New UKELELE day!!!

[PapaB]

Well, I need another guitar like I need a hole in my head. Now, an ukelele on the other hand ....
I just got a lovely Martin Tenor Uke: with a modern take on the old-school peg tunners. They are geared, but look like old classical guitar or violin pegs.
The Tenor size has a very satisfying tone, bright, mid rich, with overtones from lower frequencies .... Projection is magical at ear level when strumming naturally. It seems like the sound is specifically directed to the player's ears. It's not, it's projected very well to the audience also. It's loud. It's bright. Rich. Cuts through perfectly with voice.
This instrument is a T1 with wood from well managed forests. It comes with an FSC serial number. I believe the species is Sappele. It's a lesser wood on some of my Yamaha guitars, a little less rich than mahogany, a little flatter on guitars .... But on this tiny uke it rings. The grain and color is lovely. The finish is matte, but very smooth, much smoother than my mahogany bodied 000-17 Whiskey Sunset. It's made in Mexico, and comes with a year warranty.
A koa bodied ukele is also offered by Martin for about $50 more, but I'm very pleased with this one. The understated look hides a beautiful sounding instrument.
So here's my hypothesis: songs written with a tenor ukelele have a greater possibility of becoming hits, because the instrument pairs so well to the human voice. The notes are optimized. This probably makes little sense, but I believe it.
If you are looking for the perfect travelling string instrument, give the ukelele a try. At $400 and change for a new, solid Martin, with a nice gig bag, it's quite the steal.
(Wanna hear what a Martin Use sounds like: Google IZ's version of Over the Rainbow .... The Late legend plays an mahogany Tenor I believe. By the way, his signature model is lovely too. It is $2K.)
I've already penned two songs with it, in a day and half. Not bad. Not bad at all.

[Embenny]

Congrats. I love the ukulele, but have never played a Martin one. I've got an all-acacia tenor and a cedar and koa baritone. You're right about Iz playing a Martin tenor.

Regarding sapele, I don't find it to be inferior to true mahogany in any way. It is simply a bit different sounding - often brighter than mahogany, with less of the prominent midrange. But individual pieces of wood vary, as do the things builders do with them, so I've heard plenty of bright mahogany and warm sapele instruments.

It can be strikingly beautiful, with chatoyant ribbons throughout, and even quilted or "pommele" figure, which is sort of like birdseye-meets-quilted maple; large, round, 3D grain structures. At its craziest, pommele sapele can look almost like the "turtleshell" figure from the famous mahogany log known as The Tree.

Ribbon:


Quilted:


Pommele:

[PapaB]

Embenny, those are beautiful! You know, it does not surprise me you play the ukelele. You seem to be a terrific person, very well rounded, and curious of many things.
Your post makes me particularly proud of my Sapele uke! Who knew how beautiful they could be.
(If you have the opportunity, Google Bohemian Rhapsody on the ukelele .... There's a glorious performance of it by a chap on TED Talks .... You might like it.)
Earlier I was playing a little Carlos Santana: Oye Como Vá, on it. It sounded good.
(I was glad to read the hawk did not get all the frogs!)

[marqueemoon]

I was house sitting for some friends recently and they had some cheap ukes and songbooks, so had to give it a go. Pretty fun instruments. Maybe I will get one someday. Yours sounds really nice.