(Part 2) Top products from r/ukulele

I'd like to suggest the Oscar Schmidt OU5LCE, it's a concert but it plays pretty loudly and deep for it's smaller size. Unlike its OU5 counterpart, this one has an electric pickup (which sounds great), and a long, tenor-sized neck for bigger fingers.

It's a pretty instrument and in my opinion is a good cross between sounding like a "cheerful" Soprano and a deeper tenor. It holds a tune great after the first week or so and seems pretty sturdy.

Also, if you do get it and get a case afterwards, make sure the case is a tenor because the long neck won't fit in anything smaller.

If you really want a tenor, I think the Kala KA-GAT is a good one. It's surprisingly light weight and comfortable and definitely sounds a lot deeper than any concert. Though when you pick instead of strum, they all sound the same. It's beautiful, but closer to three hundred than two.

Also get a tenor case for this one.

Personally I'd recommend the first one, as it's cheaper and a better starting place. I think most people hear "lighter" sounding ukuleles in popular music, so if you're going for something to make you sound like the guy from Hey Soul Sister, go with a concert or Soprano. Also, no matter what you do, unless there's one built into the uke, buy this tuner, it's awesome (And it works for both tenor and baritone, which has different tuning).

I just bought my first Uke(soprano) a few months ago and did a lot of research looking for just the right type of look and quality for a good price. I ended up settling on the Kala-SEM Exotic Mahogany

http://www.amazon.com/Kala-Exotic-Mahogany-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B003M4S670

It looks beautiful, sounds great, isn't too expensive, and is great to first learn the instrument. I also purchased the Gig Bag just for travel purposes and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend also getting this Kyser Capo for Uke/Banjo

http://www.amazon.com/Kyser-Banjo-Mand-Capo-Blk/dp/B0002CZVWS/ref=pd_sim_MI_12?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TRJSEMRJA3F6GXY9QXA

It will fit the instrument, and all ukes, perfectly and is a tremendous asset when learning songs in a different key that you don't yet have the capability of doing absurd fingerings for. No matter what you settle on, trust me, get that capo and it will be the best purchase. Best of luck to you on your learning!

Edit: Forget to mention the Kala will also come with Aquila strings already on it, so you save the money there. After about a week of playing it quite a lot every day to let them settle it stays in tune great now

(1) What is(are) your first uke(s) of choice?

Luna Honu Soprano


(2) How much did it cost?

$85 shipped.

(3) What are 3 things you like about it?

1. It's adorable. The turtle inlay is really cute, and the sharktooth fret markers are a nice touch. 2. It never slips out of tune- I've tuned it twice in a month of daily playing (1-2 hours on average), the second time because my child turned a few pegs when we introduced her to it. 3. and most importantly, it sounds great. I played a few high end ukes at Guitar Center in the months before my Luna purchase- and I've played the low end stuff as well, some cheapo's my friends have impulse-bought and never played. This baby can roll with the best of 'em.
   
   (4) What are 3 things that you wish could be better?
   
   
2. Weight distribution. It's just really heavy in the neck, which is more a ukulele thing than an issue with this specific uke, but it has been something I had to adjust to. 2. It's plywood, and I would love if it were solid wood. I feel like it would improve on this already awesome instrument. 3. I really can't think of a third gripe, it's really a great instrument.

A Makala Dolphin plus a New Set of Stringswill cost you about 50$ but is probably the best option. It has a good build and is a great beginners uke, also remember that you will need a case + tuner + capo (if your into that) in order to use it properly. The Dolphin also becomes a great travel uke once you get a nicer one.

If you really want a wooden uke (doesn't make to much of a difference at a budget imho) than go with something like a Kala MK-S Bundle

I like it lot so far. It's got a bright bite, and the intonation is shockingly excellent. By comparison, my Epiphone Les Paul Uke (which was my first uke, I love it so much), which cost twice as much, has had some work done to improve the intonation and still can't match the Waterman. I think it's because the Waterman has a "zero" fret at the top of the fingerboard, right after the nut. Though to be fair, the Les Paul Uke also has a pickup in it. It can't match my Ohana TK-20CE, but for $50, it's a damn good sound.

According to the Kala page and this Amazon page, it's an ABS composite plastic. I've already dropped it a couple times and it has hardly a scratch, so they've made it out of something sturdy.

The shop that I buy from said they haven't carried them for an incredibly long time, though they usually have some crazy ukes... I've seen metal-bodied resonator ukes, 8-strings, and an arch-top uke there. But anyway, if your local place carries Kala ukes, maybe they'll get one in sometime that you could try for yourself! It's an interesting sound, not bad, but different from a wooden instrument.

