Home Forums Chat Forum How much to spend on a beginners ukulele?

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  • How much to spend on a beginners ukulele?
  • Earl
    Free Member

    Seams like I can get one for £25 but should I spend another 3 pints and dish out a whole £40?

    What is the sweet spot for beginners?

    CountZero
    Full Member

    About the £50 mark. Yamaha do a really neat 6-string one for around that price, I’ve been seriously thinking of getting myself one.
    Actually £60, properly a guitalele:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-GL1-Guitalele-Ukelele-Size-Natural/dp/B000RVYMWE

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Count, isn’t the whole point of one it’s simplicity ie 4 strings ?

    OP you’ll have to learn “Write it all down” by Elliott Brood as it’s used for the Swiss segment of Strength in Numbers

    sweepy
    Free Member

    Lidl have got them for fifteen quid, they all sound like kids toys anyway.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    It’s still a simple instrument, having six strings bridges the gap to learning to play a full-size guitar.
    I’ve seen someone play both, the sound is the same.
    It’s just a suggestion, the OP can take it or leave it.

    scruff9252
    Full Member

    More importantly, where are you drinking that it is £5 a pint?!

    seadog101
    Full Member

    Yes, spend that £50 at least. Very big improvement in build quality, not just sound. You’d be surprised how much a better set of strings will help too.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Count was just a question, tbh I didn’t even know there where 6 string versions.

    @scruff pretty much anywhere in London

    CharlieMungus
    Free Member

    As a starter, the Mahalo for 20quid is just fine. Have bought many in the past. Once you get the knack, you can start spending more

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    Awlryite, hawzyabin..

    CharlieMungus
    Free Member

    Surely the guitarlele is just a small guitar rather than a ukulele

    deejayen
    Free Member

    The guitalele sounds fabulous – I bought one a few years ago for my Dad, and when I tried it in the shop I couldn’t believe how sweet it sounds. However, it’s definitely not a ukulele.

    I started on a uke when I was 4, but have played guitar since I was 5. A year or two ago I picked up a uke in a music shop, and fancied buying one. However, I have fairly expensive ears, so the more I looked into it, the more I decided to spend. The cheap ones generally don’t sound that good, and aren’t well made. I think I’d be tempted to spend at least £50. I can’t remember trying them, but it looks like a Kala is around that, and you can obviously spend more if you start to look for ukes made from solid wood. It’s worth buying from a decent shop which will make sure the thing plays as good as it can.

    Some of the ‘plastic’ ukes are good (I think the Flea model) and might be better if you’re carrying them around to practices and gigs. However, I think they’re a fair bit dearer – maybe £100 to £200 from memory.

    totalshell
    Full Member

    spent a tenner at argos.. bright pink..splashed 5 more on a tuner.. bish bash bosh..

    lovebadger
    Free Member

    Bambookulele – £75 quid though…

    Either pay £20 to see if you enjoy playing one or get a half decent one which sounds great, will stay in tune and you won’t need to buy another one for ages 🙂

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    splashed 5 more on a tuner.

    There is an app for that

    Earl
    Free Member

    Someone care to recommend me one around the 10 pint mark or less?

    hammerite
    Free Member

    I have one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginners-Children-Ukuleles-Instrument-Stretching/dp/B00L5FSINU?th=1

    Got bought it as a birthday present. It sounds fine, certainly good enough for someone with little musical background. It would sound even better with some Aquila strings. A Snark tuner works so much better than an app.

    However, if you are musically minded and used to learning instruments then you might want to go for something better.

    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    Apply the same rules to this as you would to buying a bike for a beginner. Do not buy the BSO of the uke world.

    Kala for about £75 to £100. Minimum.

    kerley
    Free Member

    Do not get a guitalele. The key feature of a ukulele is the 4 strings and the way they are tuned (high top string rather than low) meaning than many chords are one finger and many others are two finger making them extremely easy to play and they sound very different due to the high top string which gives the ukulele sound.

    There is a difference between £20 an £50 and I would start at around £50 personally.

    Also go for a soprano as they are very small and easiest to hold while playing (no strap to hold them like a guitar)

    mooman
    Free Member

    Size is another consideration; Soprano, Concert, Tenor, or Baritone.
    The bigger they get, the deeper they sound.

    I got a concert size, Luna dragonfly with a solid spruce top; sounds fantastic, and ideal size to lay on sofa playing.

    Caramel ukes get a pretty good write up for next to nothing (Chinese eBay jobbies)

    paulosoxo
    Free Member

    I’ve got two cheap Mahalos with decent strings on, and an Epiphone electro acoustic uke, I’m happy with all of them, they’re cheap and cheerful, but that’s kind of the point. If you turn out to be good, then spend away

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    ive bought a few for the kids and me oover the years. 25quid ones are ok but feel cheap. 50quid ones are hugely a lot better, you also start getting better strings like aquila at that price point, and then 100quid ones better again. stating the obvious i know but…

    also consider size, my kids have soprano but mine is a tenor (about a 90-100quid lanikai and its the best we have) and so much easier to play.

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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