Beginner Ukuleles? Which one is better?

violitic

violitic

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Hello! I'm new here, and I want to buy a real ukulele. :) I have one that my dad put together a long time ago, but it's not very good quality. I have NO idea what brand to choose. I looked at a few websites, but I still don't know. There's no store near me, so I'd probably have to buy online. I was thinking either Kala KA-C Mahogany Concert Ukulele or a Mitchell 12-fret concert. I'm thinking of spending around 100 dollars.

Here's the Kala:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...17145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=B00172YM40

And the Mitchell:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/folk-traditional-instruments/mitchell-mu70-12-fret-concert-ukulele

Which one should I go with? I really like the look of the Mitchell, but is the Kala better quality, or what?

Other than that, is there anything else I need to get? Should I get a tuner, a capo, a case, and a book too?

And do I need a certain brand of strings? Or do these ones come with the right kind? Aquila, right?

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks! :)
 
I would recommend calling HMS or Mim, tell them you want a $100 concert and see what they recommend. Do not buy from amazon or musiciansfriend as that instrument won't be setup and you stand a good chance of ending up with something hard to play.
 
Jim offers excellent advice -- the proper set-up makes an incredible amount of difference & is worth a few extra bucks for shipping & over the discounters who simply "box 'n ship" whatever they receive, unlike HMS who rejects ~20% of their received inventory owing to their high standards!

Your "which is better" question is highly subjective, but I'd certainly pick the Kala brand over Mitchell (I happen to love my all solid Kala Tenor cutaway!) A few other brands worth considering in the lower price range include: Cordoba, Gretsch & perhaps the solid topped Lunas. On that note, if you can squeeze a few extra bucks into the budget, you'll likely save some upgrade dough in the near future, as there simply is no comparison to a solid top vs a laminate topped instrument, and we're not talking big bucks here. The sides & back body matter far less, but the sound board offers an amazing tonal improvement over ply (top) constructed Ukes!

Good luck, & happy shopping!
 
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I highly recommend looking at and Islander by Kanile'a, model MC-4 concert Mahogany ukulele. The Islander has a retail price of $169.00 and our price is $128.00 on this model. http://www.islanderukulele.com/page111.aspx

The Islander's are designed by Kanile'a and hand crafted in China to Kanile'a specifications, sent back to Hawaii for final inspection and factory set-up in the Kanile'a factory in Hawaii.
 
I agree with this post. For that price, definitely look at Gretsch. The put out an incredible value and nicely built uke (I own the cutaway Tenor with the pickup) and my friend owns one of their concerts that are solid Mahogony. There are many options and getting something that is set up is nice. I will say my first uke ever was a Lanikai soprano and it's still going strong today. It's all Nato wood, yes it was cheap but for the price it couldn't be beat and I was not sure if I would like it so I think my budget was $50.00. For 100.00 you should be able to get a nice first uke for sure.

I would definitely go for a solid top.

Good luck and let us know what you ended up with.

Cheers,

NoKaOi said:
Jim offers excellent advice -- the proper set-up makes an incredible amount of difference & is worth a few extra bucks for shipping & over the discounters who simply "box 'n ship" whatever they receive, unlike HMS who rejects ~20% of their received inventory owing to their high standards!

Your "which is better" question is highly subjective, but I'd certainly pick the Kala brand over Mitchell (I happen to love my all solid Kala Tenor cutaway!) A few other brands worth considering in the lower price range include: Cordoba, Gretsch & perhaps the solid topped Lunas. On that note, if you can squeeze a few extra bucks into the budget, you'll likely save some upgrade dough in the near future, as there simply is no comparison to a solid top vs a laminate topped instrument, and we're not talking big bucks here. The sides & back body matter far less, but the sound board offers an amazing tonal improvement over ply (top) constructed Ukes!

Good luck, & happy shopping!
Click to expand...
 
violitic said:
Other than that, is there anything else I need to get? Should I get a tuner, a capo, a case, and a book too?
Click to expand...
You will find that there are threads here on all these subjects, but here's my quick take:

You will want a tuner. I use a Snark SN-2, an affordable clip-on tuner that gets the job done. You can do without a capo at first (or maybe forever). A case or gig bag can keep dust out and humidity in, and toward that end, you might want to buy or make a humidifier. There are lots of free videos and websites for beginners, but if you prefer a book, this thread has some suggestions.
 
Wow, thanks guys. My dad's actually going to try and take me to a few music stores to see if they have any ukuleles. I was looking at Lunas and a few of you said they were nice. If i don't find any stores that carry ukuleles near me, could I order a Luna? Like would it be ready for me to play?

