In this article, I will be sharing top 10 best bass ukulele with y’all so if you are interested then keep reading this article till the end.
Ukuleles are undoubtedly an amazing affordable musical instrument and I myself own different types of ukuleles, I have collections of ukuleles and my best collection is bass ukuleles.
I own 4 bass ukuleles and all of these are my favorite ukuleles, the main reason why I love my bass ukuleles so much is that they sound so similar to big bass guitars.
As I have prior experience playing and owning ukuleles of different types, I am today reviewing some of the best bass ukuleles that you guys can buy online.
Those who don’t know what is bass ukulele then let me tell you they are simply ukulele that produces a loud and bassy tone just like bass guitars but their size is not as big as guitars. They are simply of typical ukulele size but with a loud and bass-oriented tone.
In recent years the bass ukulele has gained limelight and become very trendy because of the fact that they are very easy to travel with and are very compact and light in weight with a larger tone.
Now without wasting any further time let’s get straight to the list of best bass ukuleles in 2023.
Best Bass Ukulele in 2023
Below I have listed some of the best bass ukuleles that are available right now and all the bass ukuleles that I have listed below are the best that you can buy. A few of them are personally owned by me and some of them are included in the list after a lot of research work.
I have spent a few days creating this deep and resourceful bass ukulele buying guide for you so that you can invest your money in the right thing. Since there are lots of bass ukuleles available but most of them are trash and I don’t want your hard-earned money to get wasted on buying such ukuleles.
Kala Ubass Wanderer Ukulele
Kala is a well-known and trusted ukulele brand, I myself own different Kala ukuleles and I simply love them a lot. As I already said I have a collection of bass ukuleles, and the Kala Ubass wanderer will always be my favorite ukulele in my collection.
It is the best affordable bass ukulele by Kala, as compared to other bass ukuleles the price of Kala Ubass is very affordable.
The top, back, and sides of this ukulele are made up of laminated mahogany wood and that’s also the one reason why the price of this ukulele is lower than other bass ukuleles.
You are not getting solid mahogany wood but that’s okay it doesn’t really make a very big difference in tone, you can hardly notice any difference between ukuleles that are made up of solid and laminated wood, so don’t worry about that.
Kala has offered EQ to make the sound quality even better. You can adjust the bass and treble according to your liking.
I would say Kala has designed this ukulele very well, it looks so neat and simple yet attractive. The craftsmanship is amazing you can not complain, it’s Kala Afterall, they are well known for their high-quality craftsmanship and solid construction. This ukulele is built to last years.
I was really impressed by the sound and overall bass tone that this ukulele has, it is small yet it produces a very bassy, loud, and rich tone. I personally think that the sound is loud and bassy even when the uke is not plugged in, however, you can plug the ukulele to make the sound even louder.
The ukulele is small which makes it easy to carry and you do get a gig bag so that you can keep your ukulele protected.
Donner DUB-1
Donner is another new name in the ukulele market, the DUB-1 is the acoustic-electric bass ukulele by donner. The brand is not as old as Kala, but still, they are currently among the best ukulele brands.
If you are looking for a bass ukulele that sounds great, stays in tune most of the time, has a solid build quality, and has no extra noise then this is the ukulele for you.
The price of this ukulele is slightly cheaper than the Kala Ubass wanderer but that doesn’t mean they have used cheap materials. The build quality is strong and the craftmanship is also amazing, I have used this ukulele personally so I know how well this ukulele is made. Design and built wisely I have no complaints.
It feels very comfortable while holding this ukulele, you can keep playing it for long hours without getting any fatigue.
The body and the neck of the ukulele are made up of mahogany which indicates the ukulele is strong and solid, with a bright sound.
Donner DUB-1 has a pre-amp so that you can adjust the bass, volume, and treble accordingly. You get a built-in tuner as well, however, sometimes it doesn’t seem to work but don’t worry you can get a clip-on to fix that.
