What Is The Best Ukulele For Beginners? Only the Top 6 ukes!
Selection Criteria – Best Ukulele for Beginners
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…only the best Ukuleles for Beginners. We’ll save you from the hassle that is searching through hundreds of pages, looking at similar products, comparing prices, and more, only to realize you don’t know which one is right. Get the right handpicked Top Ukulele for Beginners from the get-go!
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Best Ukulele for Beginners – The Basics
When you’re a beginner ukulele player that is just getting started in the world of ukes, picking a ukulele for beginners is a great idea to start learning.
However, how would you know which ukulele is good for beginners if you’re a newbie?
There are many things to consider before picking a beginner ukulele:
# 1 – Not all the beginners’ ukuleles options have a fair price!
Since there are hundreds of options available, most of them at a high price without meeting the quality they offer, making the right choice is very hard.
There are no price tiers, so you will have a hard time making the right choice.
You probably do after getting it wrong a couple of times – but that’s expensive!
That’s why we’ve picked the absolute best beginner ukuleles for their price, so you don’t have to take months to decide which one is the most convenient.
# 2 – The right top beginner ukulele can help you learn to become an advanced music player!
There are no boundaries when it comes to learning how to play the ukulele – all you need is a decent pick!
In this guide, we focus on getting you the top overall beginner ukuleles you can pay for and still learn a lot.
With the Top picks, you’ll be able to go really far on your learning path before you have the need to upgrade to a better ukulele.
These beginner ukuleles will work amazingly well to take you up to an advanced level!
Stop looking for the right ukulele and get to the good stuff with this guide.
Let’s get right into it!
Comparison Table – Best Ukuleles for Beginners
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
3 of our top 6 ukuleles for beginners are sopranos mainly because, according to our research, they’re the first choice of beginners.
They have the brightest sound of all standard ukuleles, and they’re what people think of when they hear a ukulele.
They are easy to master, have comfortable playability, and are the best for children to learn because they’re the smallest.
The ones we’ve picked are all great options for beginners to learn, especially because they’re all under the USD100 mark.
Check the best soprano beginner ukuleles below!
Best Overall Ukulele for Beginners – Córdoba 15SM
- Mahogany top
- Mahogany back and sides
- Abalone rosette
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Cordoba 15SM is an amazing part of this line – there are concerts, tenors, and baritones ukuleles too.
The Cordoba 15SM is an amazing part of this line – there are concerts, tenors, and baritones too.
We love this ukulele because, although it’s part of the entry-level line from Cordoba, they are incredibly sound, solid, and offer a sound quality that’s above its price range.
This is mostly because of its amazing craftmanship – although the body is made out of cheaper Mahogany, and the rosewood neck and fretboard, you can notice the handmade attention to detail.
It also comes with premium Aquila strings.
This is an outstanding entry-level concert ukulele; we’d even pay more for it.
Still, it comes at a very affordable price despite its quality.
We highly recommend this one for kids to learn and beginners alike, especially those who want to make a sound investment.
Keep in mind that you’ll have to invest in some add-ons; like another set of spare strings, a gig bag, and a ukulele strap with pegs.
Although there are other bundles similarly priced that come with all that, they’re not nearly as good as this instrument on its own.
That’s mostly because the instrument they come with sucks and the price is more because of the accessories.
The best part is that you can find each addon individually and spend less than $30!
Pros – about this ukulele
- The top instrument for its price range – it’s as good as any intermediate instrument out there, but at a much more affordable price.
- This beginner ukulele has simple but effective craftsmanship with good attention to detail.
- Its sound quality is amazing for ukulele in this price range.
Cons – about this ukulele
- It doesn’t come with ukulele accessories; just the instrument.
Best Budget Pick Soprano Ukulele for Beginners – Kala KA-15S
- Kala’s KA-15S came into the world in 2005 as the answer to a high-quality, affordable, entry-level ukulele and still remains the unrivaled ukulele in its class.
- The KA-15S is well-suited for classroom use, practicing, and acoustic performance. It is the instrument of choice for schools - More people learn to play on a Kala than any other ukulele brand
- A very traditional Mahogany Soprano Ukulele in a satin finish with a bright, warm, full-bodied tone.
Last update on 2023-11-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Kala KA-15S is a very simple soprano ukulele made out of Mahogany.
Although simple, we think this is among the best soprano ukulele that’s way under the USD100 price range, and it’s amazing for beginners.
Here are its features:
- It comes ready to play when you unbox this soprano, which is hardly the case with other cheap ukuleles.
- This beginner model is made with cheap materials but with superb craftsmanship that takes great advantage of them.
- This soprano will last a lot longer than other cheap ukuleles because it’s well put together.
You can’t go wrong with this affordable ukulele from Kala.
The best part is that you’ll have some spare budget – if you were ready to spend 100 bucks – to buy extra goodies.
Get a replacement set of ukulele strings, a well-padded gig bag, a strap and some buttons, and maybe even a ukulele chord booklet.
