Lanikai Lu-22CLK or Islander M-4? Entry Level Ukulele

mattnguyenn

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Lanikai Lu-22CLK or Islander M-4? OR Best Entry Level Concert $150 Area?

hello there guys :) this is my very first post on the forum, and so i thought it'd be nice to get the community's input on my first ukulele purchase. i have begun a newly found interest in ukulele playing, with the piano and the violin being my primary musical experiences. i have saved up about $100-150 for my first uke, a concert sized one in particular.

i have done some research here and there, and had set my eyes on the lanikai lu22clk, which seems to be a limited edition variant of the lu-21c:
http://lanikaiukes.com/laniblog/ukuleles/limited-editions/lu22clk-concert-size-ukulele/
i found a new one that i can get for around $130.00 shipped

the lanikai choice above ^ was already set to go until i stumbled upon the islander mc-4 series of concert ukes:
http://islanderukulele.com/page111.aspx
this i found i could get for $130.00-$150.00 shipped

i dont exactly plan on upgrading to any other better uke once i get one out of the two, so i thought i'd get my first brand new rather than a used.
*** i am not limited to these two uke models/brands! any recommendations for the best concert sized ukulele at the $120-$150 mark will be taken into mind :)


both are aesthetically very beautiful instruments in my humble opinion. i have seen many positive reviews on lanikai branded ukes regarding material and sound quality (aside from them being made in china... not that i really care) as for the islanders, i have not heard much, but they are in the same price range as the lanikai and i'd love some more information on the mc-4's in comparison to the lu22clk/lu-21c. thanks for you guys' help in advance! and sorry if this has been asked before... im still learning to navigate around the site :p
 
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My admittedly uninformed opinion (since I've never even handled either of these models) is to recommend the Islander. The reason is pretty simple: even though both are laminates (as are pretty much any 'ukulele in your desired price), the Islander has the Kanile'a name behind it, so there is likely going to be at least a little more attention to detail and reputation than with Lanikai.

That isn't meant as a dig against Lanikai at all, since by all accounts they make very good ukes. But if it were me, I'd lean toward the marque that was associated with one of the premier uke makers over one that wasn't.
 
My admittedly uninformed opinion (since I've never even handled either of these models) is to recommend the Islander. The reason is pretty simple: even though both are laminates (as are pretty much any 'ukulele in your desired price), the Islander has the Kanile'a name behind it, so there is likely going to be at least a little more attention to detail and reputation than with Lanikai.

That isn't meant as a dig against Lanikai at all, since by all accounts they make very good ukes. But if it were me, I'd lean toward the marque that was associated with one of the premier uke makers over one that wasn't.

:agree: big time
 
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