ukulele noob needs advice!

ashleyow

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I want to try playing ukulele, but I have no clue which one to buy. My first criterium is that it should be cheap. I don't know if I will continue playing, so there is no need to splash money. At the same time I want it to sound ... at least not really bad.
Any advice?
 
What is your budget? What you consider inexpensive and what I consider inexpensive may be completely different. Aim for inexpensive (low cost for value) not cheap (crap ;) ). Burn some time reading gotaukulele.com for reviews.

Buying cheap is either a road to frustration and quitting or too expensive since you’ll want to replace soon. There are inexpensive starter ukes in the $50-$200 range that will carry you far.

If you can, see if there’s a local group you can join and listen and maybe try out a few instruments to see what size sounds best to you. Every group I’ve been to has been very friendly and welcoming that way. If there’s a good local musical instrument store that’s an option too, but I’m leary of mass market guitar store ukes (possibly local bias: my local mega guitar mart has awful ukes and clueless but high pressure sales folks). The good music stores near me tend to be higher end.

I recommend Mimsukes.com for an inexpensive starter. She’s the only reputable online dealer I’m aware of with extensive inexpensive stock. Anything she sells is reasonable and she checks things out, sets them up, and makes sure they’re playable.

My first was a cheap Fender which looked much cooler than it played. It turned out expensive since I very quickly replaced it with an Ohana concert from Mim. That one still makes me smile, and I still sometimes play it even though my tastes run towards larger sizes (the best size is purely a matter of personal taste)
 
Since I'm probably considered by others as a low-level intermediate for playing my first fretboard instrument, I wouldn't take my advice as seriously as some of the great players and teachers in this forum, but I still have some thoughts that might help.

Buy a relatively inexpensive ukulele from Mim and ask her to set it up with the most "relaxed" strings as low as she can without a buzz, and enjoy practicing and listening to your new instrument.

Then, start listening to what other ukuleles sound like. Either find others who play or buy a clip on tuner and go to your local music store and tune them all (even the cheapest) and listen to them. You don't need to be able to play anything: Just strum a chord or two and pluck the individual strings at a few places on the fretboard. You'll be amazed at all the different sounds/tones/resonance these little instruments can have - all with the same chord or note sounded. If you're like me, you'll want to have a couple of other ukuleles with all these different "sounds". And once you make that decision, you're on your way to UAS!

(UAS stands for Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome, a set of symptoms shared by many in the forum. The answer to the question "How many ukuleles is the correct number to own" is: "One more".)

Good luck with your first purchase.
 
I would normally recommend to skip the entry level market and go straight for something decent (my go-to would be an all solid wood Pono for around $300). My assumption is that a better instrument will sound better and will therefore make you want to play more, making you a better player quicker. Moreover, in order to justify the higher cost, you might want to practice more often and abstain from quitting all too soon.

Yet the way you explain your situation, perhaps it would indeed be best to start with something really cheap, yet decent enough. My choice in this segment would be a Kmise Concert which you can get from Aliexpress for around $50 USD, including shipping, a gigbab, and a tuner. In my experience, they are well setup from the factory and WAY nicer than any Makala, Shark or Dolphin (and way cheaper than any of the well-known brands like Kala, Cordoba, Ohana or Luna, where you will always pay extra for the name).

Good luck with your search, I hope you will stick to the ukulele! It's such a fun and easy to learn instrument.
 
You should also get a tuner and a case. A tuner could be as simple as a free app got you phone/tablet or computer. Some ukuleles will come with a case. If the one you,pick does not have one bargain for one. Mom for an Ohana would be good. You could get some good deals if you get a grade b instrument. These are instruments that have minor flaws in the finish. If you have a local music shop check it out. Some places will allow you to rent if you are not sure you will want to continue. Luck and enjoy!
 
I want to try playing ukulele, but I have no clue which one to buy. My first criterium is that it should be cheap. I don't know if I will continue playing, so there is no need to splash money. At the same time I want it to sound ... at least not really bad.
Any advice?

