
We also concluded that a built-in pickup, which would allow you to plug the instrument into an amp, was not an important feature in a beginner model. Aside from price, other distinguishing features are tone, appearance, maintenance, and versatility. Solid wood ukuleles tend to be the most expensive, and plastic the least expensive. The soprano ukulele is considered to be standard. Ukulele bodies are typically crafted from solid wood, laminate, or a plastic or composite material. We thought a good uke that didn’t come with a case was better than a mediocre uke that did. Range of notes of standard ukulele types. Cases are important, but they are also inexpensive.
UKELELE TYPES CRACK
Instruments with laminated tops often sound very good, and laminated tops tend to crack less easily. Ukes with a solid-wood top tend to have a richer sound, but in the price range we were looking at, the decision to use more costly solid wood typically requires sacrifices in other aspects of construction. We looked for wood models that were inexpensive but not “cheap.” One thing we didn’t focus on was whether the uke had a solid-wood or laminate (plywood) top and body. Build quality: Instructors we spoke to said that most students would prefer a traditional uke made of wood, not plastic.
UKELELE TYPES PRO
(We made an exception for the Populele 2 Pro because its electronic design is in a class by itself.)

We found dozens of promising models below this price. Price: Beginners rarely spend more than $100 for their first uke, so we decided to cap the price for our test group at $130.Soprano ukes might feel too small for some adults, though.


After discussions with retailers and instructors, we decided to focus on soprano and concert ukes for their portability, price, and light, trebly sound. The bigger the uke, the easier it will be to fit your fingers between the frets, and the fuller and louder the sound will likely be. A baritone uke is tuned like the four highest-pitched strings of a guitar, so some enthusiasts consider it more of a cousin to the uke. Soprano, concert, and tenor ukes are basically the same instrument in different sizes they are all tuned the same, so if you can play one, you can play them all.
