Need Help Buying First Serious Uke---Please Help!

I need your help picking out my first serious uke. I know so many have posted like this but I'm not familiar enough with Ukes to make this decision on my own. I'm a Beginner+ I guess you could say. Been learning on a Lanikai ST. I want to step up and buy the best all around Uke I can get for $350 or less. Preferably all wood. Should I go concert or tenor for my main uke (I now only have the Lanikai) I want it to be something I'll have for a long time and won't want to upgrade for a while. Something that is truly a stellar value. Here's my thoughts:

KoAlana Concert
Pono AT
Pono MT
Mainland Tenor or Concert (Cedar or Mahogany???)
Kala KA-ASAC-T
Islander – Solid Mahogany Tenor

I know a majority of these are obviously Tenors but it doesn't have to be. It's just what I've looked at the most because it's what I have.


Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated and really needed. As I will only have the Lanikai and this new uke...please hook me up. Thanks!

I have no particular expertise but I will be happy to weigh in with some of the advice offered to me and that has been repeated in most of the posts here. I think the first piece of advice that is crucial is that you should really buy your ukulele from a store that will set up the uke. The names that come to mind are HMS (Hawaii Music Suppy) Uke Republic, Mim's Ukes, and Elderly Instruments. They also can offer really good advice on how to choice and what things to consider. The next piece of advice is to pick a size. You could go to a neighborhood music store and try ukes in all sizes, find someone who has ukes in other sizes, or find a local group and try theirs. All sizes have the advantages, it is more about what feels right to you. In terms of brands, you seem to have hit the ones that I see over and over. I have a mainland cedar/rosewood concert and a Pono MC, both of which I really love. I think that you are really moving in the right direction. Just move slowly, get lots of advice and try out the ukes if you can. Another option for buying is to consider buying a used uke here. I bought my mainland here and it was a great experience for me.

I wish you luck and let us know what you end up getting.

OK, I'm relatively new myself, but I'll give it a go. I'm sure others that are more experienced will chime in shortly as well.

I've played all that you have listed outside of the the Kala and I think that they are all very good values. The first thing that you may want to try to decide on is what scale you like best. I think that you can do almost anything you want with either size you decide upon. I thought that tenors are what I needed to play because I'm a pretty big guy, but, the more I play, the more I find myself gravitating toward concert size. I find that I can strum and pick on the concert just as easily as I can on the tenor and it's just physically more comfortable to play. The only way you're going to know for sure what's right for you is to play both, make a decision and stick with it. Since you're in SF, Aloha Warehouse in Japantown might be a good place to visit as they have both the Islander and Ponos you're considering. If you are able to make it down to San Jose, you can check out Ukulele Source on 5th street as they have the Koalana and at least the Mainland concert. So, I know it stinks to have someone tell you to play them and make a decision when you are asking for advice, but that's the only way to know for sure.

Having said all of that, here are a few of my brief thoughts on what I have experience with:

Koalana concert - Nice bright, traditional ukulele tone with quite a bit of volume. The neck is a little thin for me from front to back, but playability was still easy enough. Overall aesthetics were not as pleasing to me as some of the other choices, but that is very subjective. There are quite a few positive reviews of the Koalana here on the forum so you should be able to find additional info pretty easily.

Mainlands - I owned a mahogany tenor for a very brief period. It really was a great ukulele, but I found a good deal on a LoPrinzi that I couldn't pass up and that made the Mainland expendable. I really liked the look and sound of the Cedar tenor more than the Mahogany, but there weren't any available at the retailer where I bought mine and the Mahogany was still nice. I went back and forth between the tenors and concerts before I bought the one I had. The tenor had a little more presence and bass than the concerts, but I was stuck on the idea that I had to have the tenor because I was a big guy. Looking back, if I would've bought the concert, I probably would still own a Mainland. The sound was still bright, but not quite on the same level as the Koalana. The neck definitely felt more chunky and fit my hand better, but nut width felt a little narrower.

Islander (tenor only) - Feels and sounds relatively similar to my Kanilea. Nice wide neck with good thickness and plenty of room to move around. It actually sounded a little more "muffled" than some of the other ukes I've played and was not nearly as bright and ringing. Lots of volume on tap and a very solid feel to it.

