I still remember the time when I purchased my very first Ukulele or Uke and I know the struggle that everyone goes through when it comes to buying Ukulele for the first time. It is very difficult to select Ukulele especially when it’s your first time and that’s why this Ukulele buying guide 2022 is important for you.
I bought my first Ukulele a few years back and back then there were very few Uke websites that could help you in selecting your first Ukulele.
But since now I am using Ukulele for more than 3 years I know almost everything about it and now I think I am eligible to help out those who are in trouble in selecting their first Ukulele.
I will tell you today how to buy a Ukulele for the first time, since there are so many Ukes available online on Amazon and other marketplaces, it is quite normal to get confused.
Before we jump to the actual Ukulele Buying guide, let’s first discuss what are Ukuleles.
What is Ukulele?
Most people who are new to musical instruments often get confused between Ukulele and Guitar, let me tell you Uke is also the family member of the guitar, and if we ignore the size then it is almost identical to the guitar.
Ukulele was introduced by the Portuguese in Hawaii back in the 1880s and it quickly gained high popularity by the 1920s in the United States and other parts of the world. In the United States, when singers composed Hawaii themes songs that’s when Uke came into the limelight.
Now I think you guys are almost familiar with Ukulele, now let’s begin this guide.
Ukulele: Different Types and Sizes
Ukulele is often considered a budget-friendly musical instrument, they come in different types and sizes, and it is very important to know about all of them. In general, all types of Ukuleles are played very similarly and if you just learn any one type of Ukulele then you can also be able to play other types of ukuleles as well.
However, the body size of the Ukulele really matters in terms of tone and playability. Don’t worry don’t get confused, since this is a ukulele buying guide, I have explained everything in detail.
So, there are 4 types of ukuleles available and before you buy a Ukulele you must know about all of them. 1) Soprano 2) Concert 3) Tenor 4) Baritone.
1) Soprano Ukulele:-
The soprano is considered the standard size of the Ukulele and it is one of the most common ukuleles. It is one of the smallest ukuleles and is considered the best for beginners as well. The original Ukulele that was seen in Hawaii was Soprano only. The overall length of the Soprano Ukulele is 21 inches and the scale length is 13 inches.
The soprano Ukulele is the best choice for kids because of its small size and lightweight.
2) Concert Ukulele:-
So, after the Soprano Ukulele, here comes the concert ukulele that is one level bigger than Soprano Ukulele. The length of the Concert Uke is 26 inches and the scale length is nearly 15 inches.
This one is played similarly to Soprano but the output of the Concert Ukulele is somewhat louder than Soprano. The overall weight of the Concert Uke is also heavier than Soprano and it offers more room for bigger hands which makes it a perfect choice for a grown-up adult.
3) Tenor Ukulele:-
Bigger than Soprano and Concert Uke, this Tenor Ukulele is also an ideal choice for those who are buying Ukulele for the first time. The length is around 26 inches and the scale length of this Uke is nearly 17 inches.
Since it is bigger than both above ukes, it offers more room for beginners to practice by making mistakes and learn the concept easily.
4) Baritone Ukulele:-
So, here comes the biggest Uke among all, this Baritone Ukulele has a length of 30 inches and 19 inches of scale length which makes it bigger than all types of ukuleles available.
It produces louder and deeper output among all ukuleles that we discussed above. Most people don’t prefer to choose Baritone because the size and tuning is almost identical to a guitar.
Now as we just discussed different types and sizes of Ukulele, let’s find out why size really matters when selecting Ukulele.
Why does Ukulele Size matter?
As I just said above, all ukuleles are generally played very similarly irrespective of what size they are but when it comes to tones and other factors that’s where the size really matters.
So, think that way, a bigger Uke will obviously produce more bass and deeper output than the small ones. The smaller Ukulele especially the Soprano Ukulele will produce trebly heavy sounds and it will be quieter than the heavy ones.
One more thing to notice is that the scale length also matters a lot, the more the scale length more the room you will get to move your fingers and thus making it more comfortable for you to learn Ukulele also it is a critical point for those who have big hands.
If you are a grown-up adult having big hands then I think the bigger size such as a concert and tenor ukulele will be a better choice for you because your fingers will get more room and it will be easy for you to play.
Which ukulele size to buy for beginners
So, if you are a beginner and you don’t know which of the 4 types is suitable for you then let me help you now.
Unless you are a kid I would suggest you choose between Tenor or Concert Ukulele because in a bigger Ukulele you will get more room to practice and also the sound that produces from a bigger Ukulele is somewhat more bassy, lounder, and deeper than the small one.
But don’t get me wrong, Soprano is equally good and many advanced Ukulele players often chose Soprano Uke because of its compact size and lightweight. Also, the Soprano was the original Uke. I am just telling you from my perspective.
if you are running on a very tight budget then choose Soprano because it is cheaper than the bigger ones.
I myself own a Soprano and Concert Ukulele and for an experienced player like me, I prefer to choose the Soprano because of its compact size.
Side Note: Any size of Uke is best as long as you are enjoying playing them, since all of them are played in a similar way, only there is a slight difference in output but once you start practicing and learn the art of playing ukes then you will understand how good it feels to collect Ukes of different sizes.
