What dollars do you call a cheap uke, a mid range uke, or a expensive uke.

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AussieUku

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He is a question I like to ask.

I like to see what your feelings are on the price of ukuleles...

So what price range would you call a cheap uke...

What price range would you call a mid range uke...

And what price range would you call a expensive uke...

Btw the last ukulele I bought I would call just going on mid range I paid $270 Australian for it.
 
If you got a Kamaka for $400 that might be considered cheap.
Unless all you have is $50, then that seems expensive.

Cheap and expensive are relative terms to what value you hold for it.
 
I think this has been done before on this board.
For me personally, I think <$100 is cheap (inexpensive)
<$400 is mid-range
>$600 is expensive

For me personally, I have some expensive ukuleles, and I have a couple of mid-range that are every bit as nice as the expensive ones.

Different folks have different budgets.

I really think that >$1000 is what most would consider expensive, but on my budget, that figure is lower! :D
 
I will submit an opinion:

Cheap : Under $50
Inexpensive: Under $150
MidRange: $150 to $600

All in USD,

Cheap means that it is not expected to play in tune or sound good.
Inexpensive means it is expected to play in tune and to have a reasonable quality of sound proportional to the cost.
MidRange means solid sound board, perhaps solid woods all the way through. Intonation should be very good, and tone/timbre proportional to the price.

I hope that helps.
 
Camsuke said:
It also depends on which currency you are talking about. We are definitely at a big disadvantage in Australia when we buy in USD, then add the shipping, duties & taxes.
Click to expand...

The cheapest uke I ever bought was in Australia! I bought a plastic one for AUS$29 at Allans Billy Hyde in Brisbane so I'd have something to play whilst travelling. No great tone monster for sure, but it was quite playable and stayed in tune. Gave it away to the daughter of a friend before departing and I believe she still plays it.
 
Cheap: less than 5% of my paycheck
Midrange: between 5% and 20% of my paycheck
Expensive: more than 20% of my paycheck

I get my paycheck every 28th of the month. All my ukes are cheap.
 
Rodney. said:
Cheap: less than 5% of my paycheck
Midrange: between 5% and 20% of my paycheck
Expensive: more than 20% of my paycheck
Click to expand...

My criteria is similar-but-different:

Expensive - equal to one month's rent or more
Midrange - anywhere between $100 and under one month's rent
Cheap - under $100

Worth adding - although based on MSRP, all of my ukes fall in the "expensive" range, I've never paid full price for any of them (and have only once paid more than the equivalent of one month's rent for a ukulele, which I no longer have - I liked some of the "cheaper" ones better!).

Also worth adding, I guess, is the fact that rent is exorbitant where I live :)
 
Thanks everyone for your replies so far...In Australia we always pay more for ukuleles unless you are in the right place at the right time and pick up a bargain...

Also sorry if this kind of thread has been done before... I was just seeing what people thought of there ukes whether they were cheap, mid range or expensive, as long as we are all happy with what we own and play that's all that matters.
 
Cheap - Under $100 (USD)
Mid-range - $100-$500
Upper range $500-$1,000
Expensive - above that
 
stevepetergal said:
Cheap - Under $100 (USD)
Mid-range - $100-$500
Upper range $500-$1,000
Expensive - above that
Click to expand...

Since I thought this was pretty close to mine, I decided just to steal and modify. I made a distinction between Cheap and Inexpensive only becuase the words are sometimes not synonymous. I'd probably bump a range or two up a tad.

Cheap - Under $100 (USD)
Inexpensive - $100 - $300
Mid-range - $300-$700
Upper range $700-$1,300
Expensive - above that (pretty good assessment since expensive can run well into 4 digits).

Some of this has to do with what Pono's cost when trying to place the price of different models... also Martin and the "K" brands. Opio models are mid-range.

John
 
I paid $89.00 for a Kala LA T
I paid about $ 325.00 for a PONO MTD used.
For me the Pono was expensive and the Kala was med range.
My first ule was a $ 29.00 Savannah Soprano. I thought it cheap until it led me to by all the other ukes. Now I consider it a very expensive $ 29.00 but worth every penny and then some. I would have spent the money on my other hobby.
 
Kinda subjective.. if I make a lot of money, obviously, I'd quote higher prices. I don't, so I think my prices below are reasonable. I guess that's kinda the point of this exercise.

Also, what spookelele said; if I managed to snag a $2000 uke for $700 I'd say that's cheap!

Without further ado:
Cheap: less than $60
Mid Range: $61-$350
Higher End: $351-$800
Expensive: $801+
 
Yes, "kinda subjective". My only comment is that as time has gone on and I have acquired finer instruments, I have been more willing to spend more on a Ukulele. I still have a concept of what cheap, mid-range and expensive is but that is perceived within the context of my current earning capacity. When that changes, as it will, I am sure I will rethink those definitions.
 
My daddy said nothing is worth than you are willing to pay for it,New car selling for $$$$$$ I am only willing to pay 50$$.I keep my 50$$ and WALK away.The first string instrument I ever bought new was a Makala concert uke.Less than a hundred dollar bill.I had to really reach to buy it to but ,but after playing every uke in the store it sounded the best. I might have paid a little more to have it but that would really hurt.Any how I belive it is up to what you think.
 
The first guitar I owned when I was 15 was terrible. It did however convince me that my desire to play guitar wasn't just a passing fancy. So I worked all summer and saved every penny I could. By my birthday in late August I had enough to purchase a Martin. One of the least expensive Martin's but still a fine instrument. That was when I learned that value wasn't measured by the number of dollars you spent.
 
As for new ukes...

Without further ado: (borrowed text from a previous poster) hehe

Cheapish: less than $50
Cheap: less than $100 to $50
Mid Range/Acceptable: $100-$500
Higher End & Expensive: $501 - $5000
 
My own destinction runs along the value offered rather than the price they cost. With this compass, I would consider most laminate Ukes to be entry-level, a solid wood construction from a renowned production line midrange, and a luthier-made instrument with customized features high-end.

In relation to price, I would say that you get a decent midrange instrument starting at $300 USD, High-end begins somewhere south of 1K. Best value, to me, is either available in the range from 300-1200, or 2000-3000.
 
under $40 cheap. over $180 expensive. Over $1k Silly.
 
Rakelele said:
My own destinction runs along the value offered rather than the price they cost. With this compass, I would consider most laminate Ukes to be entry-level, a solid wood construction from a renowned production line midrange, and a luthier-made instrument with customized features high-end.

In relation to price, I would say that you get a decent midrange instrument starting at $300 USD, High-end begins somewhere south of 1K. Best value, to me, is either available in the range from 300-1200, or 2000-3000.
Click to expand...

Well said. That's the only definition that I agree with. You made the point better than I.
 
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