Don’t fall for other bundled products that are around the same price range, because they’re usually way under in quality!
Pros – about this ukulele
- Great craftsmanship with cheap materials equals an outstanding affordable ukulele that won’t disappoint any newbie.
- This beginner ukulele is way under the USD100 price range.
- You can use the spare money to get some other extras – make it a bundled product but improved!
Cons
- It’s obviously not the top soprano you can get – although it’s great for its price, and still great for beginners.
Best Runner-Up Soprano for Beginners – Luna Vintage Mahogany Uke
- This is a wonderful instrument for players of all skill levels
- Lightweight and easy to carry; take this charming Red Satin soprano uke everywhere you go
- Luna continues its unique stride in creativity by introducing a full family of Vintage ukuleles dressed in a Red Satin finish
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Now, if you can afford a better instrument, let it be the Luna Vintage Mahogany ukulele.
It’s yet another great instrument from Luna, which at this price range is surprising us with its resourcefulness to create more-than-decent ukuleles.
This soprano is an all-mahogany-made ukulele, which is the only sacrifice you’ll have to accept if you want a quality instrument for this price.
To be completely honest, we think this soprano is a great instrument.
This soprano has the following features:
- Good appearance. This is one of the best-looking ukuleles under the $100 mark!
- The sound quality of this beginner ukulele is much better than the budget pick. This soprano model has better sustain, acoustic projection, and a deliciously bright tone.
- It’s made out of a mahogany body and walnut bridge and fretboard.
This soprano ukulele is suitable for advanced beginners and intermediate music players – although it’s still not better than the Cordoba.
Still, we highly recommend this ukulele because we know that, if you pay more for a similar instrument without accessories, you’re throwing away your money.
And, that’s exactly the only downside of this pick – it comes with no accessories, just a well-priced ukulele!
Pros – about this soprano ukulele
- This is a good beginner ukulele, it has good-looking.
- The sound projection, sustain, and bright tone are of great quality to this soprano.
- This beginner ukulele is very durable.
Cons
- This model doesn’t come with ukulele accessories.
Apart from Soprano ukuleles, we have added the top ukuleles we could find for beginners music players that come in the other three sizes: Concert, Tenor, and Baritone.
These are the top beginner ukuleles who have big hands that are hard to accommodate in a soprano ukulele.
For those looking for a slightly bigger alternative, the ukulele concert size is the top choice.
If you’re looking for the biggest standard tuning ukulele you can find, then the tenor ukulele is a great choice.
And finally, if you have really big hands, the baritone is the biggest standard ukulele you can get to start learning.
However, you must take into account that the baritone doesn’t come with the standard tuning.
Still, you can buy a new set of ukulele strings and tune it to the standard G-C-E-A or g-C-E-A for a more rounded sound.
Best Concert Ukulele For Beginners – Luna Tattoo Concert Mahogany
- This Tattoo Concert Uke Takes Its Design From Traditional Hawaiian Body Ornamentation
- The Designs Were Monochromatic, Tattooed In Black Against Brown Skin
- The Patterns And Layout Were Strongly Geometric And There Were Many Shapes And Symbols Representing The Natural Island World
Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Luna is an amazing brand that creates amazing ukuleles – and the Luna Tattoo Concert ukulele is among the best ukuleles you can get.
This particular ukulele, the Luna Tattoo concert, is a top choice that’s incredibly well made to start learning.
This concert ukulele is made almost entirely out of Mahogany, except for its walnut fretboard.
That’s not a downside – it makes for a very pleasant playing experience.
This concert mahogany ukulele comes with 18 frets that are fully accessible and make for great playability – especially because of the cut-out design.
We love the finish of this concert, it’s beautiful, and the wood has a beautiful pattern that’s unique for every ukulele you get.
It also has some nice tribal tattoo details – making it a great choice if you prefer a modern design.
This concert ukulele mahogany has a clean sound with great projection, making it a great pick for all types of music lovers, even professionals.
This is a highly recommended and non-traditional-looking alternative!
Pros – about this concert mahogany ukulele
- Great design, build, and materials.
- This concert has great sound quality.
- This beginner model also feels very durable and solid.
- Amazingly, this concert is under USD100!
Cons – about this concert ukulele mahogany
- No cons for this concert!
Best Tenor Ukulele for beginners – Enya 26” All Solid Mahogany
- ♫ All Solid mahogany wood: The solid mahogany body allows the warm tone to deliver fully. it features a soft and sweet sound as the image of the ukulele.
- ♫ Cherry blossom pattern: The white pearl Cherry blossoms decoration on the head makes this tenor ukulele Sweet and Unique.
- ♫ 1:18 gold agate die-cast : (rather than poor quality brass-plated zinc alloy); Finer and more stable tuning; Ensures the ukulele the best Intonation, stays in tune for longer times.
Last update on 2023-11-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Enya EUT-MS is a bundled pick that is above in quality when compared to others within the same price range.
