(Part 2) Best ukuleles, mandolins & banjos according to redditors

My Uke goes everywhere with me. I went through some heavy stuff in the past ~6 months and decided I needed a hobby, playing 2-5+ hours at a time is a daily thing for me now.

I had originally bought my son (2 y/o) a toy plastic Uke from Walmart since he's really in to music and he LOVED it so much he would take it to bed with him. I bought a Makala Tenor bundle from Amazon to see if I could learn and keep him interested and I fell in love with the damn thing. He didn't lose interest at all either, every time I start to play he grabs his and comes running strumming it.

I figured I should go ahead and get him something that he would actually be able to play and have it sound alright once he is able to (right now they are just noisy toys for him, not instruments). I also wanted something I could play in front of him to show him that it can make the same sounds as daddys uke so I bought a Diamond head Soprano and restrung it with Aquila strings. I play a song 5-10 times on mine while he sits and strums his then we swap and he strums my uke while I play his, we'll go on like this for an hour or so.

I made the decision this month to get a little bit more serious and ordered a Kala SMHTE-C, it hasn't shipped yet but I am super excited about it. I own acoustic and electric guitars, I've played clarinet, trumpet, and piano, but never anything even relatively decent, it was all like bottom of the barrel beginner stuff just to see if I liked it so I am pretty pumped about this purchase. I hope by this time next year I will be able to afford a big boy uke with my tax return.

I hope you like ukuleles c: link

The Kala Makala budget line is good value. I'd look at the Concert or Tenor packages.

I have this Kala and absolutely love it. Fantastic build quality and lovely tone - http://www.amazon.com/Kala-KA-C-Mahogany-Concert-Ukulele/dp/B00172YM40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369084841&sr=8-1&keywords=Kala+KA-C

If you are looking for an outlet to make music and you aren't glued to an instrument choice yet, I'd like to advocate for the humble ukulele.

A tenor or baritone size uke is very easy to play (chords are shaped the same as on a guitar but there are only 4 strings so they are much simpler) and can be picked up very quickly and it's satisfying.

You can pick up a very good Kala tenor or baritone uke on Amazon for under $100 and be very happy with it (although I'd change the Aquila strings that commonly come on these for Martin Clear Fluorocarbon strings immediately if you can, much nicer sound - a lot of music stores will carry these but you can also get them online for cheap, less than $10 for a set).

I started on a soprano but ended up with a baritone and I've been playing that Kala bari for years now and I love it so much. I often say it was the best $85 I've ever spent, no contest. This is it, or very close - the price went up a few bucks but still super cheap: https://www.amazon.com/Makala-Baritone-Mahogany-Ukulele-Kala/dp/B001LTZZSG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=kala+baritone+uke&qid=1555525149&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I got my Luna Concert Tattoo from Amazon for $90. Looks great, great intonation.

Not exactly an answer to your question, but...

My solution to this was to buy a baritone ukulele and put bass strings on it.

A baritone uke is the exact same size as a bass uke but a lot less expensive. Replacing the stock strings with the strings I linked above will give you the exact same tuning as your full size bass. And the same feel with nice metal wound strings instead of those rubber bass uke things.

Yes, there is a little adjustment going from the uke to the full size bass, but it's not that bad.

It is not the sound hole, it is that it is designed to not need an amp. Having said that, yes, a solid body electric would be much quieter, should not bother anybody else. If it is too quiet for you, you can always get a very small headphone amp. As for what to get, remember, you get what you pay for. A $100 acoustic uke is not the same as a $100 electric uke. The acoustic does not have any of the parts used to electrify the uke, so the quality of the other stuff goes down. Also, often the electric ukes use metal strings, so the feel is a bit different. Having said all that, here is one that seems to be well liked. https://www.amazon.com/EleUke-Bluetooth-Connectable-Electric-Ukulele/dp/B06XXTHBPP/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1499964550&sr=1-9&keywords=electric+ukulele

Is it this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Mahalo-U-40BK-Arrow-Shaped-Ukulele/dp/B001SN7R2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395260807&sr=8-1&keywords=flying+v+ukulele

I googled kala ka-p and I see this model going for 40 to 110 bucks or so. Kala official website has it marked at 109. The title of the Amazon link says kala ka p BUT you want to have them send a pic of the inside sticker. If it says kala ka mk p it's the makala one, not kala. For what it's worth, the image in your post looks closer to the kala ka mk p grain pattern here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001LU39F6/ref=psdcmw_11971501_t2_B005ETZQU6

Than it does to the kala ka p here:
https://kalabrand.com/products/ka-p

But if they send a pic and it's the real McCoy kala ka p, that is a great deal on a great uke!

