounds "deeper" to me than mahogany.

@ snargle -- You are spot on. I had a Romero RC-STC-M that has a Concert scale & a Tenor body. It was very much contralto-like but my dearly-beloved granddaughter, Kiana, visited on Thanksgiving and she loved it. So now it's hers.

@ captain-janeway -- I shall ask Matt at my favorite uke store to seek out a warm, dark cedar-topped tenor. If he finds a good candidate, he will post a video of it on You Tube. (By the way, Kirk was my favorite & Janeway my second favorite. Pickard was okay but too cerebral. If faced with an evil Romulan, Picard would have tried to talk him to death whereas Kirk or Janeway, either one, would have quickly put him down -- phasers on stun -- then kicked his bum into the nearest lava pit.)

Aloha from Hawaii (&... live long and prosper)
Bill