Ponos - My favorite of your choices. I actually just picked up a MC at Aloha Warehouse yesterday (even though I wasn't going to buy any more ukes for the time being! ) The necks on Ponos are my favorites at the moment. They are very chunky and just fit my hand perfectly. Soundwise, they seem to be a little quieter than others I've played, but the tone is excellent (IMO). They don't sound as bright and plinky as some, but they don't sound muffled to me either. Just nice and balanced and perfect for my ears at the moment. They do seem to be a little neck heavy/body light compared to other brands I've tried (maybe due to the heavy duty neck and truss rod?), but not so much that I have any problems with them. Definitely my favorite ukulele at the moment.

Whew, that was long-winded, but I hope it helps.

I'm sure that any of your listed choices would be a good one. My choice would be more based on "where" than "what". Buy something that you like the look and feel of from a retailer that will do a proper setup on it so that it plays the way that it should. I'm just an entry level player and I'm sure that my Mainland and KoAloha would both sound better when played by someone who knows what they are doing but I'm confidant that they were both setup properly so any and all clunkers are courtesy of yours truly and not the instrument.

Played some (not all) and own two.

For me the Pono beats the Mainland sound wise (I love the Mainland too!) - see Mainland detail here http://www.gotaukulele.com/2010/05/mainland-mahogany-concert-slotted.html

I really like the Islander sound, but had some build issues with mine and really dont like the 'parts bin' mix of binding, edging, and inlay colours. MST4 review here - http://www.gotaukulele.com/2012/08/islander-mst-4-tenor-ukulele-review.html

The Kala ASAC is a fine beast (though with minor issues) - review of the electro cutaway here (though much of it applies to the acoustic) http://www.gotaukulele.com/2013/01/kala-ka-asac-tec-electro-tenor-ukulele.html

Of course - there is also a fair difference in price on some of these so you need to weigh that in as well.

Best advice though - try to play some of them!



EDIT - not owned a Pono tenor, but have got a Mahog Concert - http://www.gotaukulele.com/2011/09/pono-mhc-pro-classic-series-concert.html

I have a Pono MCD-E and love it. I think the brightness of a Pono depends on strings. With the right strings, it's as bright as most other quality mahogany ukes, and brighter than many. I got a refurb 6 string tenor with Mahano strings and it sounded dead.....put Southcoasts on it and wow, bright and chimey, as it should be. I play all sizes, but prefer a concert. When I switch to tenor or soprano, it just takes several minutes for me to adjust. Great deals on Pono's at HMS.

If you would , please answer a couple questions
1. where do you live? (Town, state, country)
2. do you play anything else, if so what?
3. Type of music you play (Strumming, fingerpicking, rock, folk, jazz)
4. do you want a pick-up in it?

I vote for either Pono. In fact, since you have two Ponos on your list, and I'm from Chicago, I'm voting for Pono twice.

Thank You All for the Help

I really appreciate the input and the time taken from everyone to help. There is a couple of shops I'm going to visit near me today. One of which has both the Pono's. I'm really excited. The Lanikai ST has been a good place for me to start, but I really am starting to tell the difference between it and a few more expensive ones I've played. I will keep y'all posted with whichever one I decide to go with. Who knows, I may get an itchy trigger finger and pick one up this afternoon I kind of figured the concensus would be for the Pono. They are the most expensive of the group too! I have been around enough musical instruments to know that you get what you pay for (played the clarinet and sax for 12 years) This has been a great little journey so far and I'm enthralled with the Uke community. Thanks Again!

ukeeku said:

If you would , please answer a couple questions
1. where do you live? (Town, state, country)
2. do you play anything else, if so what?
3. Type of music you play (Strumming, fingerpicking, rock, folk, jazz)
4. do you want a pick-up in it?

Click to expand...

1. I live in San Francisco
2. I also play the clarinet and alto saxophone (have for years), and that's why I'm very picky with sound and can truly appreciate it when I hear it.
3. I'm about 50/50 as far as strumming and fingerpicking. I play a majority of slow to upbeat rock.
4. A pick up is not necessary at all

jmsandy77 said:

1. I live in San Francisco
2. I also play the clarinet and alto saxophone (have for years), and that's why I'm very picky with sound and can truly appreciate it when I hear it.
3. I'm about 50/50 as far as strumming and fingerpicking. I play a majority of slow to upbeat rock.
4. A pick up is not necessary at all

Click to expand...

the Pono or mahogany Mainland would be my suggestions.