If you are practicing at home then there will be no need of plugging in the ukulele, it is loud enough. If you are playing at some concert or at some big hall then keep the ukulele plugged in to get a louder sound. What I like is there is no buzzing or extra noise when the ukulele is plugged in.
Donner has included a solid and well-padded gig bag to keep your ukulele safe and secure.
Oscar Schmidt OUB200K
You all have heard the name of Oscar Schmidt as a guitar manufacturer, this company is known for high-quality guitars but do you know they produce high-quality ukuleles as well? well, today I am introducing Oscar Schmidt OUB200K bass ukulele.
I have personally used two Oscar Schmidt ukuleles and one of my friends owns Oscar Schmidt OUB200K bass ukulele I have seen the ukulele so I know how well this ukulele is and an amazing choice for those who are looking for the best bass ukulele.
This ukulele comes with a satin finish which looks damn premium and since the back, top, and sides are made up of solid mahogany, it really provides a very good deep, rich, and bassy tone.
You do get a built-in tuner or pre-amp with this ukulele which allows you to adjust bass, volume, and treble accordingly.
The sound of this ukulele is very loud even when it is not plugged in, I really feel this ukulele is perfect for those who are genuinely looking for loud bass ukuleles. I have no complaints regarding the sound.
As I said I have used this ukulele, so what I observed the neck of the ukulele is slightly bigger than other bass ukuleles but it wasn’t any issue as I was able to reach all the strings even though I have smaller fingers.
It has nylon strings and it takes some time to settle in, my friend told me it took him 1 week to get the string fully stretched and once it is fully stretched, the ukulele will stay in tune most of the time. If your ukulele is not staying in tune then check this guide to fix the ukulele not staying in tune.
You can definitely check this ukulele, it is a decent ukulele available at a decent price. I didn’t find any serious issues so from my side this ukulele is 100% approved.
AKLOT Solid Bamboo Electric Bass Ukelele
Are you bored of normal solid wood ukuleles? well if yes, then let me introduce the Aklot electric bass ukulele to all of you. So, normally people prefer solid wood bass ukulele but this one is equally good and it has a very positive response from buyers.
Since the ukulele is made up of solid bamboo, it looks absolutely amazing and if you get it with black strings then I am 100% sure you gonna love it, it gives the ukulele a very aesthetic look. The craftsmanship is really nice, the texture is smooth and the finish is really perfect.
This uke comes with Aquila string which is by far my favorite string because of two reasons 1) It doesn’t make your ukulele go out of tune frequently 2) it feels very comfortable while playing.
It comes with an adjustable neck, so you accordingly adjust it convex or concave according to your playing preference. It is very easy to adjust the neck just rotate it clockwise to get a convex neck and counterclockwise to get a concave neck.
Aklot has also offered a preamplifier so that you can adjust the bass, treble, and volume according to your need and to adjust the sound further this uke also include a three-band equalizer. This ukulele is the perfect choice for practicing at home and while doing live performances.
I have not used this ukulele personally so I can not really tell how long this ukulele can last you but as I have researched online and what I found is this ukulele is pretty solid and can last you many years.
This ukulele is currently available at a very affordable price at Amazon so I think this ukulele is worth buying.
Hadean Acoustic Electric Bass Ukulele UKB-23
Hadean is a brand that is not as popular as other brands like Kala, Donner, and Oscar Schmidt but that doesn’t mean their ukuleles are any bad. Hadean UKB-23 bass ukulele is a very good ukulele made up of walnut material rather than Mahogany and this makes this ukulele different from other ukuleles that we have discussed above.
For bass ukulele I found the price of this ukulele very affordable, usually, bass ukuleles cost a lot but this one is very affordable, so if someone with a tight budget looking for a bass ukulele without breaking the bank then this is the one to go with.
I haven’t personally owned this ukulele by Hadean but after doing the research I am including this ukulele in our list of best bass ukuleles.
The walnut material that is used in the body makes this ukulele very attractive, the craftsmanship is really really nice, and attention to detail is very good. I really like the overall texture of this ukulele, the walnut color really makes the ukulele stand out.
