UKULELE is one of the more popular instruments as it presents a great way for people to get into string instruments and can be a great tool for beginner guitarists. It is also growing in popularity for professional musicians as well. The small portable size of the ukulele paired with the continued improvements to the instrument, make it more desirable now than ever to own one of these great instruments. Our buyers guide should help answer your questions and narrow down your search so you can find the best ukulele for you.
A modern UV finishing process brings out the unique appearance of each instrument with incredible clarity.
UV finish is far less impactful to our environment than other finishes. One of Kalas best performance Ukuleles.
Reasons not to buy
This is such an incredible ukulele, wish it could be affordable for everyone.
Our Verdict
The Kala 3KOA-CG Elite Concert Ukulele is one of Kala’s finest instruments. They make great affordable ukuleles but with the Elite Concert Ukulele, they really show that they can hang with the best of them for the top end ukuleles of the world. The fine Koa wood and the unique UV finishing process creates a look that is stunning and kind of has the vibe of a vintage Martin parlor guitar. The natural tone of the ukulele is just exceptional.
Completely handmade resonator ukulele. Truly one of a kind.
The Solid Mahogany build is rich and full of tone and looks great.
Reasons not to buy
Be sure you select the option that comes with the case. Just because it’s in the picture does not mean the case is included unless it specifically says it in the spec.
Our Verdict
The Kala Tenor Resonator Ukulele is awesome. While it is not a standard ukulele and is less popular than the traditional ukuleles, this resonator ukulele had to make our best ukulele buyers guide.
This non cutaway resonator ukulele is an exceptional instrument that is available with either a vintage vin brass resonator cover or a chrome resonator cover. This is an ideal ukulele for someone that plays full size resonator guitars but wants a smaller version to travel with. While we say that, the truth is that this is a ukulele that has a unique and awesome sound. It should find its way onto albums and into performances.
The build has a very artistic and custom feel to it. The use of Acacia Wood, Walnut and Mahogany is high quality and striking.
Reasons not to buy
Some of the Kala U-Bass selections are of similar value but cost a little less.
Our Verdict
The Ortega Guitars Lizard Series 4 String Ukebass is an extremely well made U-Bass.
The Acoustic Electric, fretless Ukebass has a stunning Acacia wood top, back and sides that really shines with the gloss finish. The Mahogany neck and walnut fretboard and bridge almost complete the classy design. This particular model has the added bonus of an Abalone style shell purfling which you rarely see on bass ukuleles.
The venetian cutaway projects the acoustic tone very well and the Ortega MagusUkeBass preamp/pickup system does a great job of projecting the tones of this beautiful instrument. The use of Aquila Thundergut Short Scale Uke-Bass strings work with the design as the more traditional bass strings would likely have hard time staying in tune on this type of design.
Ortega Guitars have really dialed in a solid tone that is reminiscent of an upright bass guitar, especially when plugged in to a bass amp.
Some reports of string buzz. Could be from users not replacing their string often enough.
Our Verdict
The Luna Honu Soprano Ukulele is also known as the Tribal Turtle Ukulele. It is a beautifully crafted Soprano Ukulele that has traditional Hawaiian body tattoos carved into the frame in a Polynesian tattoo style. The dark Mahogany Uke with it’s artistic design stands out in both looks and sound.
As one of the better Ukuleles under $100, it is a great deal for any level player that wants an affordable, good looking ukulele to take with you on the go. This is especially solid as a ukulele for beginners as it’s better than many other ukuleles in its price range and has the bonus of looking super cool.
The etching and attention to detail are exceptional.
The Mahogany build is solid and warm…sounds great.
Reasons not to buy
The free complimentary gig bag is pretty junky.
Our Verdict
The Luna Maluhia Peace Concert Ukulele is another special ukulele from the Luna Brand. Sparing no effort on design, this particular Ukulele has a peace symbol carved into the sound hold and is accentuated with artistic tattoos around the body. With the Maluhia Concert Ukulele, the use of Mahogany for the body with a Walnut Fretboard and Walnut Bridge, has really allowed this concert uke to stand out.
Read Less
UKULELE TYPES
For our Ukulele Buyers Guides, we have separated Bass Ukuleles from all of the other Ukuleles. Since Bass Ukuleles are a different category, we’ll focus on 4 main types of Ukuleles; Concert Ukes, Soprano Ukes, Tenor Ukes and Baritone Ukes.
The names of the types are associated with their size and tonal range, similar to vocal ranges and various types of saxophones.
BARITONE UKULELES
Baritone Ukuleles are the largest ukuleles which are accompanied by having the deepest tone with the exception of bass ukuleles. Both the string tuning and the overall feel of the Baritone Ukulele are similar to a regular guitar.
In some respects, the baritone Ukulele has more in common with a classical guitar or spanish guitar than even other ukuleles. Baritone Ukuleles are typically tuned D,G,B,E while all other (non bass) Ukuleles are tuned G,C,E,A.
Due to the tuning and the size, baritone ukuleles are ideal for young guitarists and beginning guitar players that want to get started on a string instrument, but their hands may not be big enough for a standard guitar just yet.
TENOR UKULELES
Tenor Ukuleles are fun to play and have alot of appeal. There is more low end then most of the other style ukuleles, but there is still the standard ukulele tuning and high end frequencies that are known to ring out in the traditional sound of the ukulele.
While the tenor ukulele is not the most popular of the ukulele styles, it is starting to catch on and become the ukulele of choice for many players that love the warm tones and wider range of dynamics.
CONCERT UKULELES
The Concert Ukulele is where you start getting into the classic sound of the ukulele. The higher pitch and fairly small bodied ukulele is easy to play and has more room for your fingers than the similar but smaller Soprano Ukulele.
For many beginners, concert ukuleles are the ukuleles of choice. It is also nice for adults with larger fingers that want the classic high pitch sounds of the traditional ukulele but may struggle with the small size of the Soprano Ukulele.
SOPRANO UKULELES
The Soprano Ukulele is what many people associate with the traditional ukulele. This is the Ukulele that you would see in movies and commercials depicting Hawaiin culture and relaxing on a beach with a drink in your hand.
These small ukuleles can be a challenge for full grown humans with big fingers. Despite that these are the most popular ukuleles as the bright sound is what many people look for in a good ukulele.
HOW TO TUNE A UKULELE
The easiest way to tune a ukulele is with a guitar tuner. If you do not have a guitar tuner there are several apps available for smartphones that can help. Guitar Tune, Tunefor Ukulele tuner & chords, GuitarTuna are a few that you can choose.
WHAT ARE THE NOTES OF THE STRINGS ON A UKULELE
Ukuleles are tuned to G,C,E, and A, which is standard tuning for a ukulele. There are alternative tunings for professional ukulele players like using a low G string instead of a high G string to get a deeper tone.
HOW TO PLAY THE UKULELE
The best way to learn how to play the Ukulele starts with getting a decent ukulele. Hopefully this buyers guide will assist you with that. Once you have that start by learning the notes on the strings and learn how to play ukulele chords. After that, there are a ton of easy songs to play on the Ukulele that have ukulele tabs online.
HOW TO STRUM THE UKULELE
While you can play the ukulele with a few different guitar related techniques, there is a traditional way to strum the ukulele. For starters, if you are a beginner, you should know that you strum with your dominant hand. Since most ukuleles are made right handed, it will be easier to navigate for right handed musicians. Left handed ukuleles do exist.
Leading with your forefinger on your dominant hand you can lightly strum with up and down strokes. These are known as open strums.
