I tried out a new tenor Boat Paddle Ukulele in solid mahogany - and ended up keeping it.

There are differences from the previous prototype (That one has spruce top, meranti back/sides, 15th fret neck joint). This all mahogany body is also bound in mahogany ( such a subtle and pleasing de tail!) and is joined (very solid bolt -on design) to a maple neck at the 14th fret. The bridge is also maple. Nicely compensated saddle, not a through-slot type this time.

The neck reminds me of the one on my old Fender Stratocaster. Very smooth and fast, side dot markers, no overlaid fingerboard (I think). The action is very comfy. This one feels so good and just begs to be played for hours (kind of like that old Strat). My arthritic left fingers really appreciate the action.

This one does not have the clever reversed-wood boat paddle figure on the headstock. The bridge truss design was changed, now smartly attached to the very solid neck block joint (instead of heel block) and visible under the sound hole. It seems to enhance sustain.

Same sweet Grover geared tuners. The sound is wonderful, balanced and sweet, with that mahogany flavoring and plenty of volume with little playing effort. Chime-like ring and sustain. The intonation is as good as intonation gets.

Boat Paddle builder Jerry Hoffman tells me that this is probably the standard. I think that the mahogany top brings a little more of a traditional look, and the maple looks nice with it - especially that sort of deco-retro look of the bridge.
Of course, the shape is not too "traditional", but is there really a practical reason for a pinched waist on ukes? I can understand why guitars developed that way. This shape makes more wood available for creating sound, and the strength of the bridge truss makes possible the lighter bracing (beautifully scalloped spruce in a sort of guitarry X brace pattern) and lets this instrument create great volume and tone while preventing future shifting of the bridge or tension related changes in the top. Really a smart design.

All that is secondary really, I love the sound and the playability.