Since it has a walnut top, back, and sides, the sound that this uke produce is very warm and unique in a good way. You will notice that this ukulele sounds a little different than ukes which are made up of woods like Mahogany and Koa.
This ukulele is equipped with Aquila Nylon strings which are very smooth and ensure tuning stability, if you are having no experience with rubber strings then give it some time you will get used to it.
It comes with EQ to tweak the sound and it has a preamplifier as well to adjust the treble, bass, and volume.
It is a compact 30-inch ukulele that produces a loud and bassy sound when plugged in. Since this ukulele is very lightweight, you can easily carry it along without any issues.
It is an excellent compact-sized ukulele that delivers outstanding performance at a very affordable price.
Caramel CUB402 Bass Ukulele
Caramel is another brand that is a well-known name in the ukulele market, mainly known for its budget-friendly ukulele. CUB402 is another budget-friendly bass ukulele by Caramel and I have a friend who last year bought the same ukulele at a very good price.
The overall body of this ukulele is made up of solid mahogany wood which makes this ukulele highly durable and strong. Since the top, back, and sides are made up of solid mahogany, it results in so good resonance as compared to the solid top and laminated woods.
I really got impressed by the tone of the ukulele, it is rich, warm, and deep. Plugging in the ukulele provides a lot better experience but if you are at home there would be no need of plugging in, the ukulele has enough bass and tone for practicing at home.
You do get 3 band equalizer with a built-in tuner to adjust the bass, treble, and volume. This ukulele is perfect for performing on stage, it has that punch in it.
One thing that I noticed in this ukulele is LED of the tuner is always on which results in draining the battery. And another thing is my friend told me that the strings have a sticky nature in them and sometimes he even had to apply talcum powder but that’s a very minor problem and there is nothing to worry about.
Caramel provides basic accessories such as a solid gig bag, strap, EQ cable, wall mount, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. I really shocked by the accessories they are providing at such an affordable price, many expensive bass ukuleles are not providing anything other than a gig bag, so this is something I really liked about Caramel CUB402.
Kala Exotic Mahogany U-Bass
I really love compact-sized bass ukuleles because of the fact they are easy to carry and they look cute, and if you also looking for something like a 21″ ukulele that provides excellent sound and looks stunning with solid build quality then Kala exotic mahogany U-bass ukulele is the one you should consider.
This is the second ukulele by Kala that I am listing on this list, and this one is different from what I listed at the top, this one is Kala’s most-selling bass ukulele and they include this ukulele in their premium high-end segment.
The term “exotic” that they have given to this ukulele is 100% justified, this ukulele has a semi-matte finish and looks so premium, thanks to the mahogany body.
The tuners are really solid and the polyurethane strings are rubber type, to get the instrument well tuned you need to stretch the strings by frequently playing the instrument, it will take a week or so to get the strings fully stretched.
Just like all bass ukuleles, this one also comes with a preamp to adjust the bass, treble, etc. Overall, the tone of this ukulele is rich and warm, and I am shocked to see such an amazing sound from such a small compact ukulele.
It comes with a gig bag that has U-bass branding on it. Overall, this ukulele is worth purchasing, the only downside is the price, I would say it is a little expensive for some people but for me, it is an amazing deal. It’s KALA overall, you can not go wrong with Kala.
Why do I like bass ukuleles more than other types?
There are literally many types of ukuleles, and I am not lying I have tried almost all of them, however, out of all types of ukuleles, bass ukuleles are one of my favorite types.
The main reason behind this is that these ukuleles are very traditional looking and have a very bassy tone in them. I am a big fan of loud bass so that’s also the reason why I really love bass ukuleles.
Also, they look so good, and design wise they are the best types of ukuleles. I have seen pineapple ukuleles, guitalele, banjoleles, etc but all these types of ukuleles look very dull to me, I don’t get the traditional ukulele vibe from them.
Bass ukuleles are small and give powerful output, they are not as big as bass guitars. They are easy to carry and very easy to learn, and that’s why I like bass ukuleles more than other types of ukuleles.