I was in a similar situation and i bought this $100 Epiphone Les Paul Acoustic Electric Ukulele. The Vintage Sunburst coloring is beautiful, and it sounds great whether it is amplified or not. I also wanted a concert as I had a soprano, and this is a concert ukulele.

http://amzn.com/B0064RFT4A

I purchased this ukulele early 2016, and it is wonderful. Read the reviews. It is a perfect starter ukulele for the price.

I have this one and thoroughly enjoy it. It has a great sound at a college student price.

I have this. I love it.

The pick guard is not installed when shipped, so you wont be stuck with the ugly thing.

This is the one I have, it's fairly cheap for a ukulele but it has aquila strings everyone seems to love. The build is pretty nice as well, no sharp edges.

I decided to start ukulele last year and it's been going well so far! I highly recommend it-- I'm in college and get anxious/stressed very easily and just strumming while I study is very helpful. Plus it's typically more quiet than a guitar!

I got a Kala MK-T Tenor. I liked it because it has a deeper tone than the soprano uke but still uses the same chord formations (bass ukes are different). Once I got it I just googled a few YouTube tutorials to get the feel for it. Honestly, the chords are mostly very simple. After that I just used UltimateGuitar.com and searched for my favorite songs. It takes practice, but after a while you'll realize that you have learned a lot of chords!

I just got one of these and it is incredibly good for the price. It's a gorgeous little instrument that seriously has a phenomenal sound.

And it also works extraordinarily well through an amp, even with guitar effects. I run it through my pedalboard and can make some righteous sounds.

I have an Oscar Schmidt concert uke, which I quite like, although I've seen a comment or two on reddit calling it cheap. It is actually under a hundred dollars, though. This seems to be mostly the same but even a little cheaper, but I can't vouch for the quality.

Obviously I haven't played every uke out there, but for under a hundred dollars I think the Oscar Schmidt concert uke is a quality instrument, and great to start out on.

Welcome to RAOA(officially)!:)

On the day before your 36th birthday, at approximately 7:27PM on May 20 you were walking home from your nice dinner with a group of three of your not-best-friends-but-still-close-friends. (You had dinner with your best friends on your actual birthday)

The weather was nice; It wasn't too hot, not too cold, and all you needed was a light jacket. As you were walking around the corner, your ears picked up on the faint yell of an elderly man. You decided to ignore the hushed cry, as you had to get some good sleep for all the partying you would be doing tomorrow!

As your feet glided across the concrete sidewalk, you couldn't manage to forget the poor man's voice out of your mind. You decided to backtrack and ran back towards the man's voice.

As you approached the elderly man, you realized that he was talking to himself, murmuring muttered words under his breath. You take a shed of pity and do your best to help him. You asked him what was wrong. Turned out that the man was lost! You think of your cousin, your best friend, and what he would do. You escort the man to the coincidentally-nearby police station and have them sort it out. You decide that it's best for the officials to take care of him.

You walk back home, with a slight smirk on your face. You finally realize that you're a decent AWESOME person and you go home to have some double-stuffed oreos, watch some hunky Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock, and call it a night.

FIN

^sorry ^this ^story ^was ^shitty. ^i ^tried ^for ^the ^first ^paragraph ^and ^then ^i ^got ^bored ^and ^hungry ^and ^i ^have ^to ^pee ^and ^yeah ^^^sorry.

Prize:A UKULELE BECAUSE FUCK YEAH TINY GUITARS

Thanks for the contest!

I have this one from luna https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003L7VQMA and i'm very happy with it. It has a nice even sound to it, and i might be biased but i went to an ukulele class and mine was one of the best sounding ones.

This was my first uke and i still think it plays amazing to this day. It's cheap, functional and has a nice warm sound. I would strongly recommend this one.

Coso, ahí le consulté a un amigo que el viejo le había traido un ukulele muy lindo de afuera, bastante barato. De esta marca http://www.oscarschmidt.com/products/ukes/

Acá venden uno (sin foto) a 3 k. Ya capaz se hace un poco mucho pero tenés un instrumento que suena bien.

