The ultimate ukulele buyer's guide
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  • Sizes & sounds
  • 2 Shapes & styles
  • 3 Woods / materials
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3

Concert acoustic ukulele: wood types

Koa Wood

Koa is a famous Hawaiian wood which has been used for hundreds of years to make ukuleles.

Koa produces a beautiful sound and many expensive ukuleles are made from this wood. Each instrument has a unique grainy appearance.

Koa ukuleles are expensive but they are well worth the price.

Oak Wood

There are many types of oak that can be used for ukuleles, they all produce a wonderful sound but vary in appearance.

The oak ukuleles that we stock have a golden orange appearance and have stripes through the wood giving them a seriously striking appearance.

The sound is really nice, it is bright and has an excellent sustain.

Mahogany Wood

Mahogany is the most common wood used to make ukuleles. It produces a nice even tone for the ukulele without being too bright or mellow.

It fits right in the middle of the spectrum which makes it suitable for all ukulele players.

It's fairly similar in properties to Koa wood.

Flame Maple Wood

With flamed maple - the appearance speaks for itself. It is gorgeous.

Sound wise - it gives a brighter tone, really punchy, yet clear. It pairs nicely with musicians looking for an energetic instrument.

Spruce wood

Spruce wood creates a very crisp and loud sound in a ukulele.

This is a good choice for those musicians who love to strum their uke hard and fast, spruce ukuleles respond well to that.

Super bright sounding wood, check it out if that's your style.

Spalted Maple Wood

Spalted maple is a visually breath-taking type of maple.

The textures on the wood are a natural formation of the wood over time, making the ukuleles 100% unique and one-of-a-kind instruments.

Spalted maple is extremely rare as only a small portion of a tree will have a spalted pattern.

Mahogany Wood

Mahogany is the most common wood used to make ukuleles. It produces a nice even tone for the ukulele without being too bright or mellow.

It fits right in the middle of the spectrum which makes it suitable for all ukulele players.

It's fairly similar in properties to Koa wood but at a much more affordable price.

Ziricote Wood

A stunning wood only recently used to produce ukuleles.

It’s the most spectacular wood that I have seen on any instrument in my lifetime. It is typically combined with a high gloss finish to bring out the rich colours of the wood.

Ziricote produces a nice clear tone in a ukulele with good projection and stunning visuals.

Exotic Mahogany Wood

Exotic Mahogany is identical in acoustic properties to standard mahogany wood.

It is simply a different part of the tree which produces the flame figures through the wood.

Visually its a stunning type of wood and comes with all the excellent tonal qualities of Mahogany wood.

Striped Ebony Wood

Ebony is a dense and strong wood which produces a bright tone and strong projection. This particular ebony comes in a unique striped pattern which is visually appealing.

If you enjoy a bright punchy tone and like to be heard, then take a look at the striped ebony ukes.

Walnut Wood

Walnut produces a crisp tone with a nice balance between warmness and brightness. Right in the sweet spot. It just about suits all tastes.

It has an exotic feel with the character of the wood at an affordable price.

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