Differences between "cheap" and "expensive" ukuleles

Pete Howlett said:

I broadcast on FaceBook nearly every day - a sort of 'peek through my workshop window'. One of the most common responses is, "Now I can see why you charge what you door your ukulele..." You do get something special and different from a hand made instrument and if I do it right, it is going to take time and I am going to use the best materials available. Fronts are going to be accurately voiced and the playing action over the 12th fret and nut is going to be like butter. I guess that is rally what you pay for - time and effort.

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That is all very valid points, and in your case the buyer also gets a bit of Pete Howlett's heart and soul in every ukulele too. I think that people do not always think about the fact that the builder put so much of themself into a ukulele and that is an inspiration to the people who buy them. It isn't always just the materials and workmanship that makes the ukulele what it is. I've seen plenty of articles and videos that do blind tests of anything from violins to ukuleles and people can't tell which is which, but take off the blindfold and then you will hear which one inspires the player and which one doesn't.

Ziret said:

I've always wondered what that means, or involves, voicing the top. And do all builders do it?

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No, but the good ones do...!

I think some of whether or not it's worth the extra $ for the more expensive ukuleles depends on your style of playing, what role ukulele plays in your life, and of course, disposable income.

If you're playing in a group, can't be heard too clearly, and/or there is singing as the primary focus, you might be fine with the lower end ukulele that is set up well. It might be hard to hear any upgrade in tone, and if you're playing out and about, you don't want your Moore Bettah getting dinged or otherwise damaged.

If you primarily fingerpick, IMO, you might be more likely to notice the difference in tone. Still, if it's a hobby that you only get to every now and then, a higher end ukulele might be more than you need.

But, if you afford it, and can hear the difference, and like to spend a lot of time playing, then IMO it's worth the $ for a higher end ukulele.

I recall posts in the past where people have mentioned that this is what they spend their money on, and that describes me as well. I don't go on vacations, don't have a smart phone, have an analog TV with a converter box and rabbit ears, have an outdated computer, and so on. But, every day, I get to go on my version of a vacation, and enjoy my ukuleles. To me, it's worth it.

The highest end ukulele I've played is a Kinnard, and there is a difference in sound, intonation, attention to detail, and beauty that can't be expected from an inexpensive ukulele. Is the difference in price worth it? Only you can decide that for yourself.

It's great that we have options, and that the ukulele world can accommodate different budgets and different personal preferences. It's all good.

Cheap, or inexpensive, vs expensive depends on what you play to some extent, but also your musical background. For someone who has never played a stringed instrument, buying a decent inexpensive ukulele is probably a good way to go. 6 months down the road, that uke may just be sitting. For someone that has a guitar background and plays good guitars, a Martin D-18 for example, will be able to really test out different ukuleles and may want to start off with a more expensive uke. Any guitar player can take a uke and play chords and some riffs.

Just like a guitar, fingerstyle will need more nuances and that might drive someone to a better ukulele. I know my first ukulele was a KoAloha soprano. I knew that it could handle anything I wanted to do, at least for a soprano, and sound really good. I ended up selling it a few years later for close to what I paid as I had moved onto tenors. But I had years of playing guitar and knew the value of a good instrument. I also ended up playing instrumentals.

John

The ukueles I have experienced first hand ranged from €150 to around €2000. I feel that the price tag doesn't necessarily reflect the quality or sound of the instrument, and never seems to determine whether or not I like the instrument. I do believe that there is a "sweet spot" after which you increasingly pay for the name, prestige, materials, and place of manufacture. For example, I had a Chinese made instrument (hand made) that was clearly superior in every way to a Hawaiian made instrument that cost around the same, right down to the finish.

More expensive instruments tend to be crafted with more attention to detail and usually come set up, though I am not sure that they generally also sound better. I have heard expensive custom ukuleles that I didn't think sounded or even looked spectacular, and there is one premium brand whose instruments sound very average to me. Some of the blind tests done here on the forum over the years demonstrated that a good many people can't tell the difference between a mid-range and a top-end instrument (or a brand of strings), but when they know the maker they can hear the sound difference. But sound is a very subjective thing anyway, so it's hard to quantify. Much depends on the skill level of the person playing also. Even the cheapest ukes sound great in HMS videos because the performers are excellent.

I also believe that there is a minimum price for a decent sounding ukulele that doesn't get in the way of learning. I wouldn't get something for significantly under €150 (with set-up), though there are also folks who are perfectly happy with their €50 ukuleles from eBay, showing just how relative all of this is.

I used to have the view that an expensive (what exactly that means is probably also subjective) would motivate me to play more, but this wasn't my experience. My most expensive ukuleles (all sold eventually) intimidated me and I felt I had to baby them. They felt more like a material investment than a tool for making music to me. It made me uneasy and removed a good chunk of the uncomplicated fun that I was after when I took up the hobby. Right now I'd say that I'm happiest with an instrument in the €250-1000 range, which is what I feel is the "mid range" (mileage may vary), with something around €400-500 being the sweet spot, ideally used. That's still a lot of money for many of us, but it's not a price range where it would seem like the end of the world if I dropped the instrument. It would still upset me, but I could reasonably and relatively soon replace it. And if I'm not afraid of taking it out of its case and don't feel compelled to first drag wet towels into the room on a cold winter day before I dare to use it, I'll also play it more.

But as others have said, the best ukulele is the one you make music with and that gives you joy, regardless of whether it was inexpensive or cost a fortune.

One of my friends asked me how much my all solid Tiny Tenor cost. I said I think they are about $500 new. He said he was going to start recommending it to people as a starter uke. I wonder what my face looked like. I said it was more of a finisher for me. (Besides price, it would also be hard to beat in terms of sound or playability, so I'm not sure where someone would go up from there.) So cheap, along with everything else, is relative.