Friction or Gear, Koa or Mahogany, Concert or Tenor?

I am new to playing the ukulele. I bought my first in October and I love it. I spent a small amount of money on a good beginner Ukulele. I bought a Lanikia Soprano and it was a great buy for the money. I didn't want to spend a lot in case I didn't enjoy it. Well now that I know how much I enjoy it I want to do the inevitable upgrade, but I have questions. I don't plan to buy a third Ukulele for a very very long time. this one has to last and be the right fit. I have 4 questions and all replies are appreciated.

1. What is the difference between Friction tuning knobs and gear tuning knobs.

2. Is there an big difference between Mahogany and Koa, if so what is the difference?

3. Which do you prefer, Concert or Tenor, remember I have no intentions of playing out in a band.

4. My budget will be up to $600. Any suggestions at that range?

Thanks for reading

Sic_Rob said:

I am new to playing the ukulele. I bought my first in October and I love it. I spent a small amount of money on a good beginner Ukulele. I bought a Lanikia Soprano and it was a great buy for the money. I didn't want to spend a lot in case I didn't enjoy it. Well now that I know how much I enjoy it I want to do the inevitable upgrade, but I have questions. I don't plan to buy a third Ukulele for a very very long time. this one has to last and be the right fit. I have 4 questions and all replies are appreciated.

1. What is the difference between Friction tuning knobs and gear tuning knobs.

2. Is there an big difference between Mahogany and Koa, if so what is the difference?

3. Which do you prefer, Concert or Tenor, remember I have no intentions of playing out in a band.

4. My budget will be up to $600. Any suggestions at that range?

Thanks for reading

Click to expand...

Welcome to UU and the world of ukeing!!! Friction tuners are the more traditional tuner. Friction tuners tend to require the strings to be tuned more than the geared tuners. My preference is geared tuners.
Koa vs Mahogany... there is some difference in the sound with the Koa being brighter while the Mahogany is more mellow. Here, you should play ukes of both woods to listen to the sound and see which sound you prefer. My choice is Koa, a native Hawaiian wood that is getting more expensive. For the size, again you really need to play all sizes to feel which fits your hands comfortably. I have large hands and tried a concert and a tenor. The concert was a little small but the tenor felt perfect. That is not to say I would never buy a concert. ( I am looking to buy a concert next!!)
As far as cost, at $600 you have a very large selection and will easily get what you want. Some of the popular brands in that range are Mele, Pono. But I recommend you visit Musicguymic on ebay. He sells all ukes, is a member of UU and is known for GREAT service and really good prices. He is located in Hawaii.
Hope this helps and I am sure there will be more advice from fellow UUers as well!!

Start cruising through youtube looking for ukulele videos, if you hear a uke that you like, write the name down. Keep looking for more videos of the ukes that you like, and don't rush into a purchase. If there's a decent shop near you, go and play some before you buy.


Our preferences don't matter at all, you need to decide which is best for you

1. Two types of friction tuners, one is a solid tapered post which matches a tapered hole in the peg head. The peg is held in place by the friction of the peg against the hole. The other is mechanical, in which the post rides on a top and bottom bushing, the friction is caused by a screw which pulls the post against these bushings. These tend to slip more so than geared tuners and can sometime be a bear to tune. Most folks prefer geared tuners over friction. See this article for more info and pix.

2. Mahogany tends to be mellower and has a deeper bottom end while Koa is just a scosh brighter. It really comes down to personal preference. Also take into consideration the build and tone wood combos. String sets is also an integral facet. If you're into aesthetics, then Koa would be your choice.

3. Another frequently asked question . . . the answer is preference. Comfortability, playability and feel will really determine what's right for you.

4. Look at the new Pono's (available soon), Honu, Ohana, Mele, Kala. If you decide on Mahogany, take a look at Mainland Ukes. Great instruments and you can save some $$.

I'm quite positive there will be other brand names thrown into the mix. Good Luck in your endeavor.

Glad you're sticking with the uke and ready to move up: that's the first step of UAS infection!

Geared tuners are easier to use. Accidentally knocking a tuner or turning it too much won't throw the string that far out of tune. But good quality friction tuners (if you're willing to spend $600 on a uke, it will have good tuners no matter what) aren't that difficult and shouldn't give you problems. If you don't like the tuners, you can always swap 'em out later.

To be honest, I probably couldn't tell a koa uke from a mahogany uke in a blind test. There are many exceptions to every rule about tone woods. In this case, I'd just recommend getting the one you think is prettier.

Concert vs. tenor is a matter of personal preference. Either way it'll be bigger than what you're playing now, and probably with a few more frets. Tenors tend to approach guitar-like sounds (depending on what strings you use), while a concert will be a little more uke-y.

You can get a great uke for $600 or less. Keli'i (koa, mahogany, or a combination of the two), Honu (koa), Kiwaya (mahogany), Mele (various woods), and Pono (various woods) are in this range. Chances are you'll be happy with almost any of these.

Hi Kanaka916,

The only thing I think I know is that i would liek a solid wood. Although, I have heard that some companies are do great things with Laminates.

I have been reading a lot about Mainland and It's all good. Everything comment or review is either people love their Mainland Uku or is buying one next. all good.

I found only 1 shop in my area that has any uku's and they only had 3 Concerts and 1 very cheap piece of junk. The salesman admitted he new nothing about them. It is a little frustrating living in the north east coast and liking Ukulele. I am very anxious but I do not plan to rush. Thanks for your great advise.

The northeast is rough for uke players. Most stores have no idea about the ukes they sell. There are good stores in the NYC area, but you have to pay out the butt for anything good. If you have the opportunity to play a concert or a tenor (even a bad one), see if you like how either one feels, size-wise.

Check out MGM's eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com:80/Musicguymics-Room__W0QQ_scZ1QQ_sopZ10
Give him a call if you're still undecided; he always has good recommendations and he doesn't kill you with the shipping charges.

I can sympathize with you about the lack of music stores who carry ukuleles. You can check out the Music Store Listing and most have websites. NY has a couple of stores worth checking out. I know it's the onset of the Winter season, so driving is definitely out of the question. With more info and research, you be better armed to make the right decision.

I voted for gears, but I like the look of friction pegs better, and I have to admit, all three of my ukes have friction pegs. They are tolerable, particularly after the strings have settled in and are more or less done stretching. Mahogany and Koa are both medium hardwoods, and have similar sounds. Each size up uke gives you longer strings and therefore a deeper/lower pitched sound, and more frets, so more notes can be produced. I like concert over soprano, but I haven't owned a tenor. I'll have to try one of those next.

I would say try really really hard to find other ukulele players in your area so you can scope out their ukes. Without actually touching it, holding it, and playing it it's really hard to tell what your preference is - and all of your questions are a matter of preference.

On the other hand, I just bought a uke of the internet from a brand I'd never even SEEN in real life and I am EXTREMELY pleased. I just looked up a ton of reviews for the price range and size I wanted and after watching a Ken Middleton review video I made my choice.

Getting SUCH an upgrade will probably mean that no matter what, you'll be happy. Going from a less expensive uke to a koa or mahogany uke will sound amazing, even if it turns out that you have a preference for the other wood. Getting the 'wrong' tuners for your preference will not kill your joy with your instrument. The only thing you really need to be sure about is the size, because that could make you significantly unhappy.

My favorite uke right now is the first Koaloha concert I picked up. (I also play a Kelii soprano quite a lot.)

Your mileage will vary.

As to friction v. geared. It's a non-issue. I really don't understand the problems that some folks have with friction tuners. The ukuleles I tend to play the most all have friction and all I ever have to do is give them a little tweak and I'm good to go. I'd say that aesthetically, I prefer them to geared and certainly when changing strings I much much prefer a 1:1 turning ratio which makes it a breeze. They also tend to be lighter and balance the instrument better.
It's going to be a personal preference in the end, but I wouldn't be intimidated by the perception that friction tuners are some kind of unworkable mess. They're just tuners.

Lanark said:

My favorite uke right now is the first Koaloha concert I picked up. (I also play a Kelii soprano quite a lot.)