En amazon ese modelo está 95 dolares.

El de amigo creo que era más básico todavía.

Pero bueno, para que tengas una idea!

Ive had two of these and been very happy with the sound and playability. http://www.amazon.com/Kala-KA-MK-B-Makala-Baritone-Ukulele/dp/B001LTZZSG

Some Amazing Budged options for you

soprano ukulele: almost anything, it's easy to find good budget ones, id just stay away from plastic unless you do want it to be really durable

acoustic concert: M Y Fly Young Ukulele Meideal Ukulele Concert Acoustic 23 24 inch MUH-19 Butterfly Wood https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A5I8GJS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_38M.zbTYJ9F8F

Meideal concert Uke: this one is actually my favorite uke, despite the price. it's even more beautiful In person. very pretty too.

tenor ukulele

http://www.caramelukulele.com/caramel-ct203-all-solid-acacia-acoustic-electric-tenor-ukulele-with-truss-rod.html

caramel tenor electric acoustic:

this one, once again despite the price, is my go to stage uke as it's electric acoustic. it sounds 2x the price. amazing.

And from the same brand

baritone ukulele

this: Caramel CB103 30 Inch High Gloss Zebra Wood Baritone Acoustic Electric Ukulele With Truss Rod https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ANJGX8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EeN.zbTVPZEEQ

Or this
Caramel CB500 30 Inch All Rosewood Baritone Acoustic Electric Ukulele With Truss Rod https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AU3I8J6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lfN.zb62S3MN6

depending on what style you like. although the rosewood one might have a slightly deeper sound depending on what strings you put on it

once again, electric acoustic. it's very light, electronics are great, tuners great, and probably some of the only good baritone ukes you'll find for under $100

I got this one. The reviews says it plays fine once you change the strings for it.

Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it.
I learned how to sing by doing a lot of community theater, so I've been stuck in vibrato land for a while. Only recently have I been focusing on scaling it back. I'll keep working on it.
And I've been trying to find something sexier than the ukulele. This is what I've found so far. :)

Washburn makes some good ones. I got a Oscar Schmidt OU-3 model and I like it!

For me there could only be one : Mahalo Flying V

I smile every time I pick it up, and the few times I've played it with friends, they've all wanted one. Quality is not at all bad and for a first instrument is absolutely fine.

Edit: Sorry about this, I'd forgotten - I installed a better set of machine heads than the standard, as the tuning kept slipping, and restrung with better strings, so possibly not quite as good an instrument for a beginner. Nonetheless I love mine now.

Angel of Death. On this.

I decided to go with this one

I have played hundreds of hours on my Aklot Uke . It’s around 60 USD but comes with a case, strap, picks, tuner, and a DVD that I’m guessing has some sort of lessons on it. Great quality for the price.

Edit: Someone else suggested an Aklot also. Don’t know if you’ve already ordered but if you have be assured that you’re going to be satisfied with your purchase.

Here is the desktop version of your link

I recently ordered the Caramel CB500 on Amazon. I've heard good things about it, but I haven't received mine yet.

I'm really sorry that happened to you! I haven't been playing long but I would be so upset if that happened to me. This little uke has brought me so much joy over the past few weeks. I have this one in blue, it's super affordable so maybe it could work for you. I know there are betters ones out there but I really like mine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0197NP6Y0/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1468768396&sr=8-15-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ukulele+starter+kit&psc=1

Here's my first & only ukulele! I can't tell you how it sounds/feels compared to others, but it's taken quite a beating and still sounds as great as it did the day I received it. I had zero knowledge about ukuleles before I got this one, and it's stood by my side for about 2 years now-- still in perfect condition. I usually just play for myself & sometimes for friends, just casual stuff. Very sturdy, nice sound, good (aquila nyglut) strings. I don't know if it's fantastic, but the quality is obviously there, nothing cheap or flimsy! Good luck!

My favorite hobby is playing the ukulele!! I started a couple of years ago because I wanted something to do during the summer, and I loved it. Let me tell you, once you pick a ukulele up for the first time, you won't be able to put it down! I am also a huge George Harrison fan (and when I say huge I mean HUGE), and the ukulele was one of his most beloved instruments! It's pretty easy to learn and it's almost impossible to be unhappy while playing the ukulele.

