The ukulele is always associated with a happy sound and playful tones. It’s an easy instrument to learn and is always fun to play new melodies. If you are a beginner uke player and looking to buy the best ukulele to start learning, we have prepared a list of the best ukuleles for beginners to help you choose the right one from the many options available.
As you may know, there are different sizes of ukuleles, but the most common are soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Each one is unique in its own way, especially in the size and sound they produce. The most common is the soprano uke, and probably this is the sound that you have heard and liked the most.
As a beginner ukulele player, my recommendation is to get one that is right for you. If you are a child, teenager, or adult that has small hands, I recommend getting a soprano ukulele. If your hands are big, buy a tenor or baritone. The sweet spot is the concert size, which is 23” in length, this is perfect for most people.
In this post we present a list of the best ukuleles for beginners, featuring some of the best brands in the market, taking into consideration their sound, quality, and the value they offer so that you can choose the right one for you. The first two options are soprano, and the last three options are concert size, let’s dive right in.
The 5 Best Ukuleles for Beginners
- Kala KA-15S Soprano Ukulele
- Luna Honu Soprano Ukulele
- Lanikai LU-21C Concert Ukulele
- Cordoba 15CM Concert Ukulele
- Oscar Schmidt OU5 Concert Ukulele
Kala KA-15S Soprano Ukulele
There are lots of options to choose from for an entry-level ukulele, but which one is the best? Kala has been in the market for many years producing some of the best ukes for beginners and professionals. One of the best ukuleles for beginners is the KA-15S.
Although it’s affordable, the KA-15S is built using quality materials. The top, back, sides, and neck are made of Mahogany wood. The fingerboard is made from Walnut. It comes in different colors so that you can choose the one you like the most.
This instrument delivers a beautiful tone, with a sound that is punchy and clear. It comes strung with Aquila Super Nylgut strings, which enhances the overall sound.
The Kala KA-15S showcased in this review comes in a bundle with everything you need to start learning and playing right away. The content of the package is:
- Kala KA-15S soprano ukulele.
- Ukulele strap.
- Clip-on tuner.
- Extra Aquila String set.
- Polishing cloth.
- Gigbag.
- Instructional video.
- Two months of live lessons from Austin Bazaar.
Luna Honu Soprano Ukulele
The Honu from Luna Guitars is part of the tattoo inspired series of ukuleles. Featured is a laser-etched Honu, which is a Hawaiian turtle. In the Hawaiian culture, it is a symbol of longevity and endurance. This is another excellent beginner ukulele for anyone who wants good quality and great sound.
The Luna Honu is made from excellent quality materials that, in turn, translates in a great tone. The body and neck of this instrument are made from Mahogany wood. The fingerboard and bridge are Walnut. It comes strung with Aquila strings for better sound performance.
As a beginner uke player, you need an instrument with a beautiful and bright tone, and with the Lune Honu, you don’t only get the perfect tone, but the overall sound is warm and smooth. This uke Gives you all the Hawaiian vibes as soon as you start playing.
With this ukulele, you can start playing and learning right away because it comes with some accessories. In the box you’ll get:
- Luna Honu soprano ukulele.
- Clip-on electronic tuner.
- Gigbag for easy carrying.
- Soft Cleaning Cloth.
- Instructional video from Austin Bazaar.
Lanikai LU-21C Concert Ukulele
Lanikai is another famous brand of ukuleles, and they are known for making some of the best ukes for beginners and professional players. One of the best starter ukuleles for anyone trying to learn or practice is the LU-21C.
It features good quality Nato wood for the top, back, and sides. Its neck is made out of Mahogany, and the fingerboard and bridge are made of smoothed Rosewood. Nato wood is very similar to Mahogany. The LU-21C is strung with Aquila Nylgut strings that have a polished, smooth surface that gives you a beautiful tone.
This concert size uke has a slightly bigger body that delivers a warm, mellow sound with a balanced definition between mid and high tones. The overall sound is beautiful and well defined, perfect for a beginner or intermediate player.
As with most reviewed ukuleles in this article, the Lanikai LU-21C comes with everything you need to start playing right away. In the box you will get:
- Lanikai LU-21C concert ukulele
- Clip-on electronic tuner.
- Gigbag for easy carrying.
- Soft Cleaning Cloth.
- Instructional video from Austin Bazaar.
Cordoba 15CM Concert Ukulele
Cordoba guitars was founded in 1997 and quickly became a well-known brand that manufactures good quality string instruments. The 15CM is Cordoba’s best-selling ukulele, and in our opinion, this is one of the best student ukuleles available that has an excellent track record for quality craftsmanship and beautifully rich sound.
This handmade concert ukulele is build using only quality materials. The body is made from Mahogany wood and decorated with Ivoroid bindings. The fingerboard and bridge are made from Rosewood.
The soundhole is decorated with an abalone-style rosette, with silver style tuners and pearled buttons. All these details are usually found in more expensive units, and not in ukes at this price range.
Thanks to all-mahogany body construction, the Cordoba 15CM provides a full, rich sound. This affordably priced ukulele delivers a balanced tone with bright highs and warm, silky Mids. Anyone who plays the 15CM will enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian tone that comes out it. It comes strung with Aquila Nylgut 7U strings for even better performance.
This ukulele doesn’t come as a bundle. In the box, you will only get the instrument; you would have to buy the accessories separately, such as the gig bag, tuner, etc.
Oscar Schmidt OU5 Concert Ukulele
Our top pick as the best ukulele for beginners is the Oscar Schmidt OU5. It’s a bundle that comes with everything you need to start playing right away, plus it delivers the most beautiful tone at this price range.
This is a handcrafted uke made from excellent quality materials for better sound performance. The top, back, and sides are made from Hawaiian Koa wood with a natural glossy finish. The neck is made out of Nyatoh, and the fingerboard from Rosewood.
Hawaiians made their ukuleles from Koa wood. Oscar Schmidt continues with this tradition to produce ukuleles with the authentic Hawaiian sound.
Anyone who plays the OU5 will immediately hear and feel the beautiful tone. In our opinion, this ukulele delivers a balanced sound between highs, mids, and lows. The tone can be described as rich, full, warm, with crisp highs and punchy lows.
The bundle comes with everything you need to start playing right away. In the box you will get:
- Oscar Schmidt OU5 concert ukulele
- Black gig bag for easy carrying
- Extra set of Aquila strings
- Clip-on tuner
- Black strap
- Polishing cloth
- Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD to get started learning right away.
- Fender play trial.
Conclusion
In this article, we have presented the best ukulele for beginners highlighting their best features and sound quality. If you want to learn to play, start right now by choosing one of these options, they will deliver excellent quality without breaking the bank, and you will have a blast playing.