First Ukulele?

[JenUK1995]

Hi People,

What's the best ukulele for a beginner? I had my eye on a Kala KA-S and a Luna Tattoo, but I wasn't sure if there were better choices. I'm looking to spend under $100 also (if possible) the girl on here https://www.weelinks.info/u/learn-the-ukulele/ is using the Kala, it looks good but will it be good for a beginner like me?

Regards - Jen

 

[Croaky Keith]

Unless you can personally handle several models/sizes, I personally think starting out with a concert scale is the best option.
Soprano can feel quite cramped when starting from scratch - another good option would be a soprano with a concert scale, such as this Flight ukulele.
https://flightmusic.com/product/flight-tusl50-salamander-travel-concert-scale-soprano-ukulele/
They have been getting good reviews lately - otherwise I would normally recommend Kala &/or Ohana.
P.S. I have owned a Kala KA-S, it was a good uke, but soprano just didn't suit me.

 

[Jerryc41]

Sorry, but there is no "best."

The first thing you have to do is set a budget. Obviously, you don't want a $25 uke. That's what I started with, and I continued with it for a couple of years. Once you decide on a price range, you can ask "this or that" questions. You can't go wrong with an Ohana or a Kala. I recommend going to https://mimsukes.com/

Mim is excellent. She's a one-person operation, so she stops selling each week as she gets to her quota. She'll give you good advice and sell you a good uke. Email her and explain your situation.

 

[Dohle]

Unless you can personally handle several models/sizes, I personally think starting out with a concert scale is the best option.
Soprano can feel quite cramped when starting from scratch - another good option would be a soprano with a concert scale, such as this Flight ukulele.
https://flightmusic.com/product/flight-tusl50-salamander-travel-concert-scale-soprano-ukulele/
They have been getting good reviews lately - otherwise I would normally recommend Kala &/or Ohana.
P.S. I have owned a Kala KA-S, it was a good uke, but soprano just didn't suit me.

I completely disagree. Particularly if you haven't played a stringed instrument before and are just starting out with an ukulele it hardly matters which scale you go for first since you have to get used to the scale anyway regardless of the size. Unless you have really big hands and/or fat fingers, I see no issues starting with a soprano.

Kala is a decent brand for beginners as are Ohana and Flight as well. If you don't mind having a mostly plastic uke (with a wooden soundboard) then the Flight travel series is one of the best value you can get at around $50.

 

[JenUK1995]

Thank you for the insight guys, so Kala is decent for beginners?

I will check out flight music and post back

Regards - Jen

 

[Luke Plays Uke]

The Kala KA-S makes for a great first ukulele. Decent tuners, nice looks, a good feel and tone, and a great toe in the water of ukulele.

 

[EDW]

Another good independent dealer who could help set you up would be https://www.ukerepublic.com

Being someone who loves the soprano, both in size and feel I would have no problems recommending that size, but whatever works for you is good

 

[man0a]

If you're spending less than $100, playability is more important than sound quality. You want an instrument with decent tuners and good intonation. Name-brand instruments will almost always come with decent strings. Buy from a dealer that will inspect the instrument for defects and adjust the setup to make it easy for a beginner to play. I've never bought from Mim, but she has a good reputation for setting up beginner-level instruments. Other dealers that do good setups often don't sell instruments for under $100.

 

[clear]

If you don't care too much about looks; then, in addition to the Kala KA-S, you should also consider the Kala KA-15S. They play and sound the same; but KA-15S is 30-40% cheaper because it doesn't have the binding and nickel frets of the KA-S. Bindings help protect the instrument, and nickel frets resist corrosion better; but if you are careful with your instrument, then they don't matter that much.

 

[UkingViking]

Avoid cheap Luna models. They have a bad reputation, and I once had a Luna Tattoo (pineapple) that was a bit of a dud.
I would go with the Kala. My first uke was a Kala Makala MK-C, which was a good beginner uke. If I was to do it again I would have gone with a real Kala model though. I got tired of the Makala headstock before getting tired of the sound.

 

[bbkobabe]

Hi there!

I started with a Makala Shark (yellow!) soprano and then moved up to the Kala KA - C concert size. The Ohanas are good also, and are also a good value. I also own a Luna Tattoo soprano, and it also sounds great, but beware: The Lunas seem to vary wildly in quality. Mine sounds great, but I've played others that sound awful. Hmmm...

I do like the concert size, and it's a good size for beginners I feel. The sopranos were too small for my hands and a bit of a struggle for me. You will have to judge that one for yourself!

Some of my students, when buying their ukes, bought cheap "package deals" online... You'll see lots of these if you look on Ebay, for instance: Uke, tuner, case, maybe a strap also, for $50-75. Here is the issue with these: Tuning. They fall out of tune FAST, and you can't even play one song without being out of tune by the end. DON'T DO IT! Not worth it... The cases are nice, though...

