Which brands of ukulele should I consider??

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TheKlmslim

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I'm fairly new to the Ukulele trend, ive been playing for a little over a month now, but I am in LOVE. Right now I have a really cheap ukulele(Diamond Head DU150) I got it to see if I would love playing, and now that I know that I do I need something a little nicer for myself!

I know I for sure want a tenor sized, nothing too expensive(max budget $250), I'm looking for a laminate because where i live its super dry and i don't want to have to worry so much about it being hydrated or not. So far from what i have read Kalas are known for some great quality Ukuleles, even their laminate ones. But I feel the selection on models is very limited. I'm open to anything I just want something that is known for having quality instruments. I've heard of Ohana, Luna, Kanile'a, Islander, and some nicer ones like Pono and Mainland( although I'm fairly certain they only make solid wood Ukes, correct me if I'm wrong). so I'm asking for your advice, which brands make good quality instruments and which ones should I avoid? If anyone has a specific model they love I will happily accept any opinions or recommendations. I am a sucker for satin finish, so even better if its got that.

Thank you so much!
-TheKlmslim
 
If you're committed to your price range and to a laminate, I think Kala and Ohana are your best bets. Mainland is just a couple bucks above your max, but they are solid wood ukes. Really, keeping a uke humidified is really not that big a job-- sometimes I feel like it's overstated in discussions here. So you may want to consider Mainland, which I think may be the best bang-for-the-buck in your pricerange.

If I was buying a laminate uke in your price range today, I would probably go Kala. The new zircote model is eye-catching and has a nice tone: http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/brand/kala/kala-ziricote-tenor-ka-zct-t.html

With all import ukes, buy from a reputable retailer like HMS, Mim, etc. They'll help make sure you get a good one and stand behind the sale if you have any problems.
 
RichM said:
If I was buying a laminate uke in your price range today, I would probably go Kala. The new zircote model is eye-catching and has a nice tone: http://www.theukulelesite.com/shop-by/brand/kala/kala-ziricote-tenor-ka-zct-t.html
Click to expand...

I also would recommend the Kala brand for a good entry level instrument. They are relatively reasonable in price and widely available. I've played this one: https://vimeo.com/116961696 a KA-EBY-T in a music store and was impressed with the tone and play-ability. One thing to remember: Relatively humidity does not just affect the tone woods. If it is extremely dry, or if humidity fluctuates widely and rapidly, the fret-board can also dry-out and shrink exposing the ends of the frets.
 
I'm a fan of the Fluke/Flea ukes by Magic Fluke. They are quite humidity issue resistant, particularly if you buy one with the plastic fretboard. You can get into a tenor fluke in your price range if you're gentle on the options. Note that due to the bridge design, you'll probably need to make a fairly permanent choice about high vs. low G tuning, and that the base model comes with friction tuners.

The other uke in this price range that I've really enjoyed is the Islander - they have a wider fretboard and shallow neck that I find really comfortable. That said, my daughter's Islander soprano has some minor buzzing due to changes in neck profile most likely related to the low humidity where we live.
 
For your price you can probably snag a good used here in the marketplace.

I live in dry California. Other than my Koaloha, I don't use a humidifier. I have a Mainland and it does not need humidifier. Solid wood is such an upgrade. Skip the next level laminate and go with a real Upgrade.

I hope I'm not breaking any rules here. Larry the thin man is a very reputable luthier. He is the repair person for several music camps I go to. Never a complaint about his work and prices always fair. He sells seconds of Mainland and Makai and sets them up. In your price range. Ask him about a tenor.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/5990778333.html
Happy hunting!
 
Also, Gretsch makes a tenor laminate that sounds really good. I have one I would sell, but the shipping makes that hard. I have heard that the Koalana is nice, but I haven't played one. I like Ohana's laminate and solid top. A solid top instrument might be a good compromise that you could consider.
 
An awesome ohana is the tk50wg.
 
Also, any laminate from the following places will be above average, I think. I can vouch for Mim, especially, as I've bought from her more than once. One time, she called me two days after the purchase to report that the uke I was buying had a buzz that she couldn't fix, so she was going to refund me rather than ship it out like that.

If Guitar Center gets a cheap laminate uke that buzzes, they'll sell it anyway. Mim not only inspected it but didn't sell it. Guitar Center would never put that much effort into their cheaper instruments.

The other people on this list, from what I've heard, put a lot of care into their ukes, much like Mim.

Uke Republic
Mim's
The Ukulele Site
Elderly Instruments
 
Vouch for MIM's Ukes too. She's probably who I would ask.
I personally live in Arizona and like you, I don't want to deal with humidification, so I attempt to only buy laminates. I am a big fan of Kiwaya/Famous. I also like Flea's/Fluke's as they make a great travel uke when you move on to bigger and better ukes.
 
Just catching up...Larry the thin man has set up a few of my ukes and is a great guy. I watched him do two of them and could do the rest myself, but this is a great recommendation.
That said- Buy from Mim or Uke Republic. Anything you buy will be worth what you spend given the time they take to set up their ukes.
rubykey said:
For your price you can probably snag a good used here in the marketplace.

I live in dry California. Other than my Koaloha, I don't use a humidifier. I have a Mainland and it does not need humidifier. Solid wood is such an upgrade. Skip the next level laminate and go with a real Upgrade.

I hope I'm not breaking any rules here. Larry the thin man is a very reputable luthier. He is the repair person for several music camps I go to. Never a complaint about his work and prices always fair. He sells seconds of Mainland and Makai and sets them up. In your price range. Ask him about a tenor.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/5990778333.html
Happy hunting!
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Mim's the bestest. I'd order from Mike at Uke Republic too. Mainland also gives awesome service. Elderly would be my last option of these. You can't go wrong with a Kala, if you don't mind Chinese. I've had 3 and they were lovely, still have one.
 
I have one of these{Islander AT-4} and it is one of my favorite tenors, and I have a Collings, Martin, and a Koaloha.They are very plain, no bling, but are lightly built with a 1.5 inch neck width, which I prefer. I think I paid about $150 for it without a case.
out of stock at HMS and Amazon though.
http://www.theukulelesite.com/islander-tenor-acacia-at-4-w-hard-case.html

I did find one in stock at this place, but I'd ask HMS if they are getting more in as their price with a hard case is killer.
https://monstermusicny.com/products/islander-at-4-tenor-acacia-ukulele
 
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I'll second many of the recommendations here. I own Ohanas, a Fluke, a KoAlana, and an Islander. All fine ukes for different reasons. My first uke was a Kala 8-string tenor, which was above my limited skills at the time. If you're buying new, I'd also strongly recommend buying from one of the dealers that does setups. If you're in the U.S., that would be Mim, UkeRepublic, or HMS. Outside the U.S., I hear Southern Ukulele Store in the U.K. is quite good. Good setup is essential. Have fun!
 
In Oakland you are right on the Bay and down here in the South Bay I've never seen the humidity get low enough to be an issue but I have seen the humidity get up into the mid sixties which is borderline problematic. I really don't think you need that humidifier unless you really love running your AC in the summer (which I doubt you need to do since you live in Oakland.

Note, I'll second all the recommendations for a Kala. I got my wife a Ziricote Kala Soprano from HMS and it's real sweet (it's a laminate but it sure doesn't look or sound like one.)

-- Gary

-- Gary
 
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