So that’s the basics, the most common woods you will see when looking for an ukulele. We carried them for a while. Spruce vs. Cedar top lattice bracing classical guitar comparison. Thank you. I bopped around on net after reading this, and think cedar top baritone vids have an absolutely lovely tone. Personally I would pick a regular cedar top if I was commissioning a custom. That could be nice. How do I know the switch is layer 2 or layer 3? Beyond all of those other considerations,  woods do make a difference. What do you mean with a setup? Maple is renown for it’s clarity, less overtone clutter strong dynamic ability. Tonewoods used in making the soundboard of Furch guitars are classified according to quality using the following grading scale: master grade, AAA, AA, A+. Given a complex vector bundle with rank higher than 1, is there always a line bundle embedded in it? For light picking I’d say a typical softwood, spruce, cedar, or redwood are better. Woods and design affect each other mutually. A “satin” can be anything from a few coats of tru-oil to a sprayed lacquer where the final coats have a dulling agent to take out the reflective aspects of the finish and make for a more natural woody look. An overview of the Colorado grown and harvested tonewoods utilized in Kutthorat StringWorks unique handcrafted old time banjos, archtop mandolins, and ukuleles. Thanks, Hi Dan, I do a video comparison and we discuss the three models here- http://www.maryland.cochranfirmcriminaldefense.com/2015/04/12/listening-to-ukuleles-online/. But done correctly, all mahogany is amongst the best tonewoods . There was a reply to Dan Stolfus on 28 February 2016 that had a link to a video which compared the 3 different solid wood, Acacia, Mahogany and Mango. For back, sides and necks – Mahogany, Rosewood, Maple and Ebony are desired body woods. Not an easy one! Okoume is like a really lightweight mahogany, maybe between mahogany and cedar. So, if I generalize that cedar is fuller sounding than spruce, this is not necessarily true. Moreover, I have accumulated recently, a nice tidy sum of cash of birthday and Christmas money and went along to The Music Room in Cleckheaton (West Yorkshire – again) where I fell in love with the Lani range of ukuleles. I’m thinking of getting a tenor with a low g but are there some woods better for a low g rather than a high g? There are many other options. -veronica’s mom-. The only difference I can find between the two other than the long neck is that one is Mahogany and the other Maple. Does anyone have thoughts on the sound of an all solid wood mango ukulele? Mahalo. Rosewood sides and back (seen above with the cedar top) is often used for the flagship models of acoustic guitar brands. Good luck! Here’s my mix of facts and opinions on the most common woods used. Hanging water bags for bathing without tree damage. All in all, I prefer KOA to any other wood. The back and sides of Furch guitars are made from tonewoods originating in various parts of the world. So we mentioned Mahogany and Koa that is most often used for the entire body. Hi, a few years ago I got a plastic Kohala uke as a birthday gift from my parents. However, I’ve picked it up again and retuned and re-stringed it again from a old-style D6 tuning to a more modern C6 tuning with Aquila strings. Most often Rosewood is paired with a softwood top, but Ko’olau offers an all Rosewood model that sounds great. The Western Red Cedar is also not a true cedar, and a cypress. However, this difference is small. Cedar: is the second most common soundboard wood that you see in ukuleles. You can’t answer that question with science or math. Double Top A soundboard made from two tops with Nomex Honeycomb at its core, is known for its lightness and strength; a very responsive top with enhanced sustain, projection, and clarity. What do we mean when we describe sound as warm? Both become brighter with time, cedar becoming brighter faster (brighter in the tone sense). Soundboards are usually constructed from one of two types of woods, cedar or spruce. I am currently arranging to have a tenor ukulele made from Khaya with a Spruce top, the luthier involved tells me that it is a good combination, what do you think? I touched on it in the article- What Makes an Ukulele Good? Most builders recognize the top, or the soundboard is responsible for over 90% of the sound. Great review of tone woods. Thanks. I have played many other ukuleles with different wood and I still like the Koa best. I personally love the tone of some mango ukes. Can you give me a basic idea of the difference in tones the other two would have? First of all it depends on the type of satin and type of gloss and how well they are finished. The combination is different from what you described. Which is better? I would really appreciate it if you could give me an answer, and if you don’t know, I’m sure I can find it somewhere else eventually. Why does US Code not allow a 15A single receptacle on a 20A circuit? between the two same models, the acacia is a little more expensive than the spruce and mahogany combo. For comparison pick