Upgrading from soprano to tenor

A

Adhrast

Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone!
I've been lurking here for a while, and as a crappy guitar strummer I fell in love with ukulele as soon as I saw my girlfriend's brother playing it.
I hurried to Amazon and bought a cheap (but, as far as my limited luthiery knowledge go, decently made) Afuaim soprano ukulele.
I'm learning chords, new strumming patterns etc, but after some weeks I'm starting to feel a bit limited by the small soprano, though I love its sound.
So I'm looking online, trying to see what a limited budget (between €100 and €200) can buy as far as tenor ukulele, electro acoustic preferably, go. I'd like to amplify and even record it with Garageband down the line.
I have my eyes on the Makala MK-TE, or the seemingly superior Kala counterpart.
What are your suggestion for a budget but decent and playable tenor ukulele?
 
I am puzzled about why you consider it an "upgrade" to change from a soprano ukulele to a tenor. Would you think of a change from a violin to a cello as an upgrade?

John Colter
 
Google Caramel Ukuleles. There is an all solid Acacia with pick up for $95.00, model CT203. You just can't find an all solid wood uke with pick up for that price anywhere else that is decent quality. This make has got a lot of positive reviews here. There is a massive thread on these ukuleles if you want to search for it and read all about it.

Kala is always a safe bet because they are a large well established and respected company. Go to Southern Ukulele Store website. Search tenors and find Kala KA-TEME, click purchase. This is Kalas exotic mahogany (all laminate) tenor with pick up, just under your budget. I have played a number of these and they are very good. Here is why I suggest you make this purchase. You are getting it from an excellent retailer that specializes in ukuleles and does a proper set up, most important. If there is an issue they will take care of you down the road. Kala really are the best over all quality for your price range
 
Last edited:
Yes to everything Dave said. Kala is a well respected brand, so you know you're getting your money's worth. Southern Ukulele Store is a great place to buy from in Europe, or check out what Andreas David has in store at "Gute Ukulele" in Berlin, Germany. Both stores will pick the best models from the best brands in each price range, and set them up to their full potential.

In the world of ukes, "upgrading" usually means getting a "better" instrument, not just a "bigger" one. For a true upgrade, I'd look at an all solid wood instrument from a brand that is well respected by ukulele players, such as Pono or KoAloha Opio. Under 300 Euros, everything is constructed with laminated woods.
 
Sorry guys, I didn’t mean to ruffle anyone’s feathers, English is not my first language so I might have used the wrong word. By “upgrading” I meant that I feel somewhat limited by the soprano I have right now and I’d like to have a bigger instrument with more space on the fretboard, that’s all, sorry if I offended anyone, I didn’t mean I consider the soprano an inferior instrument or anything like that :)
Anyway, thanks for the useful replies, I’ll look into the Caramel ukes!
 
No need to apologise!

My first ukulele was a Lanikai and I liked it, it had a bright sound, you could try that too. Like the others said, you can't really go wrong with a Kala ukulele.
 
Electro acosustic - Kala or Baton Rouge, they are laminate, but good quality ukes. :)

(Another maker I recommend is Ohana, but I'm not sure if they have an electro acoustic.)
 
ukantor said:
I am puzzled about why you consider it an "upgrade" to change from a soprano ukulele to a tenor. Would you think of a change from a violin to a cello as an upgrade?

John Colter
Click to expand...
+1
If you persist long enough on your uke journey, you will land up owning one of each size.. soprano, concert, tenor, baritone and maybe the sizes in between as well ;-)
 
I think you might try a concert scale ukulele first. It will give you a bit more fretboard space and, in comparison to many less expensive sopranos, a fuller tone. At least that's my opinion. I personally feel concerts hit the sweet spot in the world of ukes..... not that I dislike tenors, or sopranos, fkr that matter.
 
Sorry about that, Adhrast. I guess I did over react a bit. My own uke journey has been more than twenty years (and counting). In that time I've owned sopranos, concerts and tenors, but now it's just sopranos for me. I'm sure you will find the uke that suits your needs - there are lots of 'em out there!

Enjoy!

John Colter.
 
ukantor said:
Sorry about that, Adhrast. I guess I did over react a bit. My own uke journey has been more than twenty years (and counting). In that time I've owned sopranos, concerts and tenors, but now it's just sopranos for me. I'm sure you will find the uke that suits your needs - there are lots of 'em out there!

Enjoy!

John Colter.
Click to expand...

It’s all good, I get where you’re coming from :)
Not saying I dislike soprano ukes, just that I want to try a bigger one, more fretboard space, deeper sound etc :)

Anyway, thanks for your input everyone!
 