Understand your Budget
If you want to buy a Ukulele and don’t know how much it cost then let me be clear with you Ukuleles are literally very cheap and they are not as expensive as a guitar.
So, a budget of $50 to $100 will fetch you very good quality and beginner-friendly Uke. If you are having a budget of more than $100 then it’s good for you because the higher the budget the better the quality you will get. Now what do I mean by quality, I will get back to it later.
So, ideally speaking from a beginner’s point of view, a budget range of $50-$100 will get you a good Ukulele that you can enjoy for years without worrying about the quality and other things.
How to Check Ukulele Quality and why you shouldn’t buy a cheap Ukulele
It is very much important to know about the quality of the Ukulele, if you are spending your hard-earned money on something then you must check the quality of it.
The quality of the wood plays a really important role, so you must select the Uke that is having good wood quality, Also, if you increase your budget then you will get to see some good quality ukes from brands like Martin or Kamaka.
The good Ukes are always crafted very neatly and have good playability. And some expensive Uke also comes with features like inlays and rosettes, so if you are having a high budget then make sure to check those features.
Why Avoid Cheap Ukulele
You will find hundreds of Ukuleles available for $30 or maybe lesser but let me be very clear with y’all if it’s your first time buying a Ukulele then don’t go after saving a few dollars because it will completely ruin your first experience and you may not discover the real art of Ukes.
The cheap Ukulele often comes with bad wood quality and other factors also, which can make the tone really bad and when you are learning a new musical instrument, it will make your learning experience really terrible.
I have seen some people buying cheap ukuleles online and then complaining to me how frustrated they are because of how bad it sounds.
So, always keep one thing in mind when you are about to learn something new always make sure to spend on quality rather than saving a few bucks and regret it later.
Some Ukulele Models – Recommend by Us
So, if you have read all the crucial information that I just shared above, now its the time to recommend some Ukulele models that you can buy online from Amazon.
All Ukulele models that you are seeing below are used and tested by us, and thus we are recommending these Ukulele models to our viewers.
The price bracket where all our recommended Ukuleles lies is between $50 to $100. So, that’s pretty much the good price range for someone who just made up their mind to buy a ukulele.
Highly Rated Ukulele: AKLOT Concert Ukulele & Cordoba 15TM Tenor Ukulele
So, right now on Amazon AKLOT Concert Ukulele is very trendy and it has a very good rating by the customers. You can check the price on Amazon and then make your decision whether or not you are interested in purchasing this one.
However, if you listen to me this AKLOT Concert Ukulele is really amazing and beginner friendly. Since this is a Concert Ukulele, you won’t be facing any issues with the room. Even a person with big hands can operate this Ukulele.
Moreover, the body of the AKLOT Concert Uke is made of solid mahogany which is a really good thing about this Uke.
Now coming to Cordabo 15TM Tenor Ukulele, so this one is bigger in size than AKLOT Concert Ukulele, and in fact, the body of the Cordoba Ukulele is made of mahogany which results in amazing sound.
According to the customer reviews, both AKLOT Concert and Cordoba 15TM Tenor Ukulele stay in tune even after using them for like years, you don’t have to worry about tuning them often.
Budget Friendly Ukuleles: Kala KA-15S & Vangoa Soprano Ukulele
Now I know budget plays an important role and when it comes to the best in budget then how can we forget Kala KA-15S and Vangoa Soprano Ukulele? both these Ukes are pretty good in the budget and beginner friendly.
Ukulele Buying Guide is incomplete without Kala’s Ukes. Kala’s KA-15S is pretty much the old and trusted brand in Ukes and it is here since 2005, this brand has a separate fan base. Anyone who is looking for good quality entry-level Ukulele should definitely consider it. Even big players like twenty-one pilots use Kala Ukuleles.
Vangoa Soprano Ukulele is equally good as Kala Ukes and they have lots of similarities too. However, Vangoa Ukulele is slightly cheaper than Kala but it also gets the job done pretty nicely. You will also get the equalizer starter kit with Vangoa Uke.
Some Value for Money Ukuleles
Since this is a Ukulele Buying Guide I would like to share some value-for-money Ukes that I think you should take a look at. Hricane UKS-1 series is among the best-selling ukuleles on Amazon and it has some amazing customer reviews.
You will get amazing build quality and playability in Hricane UKS-1 series Ukuleles, you can check the price on Amazon from the below link.
Aklot AK series is the Best Beginner Ukuleles with Solid Top
I have already recommended one AKLOT Ukulele above, but if you are looking for the best beginner Ukuleles with a Solid top then definitely have look at the below Ukuleles by the Aklot.
Aklot Ukes has a solid top that helps in producing warmer and pure sound, also if you keep using the Uke then with time the tone will also get improve as the wood ages.
The rounded edge of this Ukulele will help you in practicing the Uke more comfortably. They also free lesson classes, so if you are interested then you must check it out, it is really helpful and has quality content.
Conclusion
So, this was our guide on how to buy a Ukulele. Ukuleles are amazing muscial instrument without any doubt and once you start playing them you will understand how good they are. I hope this Ukulele buying guide will help everyone who is in trouble finding their first Ukulele.
If you still have some doubts or further questions related to Ukuleles then don’t hesitate to drop your comment down below, I always try my best to read all the comments, and I will reply to each and every question of yours as soon as possible.