There are compelling arguments in favor of either style of tuners. Friction tuners give a more traditional, dignified appearance to your ukulele in some peoples opinions, but they have a tendency to slip and detune easily. Geared tuners can look kind of goofy on a ukulele, sort of like the ukulele has big ears (again- that is a personal opinion of some. I personally prefer the appearance of geared tuners because I think they make the instrument look more complicated to play than it really is, which is a plus.) Geared tuners are also generally better for tuning, because they tune more accurately and then stay in tune longer. All-in-all, it's entirely a matter of personal preferrence.