Some important factors to consider before buying a bass ukulele
If you are buying a bass ukulele for the very first time and have no prior experience with buying a ukulele then there are some very important factors that y’all should know before buying the ukulele.
I have owned lots of ukuleles so I know what factors are important, as per my experience of buying and using ukuleles, I believe the below factors are very important to keep in mind.
1) Build quality and Material
It is very important to check the material used on the ukulele’s body, if you buy a ukulele that is built out of a cheap quality material then your ukulele will not even last a year and it will not even sound like an actual ukulele.
Build quality and materials decide how long your ukulele will last and how good it will sound. So generally you should always look for ukuleles that are built of mahogany, koa, maple, walnut, etc woods. These woods are very durable and solid and you get a very rich and warm sound out of your ukulele.
There are solid and laminated wood as well, basically, if you have a choice between solid and laminated wood then always go with solid wood because what I have noticed is that they produce richer and warmth sounds as compared to laminated ones.
Never ever go with plastic ukuleles as they are not simply worth your money and time, they sound trashy and they will hardly last you a few months. So better to avoid all plastic ukuleles.
2) Budget Matters a lot
A typical ukulele from a decent brand like Kala will cost you $50-80 however when it comes to buying a bass ukulele then you should know a good bass ukulele from a good and trusted brand will always cost you more than $100.
So, if you have a budget of less than $100 and thinking to buy a bass ukulele then take my advice and hold on until you have a good budget. You will hardly find a good bass ukulele below 100 bucks, even if you find any then most probably that ukulele is built out of cheap material.
It’s not worth your time to spend money on something that is cheap and trashy, you will regret it for sure and it will even discourage you.
If you want to keep your bass ukulele for years and want to take the best possible performance out of it then keep in mind you have to spend at least $150.
And as you increase your budget furthermore you will get a better quality bass ukulele with the best possible features.
3) Strings Type
Many newbies make the common mistake that they don’t care about the string type and then they regret their decision of buying the ukulele.
In all my above-listed ukuleles, I have made it clear what type of strings is used, it matters a lot. It tells you how comfortable your ukulele-playing experience will be.
Let me elaborate on you, there are three types of strings used in ukuleles 1) Polyurethane 2) Aquila 3) Nylon.
Polyurethane is rubber-type strings that are very thick and have stretchy nature in them, if you have experience playing with rubber-type strings then this string will not bother you. However, for newbies, let me tell you these strings requires some time to fully stretched out. You need to keep playing and practicing to get your ukulele tuned, it usually takes a week to fully stretched out.
4) Prefer Lightweight instrument
What I have noticed is that people don’t really care about the weight of the ukulele whereas it is an important factor to consider before buying a ukulele.
Always try to get a ukulele that is light in weight, it not only helps in carrying the instrument around but also affects the tone of the ukulele.
In my personal opinion, what I have seen is a ukulele that is very heavy in weight sounds very dull and low as compared to the ukulele that is light in weight. Whenever I buy myself a ukulele, I always make sure to get the lightweight ukulele and I recommend the same to you guys as well.
Related ukuleles articles
- Best Ukulele for Kids
- Top 10 Best Ukulele Amps
- Donner Ukulele Review 2022
- 10 Best Online Ukulele Lessons
Final Words
So, that’s it, everyone, this was the article where I shared the best bass ukuleles with y’all I hope this guide will help you in selecting the best bass ukulele for you.
Make sure to consider the factors that I have discussed above before choosing your very first bass ukulele. However, all the ukuleles that are listed above are the best and I am sure if you even buy a ukulele from the above with closed eyes you will not regret it at all.
In the end, I only want to say that bass ukuleles are generally costlier than the normal types of ukuleles, so don’t hesitate to spend $150-250. You will get what you pay for so always try to get a quality ukulele from a well-known brand, instead of saving a few bucks and buying an instrument from not so well known brand.
If you do have recommendations then do let us know by dropping a comment below.