You may already have the advice you need by now, but in case you're still wondering, I'll pile on. What part of California do you live in? If you're in one of the major metro areas (LA, San Diego, S.F. Bay Area) there are some very good stores that carry a good selection of ukuleles. You can try them and see which one you like.
 
The first thing is to find out what size is right for you. Soprano, concert, tenor or baritone. Many people start with the concert size. If possible try out some instruments to see which suits you best.

James Hill suggests that you start with the size that allows you to hold the uke in the crook of your arm and your fingers naturally reach the fret board between the top edge of the body and the sound hole.

There are lots of decent ukuleles to be had for around $50. They will sound and play reasonably well and will allow you to decide if you want to continue. Any cheaper than that and most likely you won't like the way it sounds and it will be difficult to play chords and strum. If you can spend a little more, do so. But don't go crazy.

Enya, Flight, Makala also offer inexpensive starter ukuleles that are pretty good. Do some research with online reviews of different brands and models.

I second the ukulele club route. You'll find friendly people and you can hear various instruments. Some even have beginner ukes at the meetings for you to try. Stores can be a bit overwhelming with so many instruments. It's much easier if you have watched some videos and read some reviews and know what to look for. Knowing a little of the lingo helps when you talk to a person at a store.

Get a tuner. Some places will give you one if you buy a uke from them, or one may be included in the box.

Most important: Have fun looking. Ask questions and keep an open mind.
 
The first thing is to find out what size is right for you. Soprano, concert, tenor or baritone. Many people start with the concert size. If possible try out some instruments to see which suits you best.

James Hill suggests that you start with the size that allows you to hold the uke in the crook of your arm and your fingers naturally reach the fret board between the top edge of the body and the sound hole.

There are lots of decent ukuleles to be had for around $50. They will sound and play reasonably well and will allow you to decide if you want to continue. Any cheaper than that and most likely you won't like the way it sounds and it will be difficult to play chords and strum. If you can spend a little more, do so. But don't go crazy.

Enya, Flight, Makala also offer inexpensive starter ukuleles that are pretty good. Do some research with online reviews of different brands and models.

I second the ukulele club route. You'll find friendly people and you can hear various instruments. Some even have beginner ukes at the meetings for you to try. Stores can be a bit overwhelming with so many instruments. It's much easier if you have watched some videos and read some reviews and know what to look for. Knowing a little of the lingo helps when you talk to a person at a store.

Get a tuner. Some places will give you one if you buy a uke from them, or one may be included in the box.

Most important: Have fun looking. Ask questions and keep an open mind.

Caveat: Amazon reviews are next to useless for evaluating your ukulele. Find the reviews here, gotaukulele.com or other ukulele specific sites.
 
Enya, Flight, Makala also offer inexpensive starter ukuleles that are pretty good.

Speaking as someone who owns one, the Enya Concert Sapele Ukulele KUC-20 is a good starter uke. It works just fine to figure out if playing the uke is something you want to continue doing, and if you do you can spruce it up by swapping out the default strings for something nicer.

(Full disclosure: it was not my first uke; I bought it because I wanted something low maintenance to leave out or on hand to lend to family and friends. After a few months one of the tuners came slightly loose but that was a five-second fix using a wrench.)
 
Seems Ashley has gone off somewhere, no reply from her. But if you do come back, I also suggest you contact Mim.


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 6 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 41)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
My cousin shocked me with the news that he bought an Ukulele and was practicing on it. Then he visited me, and I saw that he was struggling with a $49 instrument. As is typical of that sort of cheap Ukulele, the setup was terrible. I sat him down next to me, and we spent the better part of an hour leveling frets, setting string clearances at the nut, and lowering the saddle. In the end, to his amazement, he could actually play barre chords at the first fret. So, he was a happy camper. The lesson to be learned here is, unless you have an experienced uncle with the necessary tools, don't buy a $50 Ukulele. In fact, buy from a dealer who advertises "setups," and then tell the dealer you're a beginner and want an easy to play setup. Only then will can you be confident of getting an instrument that will help, rather than hinder, your learning progress.
 
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