Here's a relatively cheap ukulele for beginners that still has a wonderful sound! It's also plastic, so it's very portable/easy to take care of. AND it's prime eligible, so you should add it to your wishlist right away!! ;)


Here's a starters guide/tips for beginners!

Amazon has the Ukulele Solid Mahogany 23 Inch Concert Uke for only $53.75 when you 'clip' the 6% off coupon (located on product page). Shipping is Free.

This coupon code can be used with Amazon lighning deal at May 1st (6:00 - 12:00 am). discount up to 21% off in total.

If you're buying in store, be sure to ask the people there for help. Guitar Center is really good for buying ukuleles too! If you have the time, learn what GCEA sounds like, because these are the notes you tune a ukulele to. If you can recognize those notes, you'll be able to tell that the ukulele you're inspecting is tuned correctly, try a C note (with the neck in your left hand and the body in your right, press your ring finger on the bottom string on the 3^rd fret and strum all four strings). This will let you know how the sound is, but if it's subpar be sure to ask an employee what's up--the ukulele itself could be constructed poorly or it might just have cheap strings on it--one will cost lots of money to fix, the other about $5 and half an hour.

With a cheaper ukulele, I recommend geared tuners as they're much easier than friction tuners. The little turner things at the top of your ukulele are tuners, and (no duh) they tune the strings. Geared tuners have little gears, or sometimes tiny boxes that conceal the gears (you may or may not think these boxes are ugly, that's a personal choice). Friction tuners are just pegs that the strings are attached to. Friction tuners work by just stretching the string a little bit--I don't think that they affect the life of the strings in any way, but I do know that most people find them more difficult to use than geared tuners, as the movements are more precise. Geared tuners use a system of gears to tighten the string around the peg, and usually make it easier to accurately tune the string.

Obviously, check for any scratches, dings, or dents in the instrument. The fret wires (the metal lines on the board where your fingers go) shouldn't jut out over the edge of the neck, and they should be sanded down so you don't cut yourself when you play. Make sure that all the pieces of the ukulele fit together well--poorly attached pieces will affect the sound and might even fall right off!

If you're buying online, obviously you can't check for most of these things. Do a ton of research (lots of people have already given great resources, GotAUkulele is one of my go-to sources!), or go with one of the standard /r/ukulele favorites:

The Makala Dolphin is an unofficial gold standard for starter ukes. It's relatively cheap and not half bad for its price, and it comes in a lot of colors and has a cute lil dolphin for a saddle!

The Mahalo U-30 is cheaper and uglier than the Dolphins, these ukes are also not bad for the price. This was my first uke, and while the other one I own now is a lot better, I don't regret buying this one for a moment! It's probably the cheapest ukulele I would recommend to a friend--anything cheaper than this is going to be junk. It also comes in a variety of colors.

best guess

the rosette, cutaway, electronics, size all line up.

I got a ukulele for Christmas, and I love it! It was super easy to learn using YouTube videos, although I already had music experience with piano.

I would recommend the Kala KA-15S if you're looking for a soprano uke. The Kala Makala is a little cheaper, but I think the extra dollars in the Kala KA-15S are worth its better quality. Ukes are one of the cheapest instruments out there anyway.

I went with a soprano uke bc my hands are pretty small, but you could go for a concert size if you prefer a deeper tone.

The 15s does keep appearing in my searches for a good uke. My main problem is that I don't want "just another wooden ukulele" with the boring brown color, which is why I keep catching onto these other brands. However the 15s does come in a spruce wood variant which I think looks nice and is different enough to satisfy that desire.

https://www.amazon.com/Kala-KA-15S-Mahogany-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B01D0O06X8?th=1

The spruce version also mentions "case extra" but it is very unclear on whether or not it actually includes one

Jeebus e'ry buddy started on rich boy ukes.... My first ukulele was 3500¥ and sounded good because of the pineapple shape.

This was my first one. It's nothing special, but it wont hold you back from learning. With some half decent strings it sounds pretty good considering the price.

Here's the one I have. It's a really good quality instrument for the price, but if you wanted to go a little cheaper I would recommend any Kala/Makala uke, honestly. They make great sounding entry-level instruments.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0736MH4RD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_jmODCbT3VAXFJ what about this one???

snazzy magnifying glass necklace so i can magically make things burst into flame.


^(no really i want to try and make fire with it for funsies)

thanks for the contest fellow primeryn <3

I like this one but its 48. But the shape and color are pretty <3

This guy.

