Concert Ukulele Decision

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zhalice

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Hello! I am debating between a couple ukuleles and would love your help deciding! I would love to consider an acoustic-electric, but it's not a dealbreaker for me if it's not. This is my first concert ukulele, but I have owned and played a soprano in the past.

Cordoba 15cm Concert-- price effective, and good reviews from what I've heard. I may consider getting the acoustic-electric version if you all think it's worth it! https://www.amazon.com/Cordoba-Guit...qid=1598269997&sprefix=cordoba,aps,244&sr=8-3

Luna Tattoo Concert-- pretty much the same as the Cordoba, but I also like the aesthetics. https://www.amazon.com/Luna-Concert...1598269965&sprefix=luna+tattoo,aps,222&sr=8-5

Luna Tapa Solid Cedar-- I like that it's relatively affordable for a solid top, acoustic-electric ukulele. I haven't heard many reviews about it though. https://www.amazon.com/Luna-Acousti...una+ukulele+solid+cedar&qid=1598269391&sr=8-3

Luna Coral Solid Mahogany-- I really like the fact that is relatively affordable for a solid instrument, and it's also stunning! I haven't seen many reviews about it. Not acoustic-electric, but not a dealbreaker. May decide to get a transducer amplifier in the future. https://www.lunaguitars.com/query?upc=819998182977

Luna High Tide Concert-- I really like the active pickup feature, and it seems more reputable/ has a good reputation for being a good ukulele. I think this is definitely my favorite aesthetically of all of them, but it is a bit higher in cost compared to the rest. https://www.amazon.com/Luna-Concert...8270022&sprefix=luna+high+tide,aps,235&sr=8-5

Thanks!
 
First of all, I would steer away from Luna ukes. Loads of quality control issues and even bridges that have been ripped right off because of the etching under the bridge. I'm not a fan of Cordoba either but I would go for that over any of the Lunas any day of the week.

Also, if your budget is around $100 I would suggest not getting an electric-acoustic instrument because then quality and price rarely meet. If you can stretch your budget to around $200 then it's more feasible to have an electric-acoustic. Reputable brands include Kala, Ohana, Flight, Islander, Mainland, loads of others of course but those are the ones I often recommend. If you can cough up the $200 or so, Flight has a really good selection of solid top acoustic-electric concerts.
 
I have a Luna solid spruce top/laminate sides that had a very good setup by the vendor. It is a very nice ukulele with a resonant tone. I think Luna ukuleles are nicely designed, and if that is something that makes you enjoy it, then it is a great ukulele for you.

To me, the setup is the thing to ask about in your purchase. That is a possible problem dealing with an Amazon vendor in that is that it may not be setup - checked for string height, even frets etc.
 

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Thank you!

I will look into the Flight line— do they currently ship to the US? Their website is in Euros.

Also would you the Luna website be okay for purchasing it?
 
https://www.musicroom.com/ is the main distributor for Flights as they don't sell directly to consumers anymore. I believe MusicRoom ships to the US. But you can find Flight ukes from several US based music shops as well. I forgot to mention that you should buy your ukes from a specialized uke shop instead of Amazon or big chain music stores if you in any way can because they will give you at least a basic setup and not send you a dud.
 
I agree about preferring Flight over Luna or Cordoba at all price levels. In the USA, Flight has a partnership with Hal Leonard (the popular music book publisher), so any music shop that sells Hal Leonard books should be able to get you any Flight ukulele that you want.
 
HAve you considered a Kala ukulele?
They have several models within you price range (of those Luna and Cordobas).

I have owned 5 Kalas, ranging from laminates to solid-tops to all-solids; and all of them have very good build and play very well. They are very consistent; and Kala has been very responsive when I had questions (their email turnaround time is usually 1 business day).

Look at Kala KA-S for sub-$100; for sub-$200, you can get a solid top like the KA-SSLNG. for $300, you can get an all-solid Kala.
 
I don't know about flight, but I would get this one.

https://meleukulele.com/product/mele-mahogany-concert/

The way I look at it, the main brands in that price bracket are as follows.

1. Pono - Good build quality and looks. Mixed reviews about the sound and playability.
2. Opio - Good build quality, playability, and sound. I personally don't like the look.
3. Mele - Good looks, playability, and sound. Slightly shabby build quality at times.

Anyway, after travelling to Hawaii with $500 and playing a bunch of options, I ended up with a Mele because I valued looks, playability, and sound over build quality. Your priorities may differ.
 
I have a Kala concert (solid mahogany) which I like (that brings you out of your price range). I just purchased a Flight concert DUC380CEQAMB that seems to be in the range you're looking to purchase. But if I were to purchase another concert right now, I'd jump on a Flight DUC460 that is listed on Mims ukes for $179. It has some hazing in the finish around the saddle, so it's priced low for a uke that will be set up and ready to play when you get it. I understand that Mim lists photos of the actual uke you're purchasing and I think this one has character.
118403500_10224327312634197_2470713263530059464_n.jpg
 
zhalice said:
My soprano ukulele is a Kala, and while I enjoy it, I am looking to branch out!

What do you all think of this uke?

https://www.musicroom.com/product/a...muc-2-heritage-all-solid-concert-ukulele.aspx
Click to expand...

This one is modeled after the classic Martin spec, so a no frills solid mahogany instrument. Let's just say that I have a bunch of high-end soprano ukes and I've still been intrigued by the Flight MUS-2 which is the soprane version of this. In my opinion, this would be a great choice. Although as others have already expressed, I would also suggest you buy the uke from some of the local dealers if you can find one. Mim actually has two of these in stock:
https://mimsukes.com/products/fligh...lid-mahogany-vintage-style-ukulele-w-bag-i134
https://mimsukes.com/products/fligh...lid-mahogany-vintage-style-ukulele-w-bag-i133
You just have to wait until Friday when her order cap resets.

Some of the other brands mentioned, namely Pono and KoAloha Opio, are really nice and a step up from Flight, Kala, Ohana etc. but they cost quite a bit more, starting from around $400-500. I'm not at all familiar with the Mele brand.
 
zhalice said:
What do you all think of this uke?

https://www.musicroom.com/product/a...muc-2-heritage-all-solid-concert-ukulele.aspx
Click to expand...

Like Dohle I've looked at the soprano version and it's very impressive for the money, although the neck is a bit narrow at the nut for my taste. No reason why the concert model should be any worse; that Flight series is stocked by some retailers who are very careful about what they sell.

Personally, the fact it has friction pegs is a definite plus. Too few concerts have them and I prefer them to the guitar-style tuning machines.
 
That looks great for that price. Regarding the tuners, those are Gotohs, but not their best friction tuner (which has nicer buttons). Their best are so good that I have them and can’t even convince myself that their planetary tuners are worth the upgrade—and I have their planetary tuners on another instrument. I have had a Kiwaya eco series with those tuners, though, and they are not that great. However, you could easily change them, or just get used to them. Personally, for a uke in that price range I would consider putting on some Grover geared tuners. Here they are $15-20 and really smooth. Purists might squawk, but purists aren’t living with it.

I hope to hear how you like it.
 
Thank you so much everyone!

I have decided to get two and return one after I figure out which I like more-- the Bondi Ripple Koa, and the Flight MUC-2 from Mims.
 
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