Reviews, guides and buying advice for folk and world instruments including banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, sitar, djembe and steel pan for UK players.
- 62 topics
- 275 articles
Inside Folk & World Instruments
All 62 topicsThe 12 most-searched of 62 topics. The full index is at the foot of the page.
Ukulele
Popular portable instrument with a bright sound and several sizes for folk and acoustic playing.
14 topics
Mandolin
Mandolin instruments deliver a bright, ringing tone with strong folk and acoustic appeal across many styles.
2 topics
Harmonica
Harmonicas are compact, expressive instruments ideal for folk, blues and acoustic performance.
Banjo
The banjo offers bright, rhythmic attack and wide stylistic range across folk, bluegrass and traditional acoustic music.
3 topics
Accordion
The accordion is a versatile folk instrument with rich tone, expressive bellows and many layouts for traditional and mod...
2 topics
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are powerful traditional instruments with strong regional identities, used across Scottish, Irish and wider fol...
Sitar
Iconic South Asian plucked instrument with ringing resonance, bends and rich sympathetic strings.
1 topic
Ocarina
Compact vessel flute with a clear, haunting tone and simple, portable appeal.
Didgeridoo
Resonant Australian drone instrument with powerful sustained tone, circular breathing and distinctive rhythmic effects.
1 topic
Erhu
The erhu is a distinctive two-string bowed instrument valued for its lyrical, expressive sound.
Harp
Harps offer resonant, expressive sound for folk, classical and contemporary acoustic playing.
3 topics
Melodica
Melodica instruments are compact keyboard wind instruments with a clear, expressive tone for learning and performance.
2 topicsArticles on Folk & World Instruments
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Ukulele: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Size, materials, brand and setup quality all matter. Working through these in order will help you choose well the first time rather than upgrading in six months.
Tenor Ukulele: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right tenor ukulele means understanding what actually matters — here is everything worth knowing before you spend.
The Best Mandolins for the Money
From learner instruments to professional-grade choices, the mandolin market has strong options at every level. These picks deliver the most for their price.
Mandolin Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Eight strings, a violin's tuning and a tone that carries across any session room — the mandolin is a remarkable acoustic instrument with a rich history and a wide musical life.
Tenor Ukulele Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The tenor ukulele offers more room to play, richer tone and greater volume than smaller sizes — here is what you need to know before picking one up.
Cuatro: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying well here is about matching the instrument to the music, not spending more. A grounded, practical guide to choosing a cuatro.
Common Tenor Ukulele Mistakes to Avoid
Most ukulele difficulties come from predictable, avoidable mistakes — here is what to watch out for and how to correct course early.
Hang Drum for Beginners: A Complete Guide
How to Set Up and Use Autoharp
A new autoharp deserves half an hour of unhurried attention before you play a note in earnest. Here's the proper step-by-step setup, start to finish.
Baritone Ukulele: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The genuine differences that separate a baritone ukulele you'll love for years from one that'll frustrate you within a month.
Tenor Banjo: A Complete Buyer's Guide
From short-scale Irish models to full-size jazz resonators, choosing a tenor banjo means understanding a handful of key variables — this guide makes those decisions straightforward.
The Best Harmonicas for the Money
The right harmonica depends on level, genre, and what matters most — ease of bending, reed durability, or repairability. Here is what performs best at each price tier.
How to Set Up and Use Bass Ukulele
Getting the best from your instrument starts with the right setup. This guide covers everything from string fitting and tuning to amplification settings, playing position and how to keep the instrumen...
Autoharp: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Chromatic, diatonic, fifteen-bar, twenty-one-bar — buying your first autoharp means learning a new vocabulary fast. Here's the honest, step-by-step version.
Everything You Need to Know About Makala Ukulele
The Makala ukulele is Kala's entry-level range and one of the most consistently recommended instruments for beginners. Here is everything you need to know about it.
Electric Mandolin: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Solid body for loud stages, semi-hollow for jazz and acoustic-leaning styles — here's how to work through every decision before buying.
Erhu: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Two strings, no fingerboard and a bow threaded between them — buying an erhu doesn't have to feel like guesswork. Here's exactly what to check first.
How to Set Up and Use Soprano Ukulele
New strings that won't hold pitch, chords that buzz, and a strumming arm that's not sure what to do — this guide sorts the common early problems.
Melodica Music Instrument Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Part keyboard, part wind instrument: here is the full story of the melodica, how its reeds actually work, and how it became a dub classic.
Common Jaw Harp Mistakes to Avoid
Four technique mistakes that hold most beginners back, with specific, practical fixes for each — covering grip, pluck force, mouth shaping and tongue care.
How to Set Up and Use Piano Accordion
The piano accordion has more physical and mechanical dimensions than most instruments. Here is the practical account of what to do, in order, from first setup through to regular maintenance.
The Best Guzhengs for the Money
No fake tests, just an honest look at what separates student, intermediate and professional guzhengs, and which suits where you actually are as a player.
Concertina for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Nervous about taking up the concertina? This beginner's guide walks you through your first steps, from holding the instrument to playing your first tune and finding community in folk sessions.
What Folk & World Instruments Covers
This category brings together an extraordinarily diverse range of acoustic and traditional instruments from British roots music and global traditions. From the Irish bouzouki to the West African djembe, this category is home to the instruments that carry the musical identities of cultures across every continent — and it has never been more accessible to UK players wanting to explore beyond the mainstream.
Acoustic Folk Instruments for UK Players
The category includes much-loved British and Celtic staples: the five-string banjo used in clawhammer and bluegrass styles, the mandolin beloved in Irish and Americana sessions, the Greek-rooted bouzouki adopted into Irish traditional music, and the ukulele, whose popularity in the UK has grown steadily for over a decade. Folk guitars — typically steel-string acoustics from brands such as Tanglewood, Alvarez, and Sigma — sit alongside resonator guitars, harmonicas, and fiddles to complete the acoustic picture. Whether you're joining a weekly session at a local pub or exploring American old-time music at home, there is an instrument here to suit every interest.
World Instruments and Global Traditions
Beyond European folk, this section reaches into North Indian classical music with the sitar and tabla, West African percussion with the djembe and kora, and Caribbean rhythms with the steel pan. These instruments introduce entirely different playing approaches, tuning systems, and rhythmic languages. UK buyers should seek out reputable specialist retailers or makers — quality varies widely, and a poorly set-up sitar or an unresponsive djembe head can make learning unnecessarily difficult. Hobgoblin Music and dedicated Indian and world music suppliers are well-regarded starting points.
Getting Started: Beginner Considerations
Choosing your first folk & world instruments entry point starts with identifying the music you love. Budget realistically — a playable banjo from Barnes & Mullins or Ozark costs from around £100 to £300 new, while quality sitars and koras range higher. Prioritise comfortable action and reliable tuning over cosmetics. Ukulele remains the most accessible starting point, while tabla, sitar, and kora benefit from specialist tuition from the outset. Always budget for a case, spare strings or heads, and a clip-on tuner.
Brands and Where to Buy in the UK
The UK market is well-served by specialist retailers alongside the major online players. Brands including Deering, Epiphone, Mahalo, and Ozark cover the folk end of the spectrum, while specialist importers and luthiers handle higher-end world instruments. Buying from a dedicated music retailer — rather than a general marketplace — provides better quality control, proper setup, and access to after-sales support that makes a real difference for beginners and experienced players alike.