Sure, here are some quality concert ukes in the same price range:

Cordoba 15cm

Enya EUC-X1M

Kala LTP-C

Kala KA-C

Keep in mind that even with these, you're buying from the factory if you order from Amazon. That means the music store isn't there as a middleman to send bad ones back to the factory. ALL music instruments require this middleman to keep from occasionally getting duds, even the top brands. It's part of why music stores exist.

So keep your packaging until you're SURE it's a quality instrument. This should be standard practice whenever you buy any musical instrument from a ukulele to a harmonica to a trombone.

This was my first uke and it's very nice. Solid wood. Bright tone. Holds tuning great.

https://www.amazon.com/Schmidt-Washburn-OU3-Concert-Ukulele/dp/B0002GLMIQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1469741790&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=oscar+schmidt+ukulele+OU3

Sorry for the wait! Here’s what my dad had to say! (With a couple links)

Lamp Kenroy Home 21080ORB 4 Square Floor Lamp , Oil Rubbed Bronze https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Q9Z3TA?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

In my lap Kala KA-C Satin Mahogany Concert Ukulele https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00172YM40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PsVMAbKAK7D1G

Wall left to right Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, Romero Tiny Tenor ukulele and Fender acoustic electric guitar.

This one is my first ukulele, and I love it very much!
https://www.amazon.com/Mahogany-Beginner-Cleaning-Instruction-AKLOT/dp/B072JT9WLF/ref=sr_1_45?ie=UTF8&qid=1520236183&sr=8-45&keywords=ukulele

Find a new hobby, buying a ukulele is relatively cheap and easy to learn.

It's actually a Cordoba 20TM-CE Acoustic Electric Tenor Ukulele. It has a really great sound, especially for its price range.

Girlsplaywow is a jerk (not really though :)

Hope all is well! :)

You can choose any of the following:

Guitar

Ukelele

Cheaper Ukelele

cheapest Ukelele

FYI, the new Populele has been a successful crowdfunded project that is now selling to all.

https://popuband.com/

Also, the Eleuke has been on sale at Amazon for $99.

EleUke Smart Bluetooth Connectable Electric Ukulele Peanut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXTHBPP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jdyKzbBV06YTG

Both are way under the $400 mark, but should not be ignored because of that.

This is pretty fascinating from a neutral bystander's point of view. I'm curious what a person could have that might kill them any time, but I understand your desire for anonymity.

I'm not sure how much experience you have with doctors, but in my experience they get things wrong a lot. Like more than half the time. Just something to consider. I hope you are reading up on your diagnosis big time. It might take a few days, but you will probably know more about this illness than the doctors before too long. Don't be afraid to question everything they tell you.

Meanwhile, is the situation with the suicidal images in your head getting worse, or is it about the same as a week ago (your last post)? How much success do you have just moving the image aside and thinking about something else? I ask this because I think most people have pretty gruesome thoughts pop into their heads sometimes (with accompanying dialog suggesting nastiness), but that's just part of the thousands of images that pop up through the course of a day. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong, it just means you saw Friday the 13th when you were 9 because your sister's friends were having a sleepover and you were peeking into the living room through the heating register.

Watching YouTube is wonderful. Personally, I like the video subreddit to find new things to watch. Usually very high quality stuff. Of course, there is also Hulu to catch up on Family Guy, and Netflix to watch all 7 seasons of Buffy (as well as Angel). Sometimes you just have to "check out" and let your brain rot on TV (or TV-simulated experience).

But lets say worst case is that you are going to die in like two days (and you don't know it and can't control it). I mean, you are literally (definition 2) living the life of "If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do?" So do you want to spend it watching YouTube? If you say 'yes,' that's totally okay. Or would you rather spend it doing something else?

You seem to write pretty well. Got a short story in you (you'd better make it short, you could be dead any time)? How about learning a new piece of music (if you don't play an instrument, spend $73 for a ukulele and through the miracle of YouTube, learn to play complete songs within a day!). Can you paint? Whip up some 5x7 portraits that make you really feel being alive. Now that would be irony!

But seriously, I'm not really suggesting that you need to do anything. I understand your feelings of being overwhelmed to the point of inaction. Believe me, I understand. Sometimes I'm able to get out of this funk myself by just doing something random that I really enjoy and haven't done in a long time.