This is a solid instrument that comes with other goodies that are worth considering, as they’re also superior in quality when you compare them to cheaper options.
What we like the most about this pick is the ukulele itself though.
The solid mahogany gives it a nice warm tone that you can’t achieve with cheaper laminate picks.
Although it is an acoustic ukulele, the projection of this one is also remarkable considering its price.
We also recognize the quality of the wood – although it is mahogany, the craftsmanship of the ukulele upgrades it in quality, making it a ukulele that’s worth aging to achieve a richer and warmer sound.
The only downside we found about this pick is that the accessories are good, not great – we’d love it if the ukulele were available on its own.
This instrument is suitable for intermediate music players and beginners looking for a better ukulele than the budget pick – it’s a safer long-term investment.
Beginners will surely benefit a lot from the ukulele accessories, even if they’re not the best.
Pros – about this good ukulele
- The ukulele is a sound pick – it has a good design, materials, and great craftsmanship.
- The accessories that come with it are good to have, especially for beginners for learning purposes.
- Its sound quality, projection, and warm tones are above its price range and get better when the wood ages.
Cons
- The accessories are good, not great.
Best Baritone Ukulele for Beginners – Kala KA-BG
- Full-Bodied Tone
- Gloss Finish
- Chrome Die Cast tuners
Last update on 2023-11-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This is an interesting addition from Kala.
This pick is a great addition to this list, again directed mostly to beginners (and intermediate music players) that are a little thin in knowledge about the baritone ukulele.
This ukulele offers good quality that’s comparable to the other ukuleles on this list, but with many signature details from Kala.
This Kala model has a mahogany body and neck, with cream binding, a walnut fretboard, and top-notch Aquila strings.
Its finish is satin, but it’s not as flashy because it has a natural color.
This ukulele is of intermediate quality, but keep in mind that it comes from a market leader, and what justifies the price drop is its cheaper materials.
However, we were surprised by the quality of the sound and projection of this ukulele – and we weren’t underestimating it, it actually exceeded our expectations!
The only issue we found about this Kala uke is that, apparently, not all of the ukuleles received by customers have been in the best shape – some of them have been damaged in the ride home.
If you can get around that, you will receive an amazing ukulele that’s ready – and longing! – to be played on arrival.
Highly recommended to start learning!
Pros – about this ukulele
- Great overall quality!
- This Kala ukulele is a balanced pick but has a sound quality that is better than expected.
- It’s beautiful thanks to craftsmanship details.
Cons
- Some people complain about how the ukulele arrives – although we always blame it on shipment.
- This Kala model doesn’t come with ukulele accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions – Best Beginner Ukuleles
There are hundreds of ukuleles out there – though we only highly recommend the ones described above.
These are the top ukuleles a beginner can use to fully master this beautiful instrument!
Absolutely – any of the sizes are great!
The concert is the bigger cousin of the tenor, and it was created to give the soprano ukulele a better projection, improved playability, and a bigger body that’s better for bigger people.
It also sounds slightly different, because you can achieve deeper, bassier notes that you can’t achieve with a soprano.
A beginner could harness all these reasons!
You should know about the sizes!
Most people are not totally clear about how big is the difference between each size, as well as the differences in sound range, and tone.
We’d also suggest you learn more about tonewoods, so you can have a better idea of which ukulele would fit your needs.
Finally, we urge you to check out our article about the best ukulele brands to learn which ones make the top ukuleles you can find!
This depends mostly on your preferences. Ask yourself the following:
– Do you want to produce bright ukulele sounds? Do you have small hands? Then the Soprano ukulele is for you.
– Do you want slightly deeper sounds and better acoustic projection? Then the Concert ukulele is for you.
– Do you want to take advantage of a better projection and even deeper range? Do you have big hands? Then the tenor is for you.
– Do you want to play a bassier, guitar-like ukulele? Do you have amazingly big hands? Then you should get a baritone.
Anything bigger than that would be a guitarlele or a guitar, which have an even better bass range, and improved playability – although they’re not standard ukuleles!
Conclusion – Best Beginner Ukulele
Even though we know this guide will be very useful for confused beginners, we’re among those who think that any ukulele is great to learn how to play – even if it’s cheap or expensive.
Why? Because the right top ukulele to learn is the one that actually allows you to practice!
Still, this is a conclusion that’s rather hard to arrive at, mostly because there are poor-quality ukuleles distributed along with different price ranges.
This guide is vital so you can make the right investment from the get-go.
However, we want you to remember one thing:
You can have a USD1000-worth ukulele, but if you don’t put in the practice, you won’t master the ukulele.
There’s no ukulele out there that will make you a better music player – you can only achieve that by practicing!
Even pros practice, so that’s the only secret there’s to it.
Sure, a better ukulele will sound better, but that doesn’t have anything to do with your skill!
If you want to improve, check out our full review of the best online ukulele courses you can find.
So, are you practicing enough?
