Need some advice - buying my first concert ukulele

Slumber

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Hey all!

I started playing the ukulele just two months ago, so I'm a total beginner. I've been practicing with my brother's uke, a aNueNue Concert Papa II that I really like, and now it's time to buy my own (concert) ukulele.

I live in a small town in Germany and there aren't many options to buy good ukuleles around here, I already visited all the music stores we have and didn't find any uke that convinced me. So I'll have to buy one online and won't be able to try it out, sadly.

Right now I can't pay more than 100€ for a new ukulele, but I guess that's okay considering I'm just beginning. So yeah, I'm looking for an affordable but good-quality concert uke.

These are the 3 models that I have in mind and could purchase online:

-The Makala MK-C
-The Cordoba 15CM (this one's a little bit more expensive than the others)
-The Koki'o LMHLMH-C (there isn't much info about this one, just a few (positive) reviews and some videos on youtube (example), but I really liked its design and the way it sounds)

Does anybody have some experience with any of this ukes and could give me some advice?

Thank you in advance! :D

EDIT: Oh, and another question: how necessary it is to have a tuner? With my brother's uke I used an app that seemed to work quite well, but I don't know if I should get a real tuner now.
 
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Check out SUS which is the Southern Ukulele Store in England. There are members here through out Europe including Germany who have bought from them with great satisfaction. They are highly respected and regarded on this site.

You dont need a tuner if you have an app. If you are playing with others or in a noisey enviroment a clip on headstock tuner is needed.

Of the three ukes you have listed listed I have heard best reports from the Cordoba. Well made and good sounding.
 
I don't know if you can order Caramel ukuleles in Germany, but I would certainly suggest one of their instruments as a starter.

I have the Makala MK-CE. It is a good, basic ukulele and was my first ukulele as well.

Nothing wrong with the Cordoba, either. I had a 15-CM but gave it away to a relative.

I don't know Koki'o.

I'm wondering if you can get the Octopus models in Germany? Barry Maz speaks highly of them (for the price point). I'm not sure if there is a concert in the Octopus--but we cannot order them in the United States.

As for a tuner, they are just convenient. A headstock tuner senses vibration rather than listening for sound, so as already mentioned, you can tune in a room with other noise. I used the Kala app for a while, a headstock tuner is just a better experience.
 
DUDave is correct.........the app for tuning will do fine. I also agree with his assessment regarding the Cordoba....best of the group. You might try looking for a Oscar Schmidt OU-2. They are a solid mahogany concert that I believe are sold worldwide. It's a good solid, all round well made 1st uke.
 
I have a Makala MK-C.

I have been really happy with it as a first ukulele. Still I think that I would aim a little higher to begin with if I were to start over again.
I bought mine because it was the only wood finish Uke within budget available in a physical store in Copenhagen, that day last spring at least.
I wasn't sure if I was going to keep playing or just try it and stove it away. The uke was good enough to get me hooked:)
If you know you like ukuleles, and you are prepared to go online, get some a bit nicer.

I can't help but feel that the logo makes the uke look even more beginner than it is.

If an app-tuner works for you, I guess there is no need to change that.
I still haven't tried one I like.
 
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Check out SUS which is the Southern Ukulele Store in England. There are members here through out Europe including Germany who have bought from them with great satisfaction. They are highly respected and regarded on this site.
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You dont need a tuner if you have an app. If you are playing with others or in a noisey enviroment a clip on headstock tuner is needed.

Of the three ukes you have listed listed I have heard best reports from the Cordoba. Well made and good sounding.

I would concur with Dave regarding the Southern Ukulele Store. The summaries they provide for the ukes they sell (and they have a large stock of good quality ukes) are very helpful. I am a Brit. but I live in France and their shipping costs to Europe are not too expensive ... if I remember, I think I paid £25 shipping for the uke I bought from them.
 
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The usual beginner ukes come from Kala & Ohana.

I bought a Makala MK-C when I started out also, but as UkingViking says, go a little bit higher in quality, (maybe a Kala KA-C or KA-CEM), as you have been spoiled by your brother's aNueNue Concert Papa II that you have played. ;)
 
I started with the Makala MK-C. It is a good ukulele. I still have it, and I still play it a lot. It is the ukulele in residence at our PR home. It goes to the beach and on bicycle rides. If I were to do it again, I would spend the ten or fifteen dollars more and get a Kala. I don't know why though. I've looked at the low end Kalas and they look like they are a the same ukulele, but I just would anyway.
 
I would also give another vote for getting a Kala KA-C or the Cordoba 15CM. The Kala KA-C was my first Uke and I think it is a great beginner ukulele. My friend has the Cordoba 15CM and it was just about the same in terms of value. Both are great :)
 
Kala and Cordoba are good ones, but I also think Caramel Concerts are excellent values for the money. Check them out on E-Bay and Amazon, I think they ship to Europe for free as well as the USA. Their CC-100 comes with a built in tuner and equalizer and it was only $55 US, I don't know how much that would be in Euros?
 
Germany-specific with a low budget, I would look at Guido Link's small shop at http://www.ukumele.de He sets up the instruments and will provide support later on also. Buying at SUS will add €30+ shipping to Germany since they use a DPD courier, which is super fast and very welcome for more expensive purchases, but may be less suitable for a lower budgeted instrument. They are a great place to buy from, though, like Dave said.

Importing from outside of Europe adds 19% VAT (applied to insurance and shipping costs also) + 3% import tax for musical instruments + a few Euros in fees for the post service (for collecting the taxes).
 
I have the Cordoba and I love it! It's a great little instrument. I've also got a headstock tuner and I really like having it for the convenience and accuracy. I'm not a very good "by ear" musician, so the tuner just gives me a little extra help. They're inexpensive, so I'd recommend it.
 
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Germany-specific with a low budget, I would look at Guido Link's small shop at http://www.ukumele.de He sets up the instruments and will provide support later on also. Buying at SUS will add €30+ shipping to Germany since they use a DPD courier, which is super fast and very welcome for more expensive purchases, but may be less suitable for a lower budgeted instrument. They are a great place to buy from, though, like Dave said.

Importing from outside of Europe adds 19% VAT (applied to insurance and shipping costs also) + 3% import tax for musical instruments + a few Euros in fees for the post service (for collecting the taxes).

Damned, SUS uses a courier service! And I considered buying something from them at some point :-(
In Denmark, I would never recommend private persons buying anything from a webshop that sends by courier.
Regardless of whether a parcel is delivered by post or courier, I won't be home when they come. The difference is that when I miss the post, I pick up my parcel locally. When I miss the courier, they want me to pick up the parcel somewhere in the countryside that I can't possibly get to without a car. Well, at least now I know, so I can order stuff to my workplace in stead.

About ordering from outside EU:
If you want an ukulele that you can't find in EU, but you can find an EU shop that carries the same brand, I recommend asking that shop to import it for you. Saves you trouble and money. When I bought my koa fluke I emailed a couple of vendors, and one of them was about to send an order anyway. I ended up paying the same price as I would have payed before taxes if I had imported it myself. I guess the shop pays taxes based on a way smaller amount.
 
Damned, SUS uses a courier service! And I considered buying something from them at some point :-(
In Denmark, I would never recommend private persons buying anything from a webshop that sends by courier.

It may be possible to make a special arrangement with them. I found them to be very helpful and forthcoming when I bought my guitarlele from them. It took two working days from the UK to my doorsteps in Germany (it came with DPD). DPD also sends you an email the day before and you can give them permission to drop off your package at your door without you having to be home. There is also the option to provide an alternate delivery address (e.g. a neighbor).
 
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