TL;DR It's great for a $50 uke. Sorry for typing so much, figured I should answer as thoroughly as I could 'cuz I'm weird and wordy, haha. :)

This would be a good starter one.

This one is a bit more money, but I've heard good things about it too. It also comes with everything but the kitchen sink, and the gig bag is supposedly rather good.

Grab a tuner too. Yes, apps work. A tuner is really really handy though!

At the price you're willing to pay, I'd honestly avoid a solid wood top.

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 took a free ukulele class at the local Guitar Center that they have once a month. It was just me and one other guy. In just an hour, the teacher had tuning the ukulele, playing a few simple songs, understanding how to read ukulele music from a page, and pointing us to tons of other resources for learning. If you can find anything like that, it'll save you a ton of time. The teacher answered a hundred questions and helped me pick an instrument to buy. I also bought a clip-on Snark tuner which essentially do what many ukulele phone apps also do. I bought a few beginner books, including this Hal Leonard Ukulele Method Book 1, which was helpful, and a 4-chord songbook to practice with.

Don't miss the "Related Links" at the right side of this page.

A few pieces of advice.

1. If you don't play a stringed instrument, your left-hand finger-tips are going to hurt like hell for about a week. Keep playing. That pain all goes away.
   
   
2. Some chords that seem very difficult to get at first will definitely become easier over time. Practice...
   
   
3. When you learn something one way, it's very hard to unlearn it and do it a different way. I got into playing quickly, learning on my own. By the time I started working with a teacher, 3 months in, he had to tell me that the way I had learned to finger some of the chords, was OK, but not the best way to do it. There's no one-way to do some things, but certain ways will make things harder for you later on. I'm stuck now feeling that some ways to hold a chord feel natural, while the recommended ways can feel less comfortable.
   
   
4. Have fun!

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

I did my very first string change not too long ago. There's going to be all kinds of opinions on what strings to get. I bought these Aquila strings. They're regular soprano strings (gCEA, with the high g string). I found the string-changing tutorial on Got a Ukulele to be helpful.

As for how to get started playing, I suggest checking out Cynthia Lin's tutorials, as I have found them to be the most friendly and they go slow. Read through the playlist rather than just blindly going in order. Like the chord-changing video actually is fit for if you need further help with lesson 1.

Do you have a tuner? They are really rather helpful, though you can try starting out with a phone app. The clip-on tuners will be more accurate than an app, but it's better than nothing. New strings take time to finish stretching out, so you will find yourself tuning often at first and for a little while.

http://www.amazon.com/Cherub-WCP-60G-Acoustic-Guitar-Pickup/dp/B004UJO41S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382391410&sr=8-1&keywords=cherub+pickup

I got myself one of these. I don't need to put it in the sound hole and I just pop this sucker on the headstock. It sounds delightfully natural and it's a cheap device that works pretty well!

I like this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learn-Play-Fingerstyle-Solos-Ukulele/dp/0786673427/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1398340927&sr=8-7&keywords=hawaiian+ukulele

This - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ukulele-Ensemble-Hawaiian-Songs-Various/dp/1480342203/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1398340968&sr=8-8&keywords=hawaiian+ukulele+books

This is OK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jumpin-JimS-Gone-Hawaiian-Uke/dp/0634009346/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1398341025&sr=8-17&keywords=hawaiian+ukulele+books

This is the best thing ever - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Famous-Solos-Duets-Ukulele-Presents/dp/0786669152/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1398341037&sr=8-22&keywords=hawaiian+ukulele+books

And this is good too - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hawaiian-Uke-Tunebook-Ken-Eidson/dp/0871668424/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8&qid=1398341078&sr=8-52&keywords=hawaiian+ukulele+books

In general, I'd recommend going for a ukulele that's solid wood. This will be in around the $200 price range.

I recently upgraded to my second ukulele, which is a Kala concert travel ukulele. I'm a big fan of it. The sound is full bodied. The material is solid spruce. It's also a travel ukulele, so it's about half as thin as a normal uke.

If there's a local ukulele store/GuitarCenter nearby, I'd recommend going there to check some ukes out in person. Sometimes, they have discounts. :)

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

When I started, I had a friend teach me some chords, but I also found this youtube channel to be quite useful. He has a playlist on getting started. https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUkuleleTeacher

In terms of tuning i bought a cheap clip on tuner, it works really well and i still use it sometimes! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cherub-WST-550U-Clip-On-Ukulele-Tuner/dp/B000WEH44Y

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.

