Ukulele: A Complete Buyer's Guide

Buying a ukulele involves more decisions than most beginners expect. Size, materials, brand and price all affect what you end up with, and a poorly set-up instrument can make learning harder than it needs to be. Working through these considerations in order will help you choose well the first time.

Choose Your Size First

The four standard sizes — soprano, concert, tenor and baritone — have different scale lengths, tonal characters and fret spacings. Most adults starting out find a concert ukulele comfortable: it offers more room between frets than a soprano, produces a warmer tone and is still compact and portable. The soprano is the classic, smallest form — bright and percussive, ideal if portability and the traditional Hawaiian sound matter most. The tenor suits players who want more volume and projection, particularly for fingerpicking or solo playing. The baritone uses D-G-B-E tuning rather than G-C-E-A and is the best choice for players already comfortable on guitar.

Set a Realistic Budget

The ukulele market divides into three meaningful price bands:

• Under £80 (Makala, Kala KA series): Laminate construction throughout. Adequate for learning; some factory setup variation. Makala instruments in particular represent solid quality at the low end.
• £80–200 (Kala solid-top range, Lanikai, Cordoba): Solid spruce or mahogany top with laminate back and sides. Noticeably better resonance than full laminate. A ukulele at this price point will reward serious players who continue past the beginner stage.
• £200 and above (Ohana, Kanile'a, solid koa): All-solid construction; instruments that improve with playing over time. Kanile'a produces some of the most sought-after Hawaiian instruments available. These are long-term investments for committed players.

Check Setup Before You Buy

A ukulele that is poorly set up — high action, sharp fret ends, imprecise intonation — makes learning harder and discourages practice. At a music shop, press each string at the third fret: if the action is uncomfortably high or pressing a string produces a sharp, tinny sound, the setup needs attention. Reputable retailers set instruments up properly before sale. Online purchases from well-reviewed sellers (including direct from Kala) are generally fine; avoid unbranded instruments from marketplace platforms, which frequently have setup problems.

Laminate vs Solid Top

A laminate top is stable, affordable and sufficient for casual playing. A solid top resonates more freely, producing richer harmonics that develop further with regular playing. The difference is audible even to new players. If you are serious about continuing, choose solid-top from the start — the cost difference is modest compared to upgrading later. For a full comparison of the recommended models at each price point, the ukulele explained guide covers the key material choices in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions