Beginners don't have to spend a lot, apparently

My path into ukes was weird - it started out as a joke, really, and then passing by a flea market that sells second hand instruments, I thought, if they have one for under $40, I'll get it. The guy sold me one for $25. I figured it was a toy, but what the heck, I'll get to see if I like ukes. It is a little ply guy, but I checked out the neck, frets, sound hole, action and sound, and actually was surprised at how well it passed those tests. Unexpectedly, within a day, I became a uke-aholic. (I played classical guitar years ago, but haven't touched an instrument in over 10 years.) I couldn't put the thing down - rapturously in love with ukes now. Not just strumming, but finger style too, and I even started arranging, including looking to my classical past and my interest in early lute music. Then I thought, oh heck! too bad I didn't know I'd fall madly in love, or I could have put that $25 towards a Lanakai or a Kalo, etc. While resting my fingers, I read reviews, and window shopped at MGM's Ebay, thinking I would happily shell out another $100-$200 to get a better beginner uke because I fell so hard for it. Today I went to a local guitar shop, that carries a few ukes. They had a Lanakai 21 there, and to my shock and amazement, for $50 more, it wasn't that much better than my little ply guy. It wasn't until I got to the $300 koa ukes I began to feel a difference. Therefore, I have to throw my hat into the ring with the people who say beginners should just buy a little Makalo or a Lanakai 11. If you get one that has come out of the factory okay, they are quite nice to learn on. The neck of my little guy is straight; it holds the tuning; the action is nice; no buzzes anywhere- and the ones under $200 were no more comfortable to play and the sound quality wasn't appreciably better. Wow - whodda thunk? So I am counting my blessings, and saving my money to invest in a really good one next. I found Aquila strings on Ebay for $5 and will be adding those, and I am thinking I should be a very happy ukeholic. I hope all beginners shopping for a first uke are as lucky as I.

Congratulations and welcome to UU. There are a lot of nice cheap ukuleles floating around, as well as a lot of expensive duds. Enjoy yourself!

Welcome to UU and yes the uke is addicting...hope you enjoy...check out youtube and search for ukulele mike for lessons

Welcome to UU! It's been said here many times that a cheap Makala Dolphin, properly set up and with Aquila strings, makes a great starter uke. You need not spend a fortune to enjoy the uke. You will eventually, but it's not required....

I enjoy my cheap ukes. I also enjoy the nice ones. You need a few of both kinds.

mailman said:

Welcome to UU! It's been said here many times that a cheap Makala Dolphin, properly set up and with Aquila strings, makes a great starter uke. You need not spend a fortune to enjoy the uke. You will eventually, but it's not required....

Click to expand...

I agree 100% with the mailman......a Makala set up with aquila strings is probably THE best beginner uke out there!!
Welcome to the UU!!!

Aloha BB, Welcome to the UU and our humble forums...
I always believed to get a cheapie first to see if you're going to stick to the plan...if so then get a good one as you'll save on the upgrades and have a good player that sounds good,
have good playability and is comfortable.... and less fustrating to play...BTW- what brand is your first ukulele anyways...and she should be happy with the new strings, especially
aquilla's....Have Fun and "Keepstrumming them strings" MM Stan....

brindlebutt said:

Unexpectedly, within a day, I became a uke-aholic. (I played classical guitar years ago, but haven't touched an instrument in over 10 years.) I couldn't put the thing down - rapturously in love with ukes now. Not just strumming, but finger style too, and I even started arranging, including looking to my classical past and my interest in early lute music.

Click to expand...

Welcome, brindlebutt (love that nick!).

There are quite a few of us here with backgrounds in classical guitar, which translates beautifully into fingerpicking on uke. Classical sounds so charming on four-stringers. Here are some resources to get you started (blatant copy/paste from another recent post):

http://ukulelehunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/solobuch.pdf
http://ukeclassicaltabs.blogspot.com/
http://sites.google.com/site/classicalukulelearrangements/
http://ukucafe.wordpress.com/about/arrangees-par-moi/
http://www.microshare.net/tri-tabs/
http://ukuleledav.web.officelive.com/default.aspx
http://www.chiefnoda.com/ukulele/index.html

Be sure to check out Ukeval's threads. He's also a lute player who has posted a lot of classical/early stuff on uke.

And if you're so inclined, join our Classical Ukers social group.

Yup - the Makala Dolphin, is proof in a small package that beginners dont need to spend a fortune.