I found the best arrangement in this book by Lyle Ritz (who, interestingly enough, played the ukulele for this song in the movie The Jerk):

https://www.amazon.com/Jumpin-Jims-Ukulele-Masters-Lyle/dp/0634027646

I own this book, I'll see if i can upload a scan

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.

The Hal Leonard book is pretty good.

It looks like a used copy is less than $2.

I went with this one, it was only 55 bucks, and I absolutely love it. Plus, if it gets beat up from camping and travelling, I'm only out 55 bucks. It sounds and plays rather well too. http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Schmidt-OU2-Concert-Ukulele/dp/B0002GLMEK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1301584587&sr=1-1

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.

http://www.amazon.com/Hal-Leonard-Ukulele-Method-Book/dp/0634079867

I liked this book to help teach me to the picking notes on the ukulele, if you are interested.

Be sure to check any uke out for build quality before you purchase. We stock the little $30 Hamano ukes in the shop I work at and they don't hold their tuning for more than a few hours. It's worth the extra money not to have to deal with retuning it multiple times per playing session, especially at your level.

Edit: I can wholly recommend the Mitchell line of ukes. I've had the concert size for years, it has held up!

I recently got this pickup and I keep it on the headstock. I think it sounds good and it works if you are on a budget. I don't really know much about the pickup you linked to, but it looks like it should work fine!

Do you like classical? This is a great tab book.

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

Thank you so much! As far as I know, as long as you can have things delivered from amazon you should be good. Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/Luna-Honu-Inch-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B002SSUR3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1334085836&sr=1-1

I went to a local music store to try a few out. This one sounded pretty nice and I can get it for about $85. Thoughts?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003M4S670?pc_redir=1404948067&robot_redir=1

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.

Love mine. Got the travel one as it’s much thinner than most ukes.

Kala KA-SSTU-C Concert Travel Ukulele https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Y6JY80/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FaF2Ab1Y5A975

You'd probably do well with something like this in that price range

Could send me it if you want :D If not, you could get this tuner. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cherub-WST-550U-Clip-On-Ukulele-Tuner/dp/B000WEH44Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377010268&sr=8-1&keywords=ukulele+tuner

Very cheap and easy to use.

I don't have a better pic of the instrument itself rn. I got it recently from a relative, and had to fix up the body a little, and wanted to oirder strings today while I'm at work if possible, but I just want to make sure I'm getting the right size. Would these work? https://www.amazon.com/Aquila-armoniche-Ukulele-Soprano-Regular/dp/B003UYY05O/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1506350793&sr=8-5&keywords=ukulele+strings

Cheap option

Expensive option

Have fun

I like Spanish Fandango. There's a version in this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786669152/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00

https://www.amazon.com/Kala-Soprano-Ukulele-Instructional-Polishing/dp/B005ETZEJO/ref=sr_1_15?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1467742458&sr=1-15

Do you think i'm fine buying this? Comes with the bag and tuner.

Should i get a pack of strings too?

I was looking at this one. I have no idea if I will be able to learn how to play and I’ve never tried before.
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Kala-Ukulele-Soprano-Mahogany/dp/B01F543PAW

Les Paul Concert uke goes for $150 so it's way over budget. Oscar Schmidt OU2 is going for $86 and it's "fully" acoustic.

http://www.amazon.com/Kala-Soprano-Ukulele-Instructional-Polishing/dp/B005ETZEJO?ie=UTF8&colid=3LQYE5FLIK70U&coliid=I1Z83SYUC8KDA2&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

This guy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0634079794/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

best guess

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

Here is the mobile version of your link

It works, but this is how he wanted it formatted. Its a luna

I decided to go with this one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CLASSICAL-UKULELE-Jumpin-Ukulele-Masters/dp/0634079794/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383218537&sr=8-1&keywords=the+classical+ukulele

https://www.amazon.com/Luna-Mahogany-Honu-Soprano-Ukulele/dp/B002SSUR3M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478917661&sr=8-3&keywords=luna+soprano+ukulele

it's on amazon

Its a luna

Your voice is great, absolutely fantastic, but I wasn't a huge fan of the arrangment. The song has a lot of really interesting things going on and a high quality version of it would be so cool to hear. This book, which is for intermediate/advanced ukers, has a version that sounds incredible. It'll make you learn all sorts of weird things about interesting inversions of chords (It uses 3 entirely different fingerings of Dm7). But it's really quite difficult. Unfortunately I can't track down a recording of it online, I might have it lying around my room if you're interested.