up a Martin with a spruce top – these are renowned for taking years to mellow out – and any cedar guitar and you will hear the difference! Is there any role today that would justify building a large single dish radio telescope to replace Arecibo? Would it possible to ship my purchase to an Australian address? Kala Soprano Solid spruce top flame maple. Hard choice for me. It is softer than spruce, with less pointed mids but often more bass. Traditionally used on classical guitars , cedar is becoming increasingly common in steel-string instruments. Cedar also is more touch-sensitive, where light playing with fingers or pick really comes out better than spruce. site design / logo © 2020 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. Red spruce was abundant in the 1930s and used on Martin guitars of that era. This is the material that is transmitting the vibration that makes the sound. It is softer than spruce, with less pointed mids but often more bass. In the ukulele world almost everyone uses it for their neck. I am looking at having a pineapple made with this wood combination. If so, opinions? Is this a good wood for such an instrument? That being said, how much of a benefit is the long neck and should that not be the decider? Sorry I can’t shed more light on that option. It is common to classical guitars and is used in a strong minority of steel-strings. Birdseye Maple is so beautiful. I will let you know my thoughts on this selection. This variety of Spruce grows on high altitude slopes above 9,000 ft. Never personally tried them from what I can recall. It’s the emotional warm…  I think? I previously owned a Pono Koa and now have a Kanilea Koa. A spatial feel but not as cutting in the highs. How does the angle of strings above the headstock affect tone and stability? Port Orford Cedar is a great wood and can be great. What would be the most efficient and cost effective way to stop a star's nuclear fusion ('kill it')? They’re made in the same factory as Ohana and these instruments are a good value. The age difference is something to keep in mind whilst listening to the comparison, the slightly older Cedar top is brighter than she would be if she was the same age as the spruce top. Hi Amy, here’s the link – http://www.theukulelereview.com/2015/04/12/listening-to-ukuleles-online/ Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc. 7975 We specialize inSitka Spruce We offer the FINEST… I am not an advocate of any store but, everyone of this store’s staff are genuine working musicians and impart their expertise free of charge. I’m pondering between two Kala Tenors: Pacific Walnut KA-PWT and Mahogany KA-TG. I have KOA ukes that produce a mellow and rich tone. Even laminate (plywood) ukes can sound good. Very mid range. I purchased a Lani LC70 (concert) solid spruce top/mahogany back and sides ukulele and have fallen overboard. I’d especially be interested in anything you can describe about Mango because I’ve never heard it. Cedar, on the other hand, has a shorter (so to speak) break in period. I want to buy a ukulele for a friends birthday. Does the density of the wood in the back and sides affect the tone as much as the top? It is not often seen in the uke world but when it is, you can often be impressed with the added mid range and low overtones. Kala Soprano Long neck Solid spruce top with Mahogany back and sides One alternative to cedar is redwood. Or is it more a case of the Flame Maple is prettier? Your email address will not be published. a hui ho. I’m having mya-moe build me one currently with walnut binding. Thank you. How Close Is Linear Programming Class to What Solvers Actually Implement for Pivot Algorithms, How to use alternate flush mode on toilet. Custom orders for lesser known musical instruments are welcome. I’ve been thinking of getting a ukulele to begin my musical journey. Because it was logged so heavily the use of it was slowed drastically. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. /Bob, What are your thoughts on a KOA side and back with a port oxford top ukulele? How does the action (distance between fret and string) of a guitar affect the tone / sound / timbre? Comparison of two classical guitars made by luthier David J. Presenting, Spruce top vs. Cedar top Sound Produced by Spruce Spruce has a very direct sound that it can be compared to a golden bell-like sound. If so, how do these materials affect the sound differently? Any thoughts on these hard woods. I’m looking to order a Pono in either solid Acacia, Mahogany, or Mango. Mahogany is a hard wood but in the middle of the spectrum. Why do you say "air conditioned" and not "conditioned air"? It’s an inexpensive option generally and is heavier than other soft woods that I would think would sound better. Although we are talking tone here, you should bear in mind that spruce is a ‘tougher’ wood than cedar which will mark and ding much more easily, but if you don’t mind your guitar looking played in, no problems! Sitka’s combination of strength and elasticity translates into a broad dynamic range, yielding crisp articulation and allowing for everythi…