I would prefer it to be lighter wood, so which models from kala, lanikai, or another brand like that be good for me to start with? I can probably convince my dad to help pay for it, so around 150$ can be fine too.

And for the Lunas, they should be solid top?

Would something like this be good?

http://www.amazon.com/Kala-Solid-Spruce-Concert-Ukulele/dp/B00173877M

I'll try to see if I can find a store, but I live in a small town and I don't know if they'd have ukuleles.
 
Unless you have the tools and know how to do a set up yourself, don't even consider buying a uke, especially an inexpensive one, from either of those outfits. Check out Hawaiian Music Supply, Mim's Ukes (she sells through eBay and her brick and mortar store - you can she what she has my searching "Mim Ukukele" on eBay), Uke Republic, etc. These are folks who love ukulele - they carry some inexpensive ukuleles but the difference is that they set them up for you.

John
 
violitic said:
Okay, thanks. Then if I don't find one in a store, would this be okay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MIM-KalaCon...637?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27cfa5b375

And is anything from Hawaiian Music Supply set up?

I really like this one:

http://www.theukulelesite.com/kala-solid-spruce-top-concert-sc-satin-finish.html
Click to expand...

Yep...Mim and HMS both have very good reputations here. It's a safe bet anything either of them sells will be set up well enough to be a good uke for a beginner to learn on.
 
OldePhart said:
Yep...Mim and HMS both have very good reputations here. It's a safe bet anything either of them sells will be set up well enough to be a good uke for a beginner to learn on.
Click to expand...

Okay, thanks! It looks like my dad will be able to take me to a store that most likely will have ukuleles. But it's good to know that I have a backup. Thanks again!
 
Everything from HMS is set up, from cheapest to most experience.

BUY FROM ONE OF THE ONLINE SELLERS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. They are telling the truth. Setup is everything in a budget uke. HMS has sent me 2 ukes and they were perfect. HMS did right by me.

I'm sure that Mim's and Uke Republic do just as well.
 
Just so you're clear - most stores DON'T offer set-up as part of a Uke purchase, so make sure you're buying from one that:

1. includes set-up
2. comes recommended as being capable (skill-wise) of supplying said set-up.

It is perfectly acceptable to purchase online from one of the stores mentioned in this thread, after having spoken to (or communicated with..) store personnel about what your particular budget & desires are.

violitic said:
Okay, thanks! It looks like my dad will be able to take me to a store that most likely will have ukuleles. But it's good to know that I have a backup. Thanks again!
Click to expand...
 
Don't get suckered in to one of the "Big Box Store" ukes just because they were there and you plinked on the strings for a few seconds. Until you experience a good one for yourself, you won't know the difference. I agree with the rest of the people on this thread. Go with a trusted vendor. I'd rather go sight unseen with the vendors listed here than something in person at Guitar Center or Sam Ash.

I bought a Luna, only to have the neck twist and a hump develop at the neck joint making it virtually unplayable at anything above the first few frets. They're pretty as wall hangers, and that's where mine is now. All I do now is dust it periodically and cry over the money that could have been spent on something better.
 
NoKaOi said:
Just so you're clear - most stores DON'T offer set-up as part of a Uke purchase, so make sure you're buying from one that:

1. includes set-up
2. comes recommended as being capable (skill-wise) of supplying said set-up.

It is perfectly acceptable to purchase online from one of the stores mentioned in this thread, after having spoken to (or communicated with..) store personnel about what your particular budget & desires are.
Click to expand...

Okay...I feel so stupid right now xD But I get it now. My dad's still going to take me to a store but we'll make sure we ask about setup. And if they don't do that then I'll order online.
 
violitic said:
I would prefer it to be lighter wood, so which models from kala, lanikai, or another brand like that be good for me to start with? I can probably convince my dad to help pay for it, so around 150$ can be fine too.

And is anything from Hawaiian Music Supply set up?

I really like this one:

http://www.theukulelesite.com/kala-solid-spruce-top-concert-sc-satin-finish.html
Click to expand...
Yes, that was my first uke which I got through HMS (theukulelesite) a year ago. I have other ukes now but I still play that spruce top concert Kala regularly. It was set up beautifully by the folks at HMS and I think that had a LOT to do with me sticking with playing.
 
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BlueLatitude said:
Yes, that was my first uke which I got through HMS (theukulelesite) a year ago. I have other ukes now but I still play that spruce top concert Kala regularly. It was set up beautifully by the folks at HMS and I think that had a LOT to do with me sticking with playing.
Click to expand...

Yea, that would be the one I would order if I can't get one in store. :)
 
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