Your mileage will vary.

As to friction v. geared. It's a non-issue. I really don't understand the problems that some folks have with friction tuners. The ukuleles I tend to play the most all have friction and all I ever have to do is give them a little tweak and I'm good to go. I'd say that aesthetically, I prefer them to geared and certainly when changing strings I much much prefer a 1:1 turning ratio which makes it a breeze. They also tend to be lighter and balance the instrument better.
It's going to be a personal preference in the end, but I wouldn't be intimidated by the perception that friction tuners are some kind of unworkable mess. They're just tuners.

Click to expand...

:agree:
I personally prefer friction, both for tuning and looks. Don't get me wrong geared tuners are the bomb, but I just prefer friction.

As for wood type Koa. I started on a mahogany and after my first koa there will be nothing else.

(did I say guava pineapple)

Sic_Rob said:

I am new to playing the ukulele. I bought my first in October and I love it. I spent a small amount of money on a good beginner Ukulele. I bought a Lanikia Soprano and it was a great buy for the money. I didn't want to spend a lot in case I didn't enjoy it. Well now that I know how much I enjoy it I want to do the inevitable upgrade, but I have questions. I don't plan to buy a third Ukulele for a very very long time. this one has to last and be the right fit. I have 4 questions and all replies are appreciated.

1. What is the difference between Friction tuning knobs and gear tuning knobs.

2. Is there an big difference between Mahogany and Koa, if so what is the difference?

3. Which do you prefer, Concert or Tenor, remember I have no intentions of playing out in a band.

4. My budget will be up to $600. Any suggestions at that range?

Thanks for reading

Click to expand...

You have a nice budget price range. In that range you got some pretty good ukulele options. I first will recommend two companies. One is a Hawaiian and the other is an import that is hand made. KoAloha ukuleles get my first bid. Your price might be a bit short for a new concert or a tenor but used ones can be had as well as factory seconds for a discounted price. My next choice would be a Mele ukulele. This are the best import IMO. They are solid wood and hand made. Not far behind is Mainland ukulele, big island ukes, and then Ponos. Some people say kanilea but I really never found one that I liked.

As far as wood choices I'd say that it depends on your sound. My first three ukuleles were mahaghany and I dearly miss them. I currently own only koa ukuleles and in January or february I am getting two mahaghany ukes. I'm going with a Mele concert and a Mainaland Tenor or vice versa or it might be mainland soprano and mele concert or tenor. What can I say? UAS!!!

I never owned an ukulele woth friction tuners untilk I got a KoAloha. I didn't pick this koaloha out, Papa KoAloha did and I was stunned at how well it stays in tuned. I had always heard negative feedback on frictions and I really don't understand the big deal. I do like the look of the head stock with out tuner ears b ut the tuners on my sceptre are phenomanal.

Now as far as tenor or concert. I own two tenors, 1 concert, and one long neck soprano. I like the concert size the most right now but next week it might be the tenor size.

mattclara said:

I voted for gears, but I like the look of friction pegs better... They are tolerable, particularly after the strings have settled in and are more or less done stretching... ...and more frets, so more notes can be produced. I like concert over soprano...

Click to expand...

:agree:The better the friction peg, the more tolerable, but they're not that bad once you get the hang of 'em. Remember, as with any string instrument, after a good stretching, start flat and tune up to pitch.

Geared Koa concert.

Ahnko Honu said:

Geared Koa concert.

Click to expand...

pineapple right?

Sic_Rob said:

The only thing I think I know is that i would liek a solid wood. Although, I have heard that some companies are do great things with Laminates.

Click to expand...

Definitely go for solid all around if you can, which shouldn't be a problem within your budget.

Laminate back/sides are generally ok, but you for sure want a solid top.

Ahnko Honu said:

Geared Koa concert.

Click to expand...

haolejohn said:

pineapple right?

Click to expand...

Geared Koa Concert Pineapple

i chose gear, don't know what they mean, but Im with the majority!

Tuners. Geared or Friction?

What do people prefer? Geared tuners or friction type? Are there any other types that I don't know about?

Thanks peeps.