Help Me Decide which Uke to Buy!

Hello all. I am currently trying to decide between buying two ukes. The only uke I have right now is getting beat up, so here's what I am debating between:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...k-Soprano-Mint&p=928229&highlight=#post928229

and

http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=BIOhT4fEMIig8gS40I2mCA&ved=0CDcQ8wIwAA

Is about $150 your max budget?

If so, there are literally dozens, if not close to triple digit, options for you.

The problem is that, from my (admittedly limited) experience, there is not really a great deal of difference among the ukes at this price point. All are lams, and all are decent.

That said, the best of the bunch that I've actually played (and I've tried a pretty good number) are either the Islander lam or the aNueNue Papa / Lani series. I say that because the sound and feel for those are just of a better quality than the others.

But if you can, I'd either add about $100 to that budget or wait until you can afford it, because once you hit about $250 you start looking at solid wood options, and that makes a huge difference.

Alas, I am a poor college student :\

I really just want a good instrument that's not so much a toy like mine is currently.

RockPigeon said:

Alas, I am a poor college student :\

I really just want a good instrument that's not so much a toy like mine is currently.

Click to expand...

Islander MC, no question.

You'll be very happy with it. It's an amazing uke for $100. Sounds better than many at more than double the price.

PoiDog said:

Islander MC, no question.

You'll be very happy with it. It's an amazing uke for $100. Sounds better than many at more than double the price.

Click to expand...

Better than the Ohana CKT-70? I am willing to dish out 50 bucks more for something.

I've never played the Ohana, so I can't provide any comparison. Ditto the Vineyard. They may well be better players, but I wouldn't know. However, from the handful of $150 ukes with which I've had the chance to noodle around, the Islander impressed me the most.

Just one guy's opinion, of course.