I want to give a pair of ukuleles to my friend’s 9-yr-old twins (my godchildren).
I have two basic criteria: I want the same model but in different colors, and I want them to be good enough to not turn them off of playing ukulele.
I’m trying to keep the budget at $80 (so $40 per ukulele).
Based on quality, it looks like the Makala Dolphin or Shark might be the best choice, although at $50 each, they exceed my intended budget.
Then there’s the Waterman, which is exactly the right price, and I think a great option. The only thing that worries me is that if you weren’t “in the know” about uke brands you might get the impression a plastic uke is only a toy. On the other hand, it may be perfect for young kids. Also I think these don’t require set-ups.
Then, comes a myriad of other import options on Amazon: Hola!, Mahalo Rainbow, ADM, Diamond Head, Octopus, etc. all have multi-color options in the $30-40 range. Picking these seems like a gamble though. I don’t how to evaluate them and reviews, while mostly positive, are mixed. (I also wonder if they’re coming from the same factory or if they’re any thing that distinguishes one over the other).
Are any of the these decent options? Is there any obvious choice I’m overlooking, either within my budget or with a small stretch? Is it worth it to extend the budget for Dolphins, or are the other options in the same league?
I have two basic criteria: I want the same model but in different colors, and I want them to be good enough to not turn them off of playing ukulele.
I’m trying to keep the budget at $80 (so $40 per ukulele).
Based on quality, it looks like the Makala Dolphin or Shark might be the best choice, although at $50 each, they exceed my intended budget.
Then there’s the Waterman, which is exactly the right price, and I think a great option. The only thing that worries me is that if you weren’t “in the know” about uke brands you might get the impression a plastic uke is only a toy. On the other hand, it may be perfect for young kids. Also I think these don’t require set-ups.
Then, comes a myriad of other import options on Amazon: Hola!, Mahalo Rainbow, ADM, Diamond Head, Octopus, etc. all have multi-color options in the $30-40 range. Picking these seems like a gamble though. I don’t how to evaluate them and reviews, while mostly positive, are mixed. (I also wonder if they’re coming from the same factory or if they’re any thing that distinguishes one over the other).
Are any of the these decent options? Is there any obvious choice I’m overlooking, either within my budget or with a small stretch? Is it worth it to extend the budget for Dolphins, or are the other options in the same league?