I, too, was somewhat offended by the term "upgrade".

But coming from an ESLer it is forgiven...
 
aremick said:
I, too, was somewhat offended by the term "upgrade".

But coming from an ESLer it is forgiven...
Click to expand...

Let's pretend I used "switching" or "changing", or something like that, would it make you feel any better? :p
 
No - that won't do it, Adhrast. That suggests that you are making a permanent change, and we all know you will eventually realise that the sop is the original, and only true, ukulele. The instrument of connoisseurs and gentlemen (OK - gentlepersons). :)

John Colter.
 
When I first started playing ukulele five years ago, I already had a soprano Mahalo that I bought just to be a wall hanger, I didn't know about sizes. When I played it, the fretboard was too small, so I tried the other sizes and found that tenor was the best size for me. I will only play tenor, I have eight.

8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
kohanmike said:
When I first started playing ukulele five years ago, I already had a soprano Mahalo that I bought just to be a wall hanger, I didn't know about sizes. When I played it, the fretboard was too small, so I tried the other sizes and found that tenor was the best size for me. I will only play tenor, I have eight.

8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
Click to expand...

That's what's happening to me I think :D
Any suggestion regarding a decent budget tenor?
 
In my opinion, with the level you are playing at now, just about any tenor will be a joy to play. But, keep the soprano. The soprano is high g and the tenor could be low g. Most ukulele songs are high g anyway. When you become better and can push the tenor to it's limits you'll be ready for a better tenor (or concert). So, in short answer, figure out your budget first and then find an ukulele.
 
cyber3d said:
In my opinion, with the level you are playing at now, just about any tenor will be a joy to play. But, keep the soprano. The soprano is high g and the tenor could be low g. Most ukulele songs are high g anyway. When you become better and can push the tenor to it's limits you'll be ready for a better tenor (or concert). So, in short answer, figure out your budget first and then find an ukulele.
Click to expand...

No way I’m letting the soprano go, I just want a tenor as well :)
I’ll keep searching for the one that suits my needs (and budget), thanks!
 
Adhrast said:
That's what's happening to me I think :D Any suggestion regarding a decent budget tenor?
Click to expand...

In that first year of playing the uke, I went through sixteen, most were decent and between $100-$200, all but one I bought online. The one was a Kala KAATP-CTG-CE for $369 towards the end of the year recommended by Mim (a highly regarded US dealer), which I found in a local shop. Once I played it, I knew I had an especially good one, in my opinion it even rivaled the $1000 K brands, so I traded in a few for it and sold or re-homed all but three. The Kala became my go-to gig uke.

The lesson I learned was I spent a lot of money on "budget" ukes being locked into the idea that I was a beginner and put a cap on the high amount, which I shouldn't have. In the last four years I've added four more really good ones, including custom made, that ranged from $300 to $780.

The others have made good recommendations, but if you can, save up and buy one in the 300-400 range. Southern Ukulele is a good place to contact.

8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
Last edited:
kohanmike said:
The others have made good recommendations, but if you can, save up and buy one in the 300-400 range.
Click to expand...

This mirrors my experience. When I decided to go into ukuleles, I went straight to the tenors because, to my ears, the soprano sounded like a toy kind of like how a plastic novelty harmonica sounds in comparison to my meisterklasse Hohner harmonica. Be that as it may, I bought an Oscar Schmidt for about $200. It was fine because I didn't know any better. Then I upgraded to a Cordoba for $400 and I was a shocked. With the Cordoba I could play Bb major and the ends of the frets didn't scratch me as I transitioned between chords. I knew that was only the tip of the iceberg in terms of quality, so I upgraded again and nowadays I play my Kamaka and a custom-built tenor.

Therefore I too would suggest getting something better than a beginner-tenor. Someone on the thread mentioned Kala. I have a Kala baritone which is my knock-about ukulele and it is excellent. I assume their tenors would be as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
  • Poll
Upgrading Soprano Fender Venice ukulele
Replies
5
Views
626
man0a
M
flyingace
Upgrading 40 yr old Kamaka Soprano... Bad idea?
Replies
5
Views
718
Roselynne
Roselynne
riceboy927
upgrading my soprano?
Replies
5
Views
658
mm stan
mm stan
K
Thinking about upgrading my Cordoba 15tm.
2
Replies
22
Views
960
keithfavara
K
Joe Strummer
Upgrading tuners to Grover 6
Replies
2
Views
280
Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
Top Bottom