Also: Here is an advantage with buying a Kala: I had an issue with one of my Kalas (a tuner, of course) and you know what? I emailed them about my issue on a Friday, and by the next Friday the replacement tuner was in my hand, mailed to me, no charge. That's what's so cool about Kala. Ohana is also a California based company and has a similarly good reputation for quality and service... I got a uke bass from them that was defective and they took it back no questions asked! There is an advantage buying from an established company that cares about their customers...

But here is the thing: What ever you settle on, play it daily. Put it on the couch, keep a chord chart handy, and if nothing else play through the 21 basic chords every day. Go to UkeBuddy for tuning and chord diagrams...Then, get a basic book from the library and start with something with just two chords like "Jambalaya" and come up to speed with it. It will take a while before you start having fun: Push through that hard part and keep going... You can do it!

Bill

 

[actadh]

I started with a little First Act kiddy soprano and got hooked. Then went with a Luna concert that was purchased with a setup, so it was fantastic. Still love that Luna, but my heart is with sopranos.

I think any size is fine, as long as it is set up. Mim, Uke Republic as mentioned are some that do a setup. I practiced with Uncle Rod's Boot Camp every day.

I have from sopranino to baritone and each is special to me. You will find joy in any size.

 

[woordt]

If you have the chance, go visit your local music store and hold a few different ukes. With your budget you’ll stay clear from duts. Feel if the neck suits your hands, if it is not too thick, or if the fretboard feels too narrow, that kind of instant ‘fysical observations’. Playability is what makes most people stay after the fifth cord...good tone comes next. And remember, you pay for looks, so if you want a decent starter uke, don’t bet on bling.
Mine was a Takamine Soprano, still play it with pleasure. Happy hunting and have fun playing!

 

[robinboyd]

My first ukulele was a Luna Tattoo Pineapple. I regret it.

 

[UkingViking]

A couple of reviews on the ukes in the OP, only that there is only a review of the concert size Luna Tattoo:

https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/09/soprano-ukulele-shootout-ohana-sk-10-vs.html?m=1

https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/10/luna-tattoo-concert-ukulele-review.html?m=1

I will repeat, the Luna doesn't play as nice as it looks.
The Kala will probably be a suitable choice for a first uke.
There are lots of alternatives that are also great, many of those mentioned in this thread.

You don't write how much though you have put into the size you want to play. If you want a "standard" soprano, get a soprano. If you don't know which size you want, preferably go to a music shop and try a few. If that is not an option - well, I will back the motion of concert size being awesome, but if it is a soprano you fancy you shouldnt settle for anything else. One scale is not better to begin on if you ultimately want to play another scale. Get the size you want to play from the beginning and learn to play it.

 

[peanuts56]

My first was a Fluke Concert and it served me well. I bought it in 2000-2001. I live in Connecticut and there was a store in downtown Waterbury that only sold merchandise made in Conn. Flukes were made in New Hartford Conn. at the time and it was maybe $200. Ovation Guitars are made in New Hartford as well. I still have it and do pick it up from time to time. Good instrument for the money and an interesting design.

 

[chrisplaysmusic]

Definitely check out the Enya Nova. I snagged one and really like the quality and design. It's 90 bucks on amazon right now with 5-star ratings. Comes with case, strap, capo. Also includes online lessons which I haven't tried yet to offer my opinion on. Comes in several color options too. I recommend continuing to read up and ask questions like you are but at the end of the day, your personal taste and budget with narrow you in on some good options. check out some options here https://www.guitarlobby.com/best-ukuleles-for-beginners/ and I'm sure you know YouTube is a great resource as well. The Donner DUC-1 and the Oscar Schmidt OU5 are other great options for a student/beginner. The Donner being a more budget friendly option but the Oscar Schmidt if you have the budget. Very nice build quality, great looking too, with Grover tuners, fretboard binding, abalone top binding, Koa body, natural gloss finish. I own one of these as well but gave it to my niece to learn on and kept the Enya Nova. Maybe I should have kept the OU5 now that I'm thinking about it typing this, but she plays more often than me soooo its all good I suppose lol.

 

[jaycebrycen]

A couple of reviews on the ukes in the OP, only that there is only a review of the concert size Luna Tattoo:

https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/09/soprano-ukulele-shootout-ohana-sk-10-vs.html?m=1

https://www.gotaukulele.com/2015/10/luna-tattoo-concert-ukulele-review.html?m=1

I will repeat, the Luna doesn't play as nice as it looks.
The Kala will probably be a suitable choice for a first uke.
There are lots of alternatives that are also great, many of those mentioned in this thread.

You don't write how much though you have put into the size you want to play. If you want a "standard" soprano, get a soprano. If you don't know which size you want, preferably go to a music shop and try a few. If that is not an option - well, I will back the motion cutfullprice of concert size being awesome, but if it is a soprano you fancy you shouldnt settle for anything else. One scale is not better to begin on if you ultimately want to play another scale. Get the size you want to play from the beginning and learn to play it.

Thank you for the links and your suggestions. I'm a beginner myself and I was looking for a ukulele that will be appropriate for a newbie. I will go to a music shop and try to see which one fits me better. I am a very tall guy with long arms .