Ready to buy my first ukulele

Hello all, I am new to the board and I read the intro post, searched and read all the posts in "does size matter"
Like any string instrument I know the kind of wood matters for sound,
I am looking to buy my first ukulele, I don't want a plastic one, I seen one made from coconut wood and painted up real nice with palm trees and such, probably more for show than playing.
I seen posts about the width of the body but what about the length of the ukulele?
Just searching a few pages on amazon I have seen them ranging from 14 to 22 inches, is there a better length for beginners or does it even matter?
What is the average length most people start off with?
Thanks for any help... Anton

Depending on where you live, I recommend a $37 Caramel Concert as a first ukulele--and then save up for your next purchase. The Caramel will more than get you going--and is a really cheap way to get into playing. Within the first three months, you'll be shocked how much you learn!

Where do you live? Are there any ukuleles close by you can try? I'm not suggesting you buy a uke from Guitar Center or the like, but you can at least try the different sizes and see what you prefer. "Average" doesn't matter. You need to find out what fits *you* and the only way to figure that out is to try some.

Anton,

If you do not currently own a ukulele, follow Choirguy's advice. An inexpensive concert ukulele is a great place to begin your ukulele journey. If you would rather buy locally, visit your nearest music store and have one of the salespeople help you pick one out. Whichever route you choose, make your choice without reservation. Don't spend hours researching the forums or the internet in general. You may end up with what is commonly called "analysis paralysis" and be unable to make a decision for fear of making the wrong decision.

Just buy that first uke and enjoy playing it. After you've spent some time playing it you'll be more able to make an informed decision about your next uke. Yes, your next uke. It will happen.

I'm more skeptical of beginning with a cheap, not set up ukulele, because the instrument may get in the way of enjoyment and improvement. Setup is something I feel is crucial especially for someone who may not even be able to tell what the problem is that causes them to not get on with the instrument. Buying instruments off of ebay is, in my opinion, something for the more experienced, not for the beginner.

I'm with Jim on this: Go to a store, if you can, and try out different sizes and brands. See if something feels better than the rest. If that's not an option or you still can't decide, hit theukulelesite.com and listen to sound demos for different sizes. Does any size sound best to you? If so, buy an affordable uke in that size from a vendor that includes setups. If in the US, buy from theukulelesite.com (HMS), Mim's Uke (can also ring her up), or Mainland. In Europe, consider Southern Ukulele Store.

Your first uke is unlikely to be your last, but you can increase your chances that you get it right in the first try by buying something that is setup and that checks some boxes. Nobody can predict what size works best for you, and there are no beginner or expert sizes. I'd not go into this with the mindset that you'll start hoarding ukes anyway. It's one of the things that I did that I wish I hadn't done.

At this point, I'm not much worried about recommending Caramel. The last 18 or so ukuleles we purchased came set up to the "standard" 2.65mm action at the 12th fret. With that level of accuracy (3 different orders), I have no hesitation to recommend a Caramel as a first ukulele.

And for the record, I have not received anything free from Caramel or a discount. Our 50 Caramels were all purchased at their full price...and even so collectively cost less than many custom ukuleles!

I'd suggest a concert scale as a first instrument, don't buy too cheaply, as it won't sound very good.
(Try to afford a uke between £50 ~ £100 if you can.)

I suppose my take is a bit contrary to popular opinion. I advocate for the, spend as much as you can afford (or feel good about affording) for your first instrument, approach. Or at least, spend enough to get something that you think is AWESOME. While I've only been playing ukulele for a few years, I am a longtime musician and have taken on a few different instruments over the last 25 years. For me, I find that if I buy a cheaper, this-is-good-enough-to-get-started, type instrument, I am much less inspired to pick it up every day and play than I am if I get something that excites and inspires me because it sounds and feels (and maybe looks) great.
I have seen so many friends over the years want to start playing guitar, bass, or uke, then buy a cheap instrument to get started, only to let it collect dust because they weren't inspired to play.
Furthermore if you spend a little more up front on quality and decide the instrument isn't for you, you can always sell it.
As far as size, you will have to put your hands on a few and see what feels right. I started with a tenor, and continue to primarily play that size. I do have one concert now though, and am considering adding a soprano to the arsenal as well.

I'd personally recommend a Kamoa E3 (in the size that feels best). Kala, Lanikai, Oscar Schmidt, and even Fender make some mid-level that are pretty decent for the money too.

Benjolele said:

I suppose my take is a bit contrary to popular opinion. I advocate for the, spend as much as you can afford (or feel good about affording) for your first instrument, approach. Or at least, spend enough to get something that you think is AWESOME.

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I get what you are saying, but the advice comes from someone who could likely afford a better instrument at the starting point, as well as from a musician who understands the difference between a starter instrument and a better instrument.

My concern is for the person who isn't committed fully to ukulele, spends $250 to $800 on an instrument that they later sell at a 40% "loss." I would rather see someone get into the ukulele with a decent starter instrument for $37 and decide they are committed, putting that next $250 to $800 in a future ukulele. If Caramel didn't exist, I am not sure I would support this route--but it does, so I do.

Choirguy said:

I get what you are saying, but the advice comes from someone who could likely afford a better instrument at the starting point, as well as from a musician who understands the difference between a starter instrument and a better instrument.

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Yes. All of our opinions will be filtered through our own experiences and prejudices.

The OP is new to ukulele. For this reason I think it makes sense to recommend one of the very fairly priced and entry level instruments from one of the many companies who are well-known to the ukulele community for making such instruments. I think Caramel, among others, fits well into that category.

Getting back to the OP's original question. Concert scale. Get a concert scale instrument. That's what I started with, so there's my filter.

I also agree with the opinion of getting the best you can afford even at beginning. It'll inspire you to practice. At least it did for me.