In fact they are based on the west coast, ‘nestled in the Sonoma wine country’. The company isn’t Hawaiian, but not many of the modern ukulele makers are. They celebrated their 15th anniversary in 2020, but you could easily think they had been around much longer if you look at the range. Kala is an incredibly prolific ukulele manufacturer. In terms of price, they’re at the mid to upper range, especially when compared to some budget ukulele makers.
Ten thumbs pro ukulele professional#
It’s a little surprise, these instruments have a professional feel and a very authentic tone in spite of not being manufactured in Hawaii. Not many budget offerings in their range.Īmbassadors of the Cordoba brand include Jose Gonzalez.Not as many models as some of the other brands.Image credit: Sweetwater Check Price on Sweetwater Check Price on Amazon They’re great for live and studio use.Ĭordoba instruments tend to be made out of exceptional materials, and mahogany is commonly used in their ukes, though they also have a number of spruce options. Their range even has a lot of products with pickups included, so that amplification is a breeze. They have a large range and cater to people wanting all different sizes. The ukuleles within their range tend to be very good quality. Luthier and musician Pepe Romero helped to create the brand and their focus on nylon-stringed instruments shines through (they also make classical guitars). The brand has actually only been around since 1997. Some really popular ukuleles belong to the Cordoba brand including the 15CM-E.
Keep reading to learn more about the most popular ukulele brands and what makes them so special. Either way, if you stick to name brands, you will most likely get a quality product that will last you for a long time.
Ten thumbs pro ukulele upgrade#
If you are a pro, looking for an upgrade of your current instrument, then you might want to take a look at the offer of premium brands. Mahalo for example, is known as a brand that mostly caters to beginners and hobbyists, while still using sustainable woods for their instruments. As a beginner you might do better with a laminated wood uke, as they are low maintenance, but still produce a great sound, but if you prefer the sound of a solid wood one, then there are brands that produce those for affordable prices, too. So which one to go for will largely depend on your personal preference. Ukes made out of solid wood are also a lot more sensitive, prone to cracking and their tone will change over time, whereas the ones made from laminated wood are a lot more resilient and will produce the same tone for years to come. That does not necessarily mean that ukuleles made of solid wood will always produce a better sound, as that is determined by a lot of other factors, like shape, size, tuning, and type of strings. A rule of thumb is that higher quality ukuleles are made of solid tonewoods (koa, mahogany, cedar, rosewood, ect), whereas budget options are made of laminates, or even synthetic materials. Ukuleles, like most instruments these days, are made using a wide variety of materials and techniques. Luckily enough, most brands produce ukes in all sizes, so you’ll always be able to pick the one that suits you the best Materials and Pricing So, there’s a lot to take into consideration before picking the right size for you. A larger uke will be louder, but with a warmer and rounder tone than the “standard” ukuleles that produce a more upbeat sound we all associate with the instrument. The smaller the uke, the smaller their fingerboard, which means its stretches are easier, but fretting might be harder to do, especially if you have larger hands. The size of uke you pick will of course determine the sound, but also how easy or difficult it will be for you to play the instrument. Ukes typically come in four different sizes: Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone. The first and probably most important factor to consider is the size of the ukulele. Here we’ll discuss the most important ones, as well as the most popular brands, in order to help you make the right decision. The ukulele is among the easiest instruments to learn and even though it’s a simpler instrument than a guitar or violin, there are still lots of factors to consider when choosing the right instrument. What to consider when choosing the Brand for your Ukuele
Order does not represent a ranking of products, but rather a review of some of the best products for different The above is kept up against price and quality.