Good beginner ukulele
May 14, 2016 11:59 PM   Subscribe

It's been a while since the last ukulele recommendation question; what are some decent choices today in the $100–200 range? Advice on good vendors also appreciated.
posted by Johnny Wallflower to Media & Arts (7 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
I am a huge fan of Oscar Schmidt 12 strings, so was not disappoint by this one.

and also pleased with this.

(ymmv I am really into de-tuning basically everything into fifths)
posted by dorian at 1:27 AM on May 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


I like my Makala MK-S though it's a little under your price range.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:12 AM on May 15, 2016


My first uke was a Kala concert travel uke. It's sturdy and stays in tune admirably. It does have a thin body, which I find comfortable to play, but not everyone does.

Last time I went to Guitar Center and noodled around on the ukes, I really liked the feel of the Fender ukes (not the goofy ones shaped like electric guitars). They're in your price range.
posted by purpleclover at 7:45 AM on May 15, 2016


Fender. In your price range and sounds pretty good.

Most of all, it plays like butter! I have some great ukes - expensive, vintage, boastworthy, glow in the dark - but that one is the easiest to play.

And if you're smarter than me, you will pay a little extra for the one with a fender headstock. It kills me that I didn't know enough at the time.

But Fender.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 9:19 AM on May 15, 2016


Best answer: Whether or not you buy there, I would recommend going to a store near you and trying a few out... see what you like, what you don't like, and then come back and report here.
Try a soprano, try a concert, try a tenor or a baritone, and see what size appeals to you.
Some stores do care about the setup and their instruments. Where I live, the guitar store owner builds ukuleles, so he is a great resource.

Also, get quality strings. Good strings on a cheap uke sound better than cheap strings on a good uke, and the price difference is not much.
posted by MtDewd at 4:17 PM on May 15, 2016


I recently purchased one for my daughter. I didn't want a cheap one but not something that was too expensive. A friend recommended I try this site and this brand ukelele. It's pretty nice and it comes with a digital tuner and a gig bag for storage.

The prices on Reverb are good and if you create a log-in and put it on your "watchlist," the seller may offer a discount! You can even send them an offer to make the purchase.

Hope this helps!
posted by Yellow at 7:48 PM on May 15, 2016


Response by poster: After trying a bunch in a music store he went with a Makala MK-B. Thanks for the input.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 4:13 PM on June 19, 2016 [1 favorite]


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