Finding the best ukulele brands is no joke. There are plenty of options around us, and sometimes it is difficult to find out what goes for and what to ignore. Therefore, in this article, we’ll make things easier for you. We will be talking about some of the best ukulele brands that money can buy in 2021.
The reason we are focusing more on this towards the end of the year is that brands tend to lose or gain power over time. Think about it for a second. There are thousands of brands that used to be good. But you don’t think about them anymore.
On the other hand, there are a lot of brands that are now doing great but were poor back in the day. We had to take that into account in our ukulele brand article too. All the fifteen brands that we have picked in this case are standard and will possibly offer you super solutions.
We have not reviewed it in any specific order. All ten brands are equally good at solving ukulele-related needs for most people and produce the best ukulele for beginners, intermediate, and professionals, but it is not like one is better than another in any order. Further, some brands also offer ukulele accessories.
Top 15 Rated Best Ukulele Brands
1. Kala
Kala very proudly says that they produce the world’s best ukulele under their brand name. Where that might be an overestimation, they are pretty good at what they do. Born in San Francisco, Kala is not that old when it comes to the age of the company. There are many older ukulele brands than Kala, but Kala was able to make quality emotion with its customers within a short time.
The owner, Mike, says it all the time. They believe in producing a high-quality product and leaving the rest to consumers. It seems like this combination works fine. Kala offers different-sized ukuleles. But it has some best tenor ukuleles which are very popular.
2. Cordoba
In earlier days, Cordoba was primarily famous for its superb collection of guitars as well as quality model ukes. Think about it for a second. If you are old and if you have been in music for a long time, you would know that Cordoba has never really promoted itself as a brand that focuses on ukuleles.
However, all that recently changed as Cordoba now produces some of the world’s best soprano ukuleles and has other sizes. According to most people, the best thing that they love about Cordoba is the fact that the products are well-priced. Despite being a huge brand, the company tries to keep things moderate, which is something that musicians appreciate.
3. Hola
The name tells you a lot about the brand, right? We all can relate to Spain when it comes to ukuleles. Ukuleles and the sound of Spain always combine, and that’s what this brand does well too. However, the name is only there to give you a feel of what the brand stands for, but more importantly, the brand has quality products that you will enjoy playing with.
Moreover, a large number of street performers use Hola to perform, and the chance is very high that you might have heard one or two streets perform who were using Hola equipment to perform for you.
4. Aklot
According to many, Aklot is not one of the premium solutions when it comes to a Ukulele, but it is still preferable to most out there. On the other hand, we will have to make clear the fact that it is not a very old brand either. The brand is a little new, and it seems like they were able to catch on to what the youth ukulele masters want these days.
If you think about it for a second, you will realize that the ukulele players do not take care that much of the brand image. Most importantly, it is not a shoe that you are buying.
5. ADM
ADM has its fair share of criticism on platforms like Amazon, but if we look holistically without any previous bias, we would realize that the brand is doing pretty well. For example, there are a bunch of musicians who do not like everything that ADM produces, but that is fine.
The good news, however, is the fact that the brand is producing some of the coolest baritone ukuleles out there, and that is why they are getting super results. Consequently, they were one of the most sold brands last year, and it seems like they will do pretty well this year too.
6. Luna
Once again, the name of their website Luna Guitars will tell you that their primary focus has consistently been producing quality guitars, be it Hawaii or Western. However, the company has also shown great promise in manufacturing ukuleles.
The brand has been doing well for quite a few months now consistently, and more importantly, it seems like everyone is happy with the service and the results that they are getting. Above all, you want a good brand of ukulele, don’t you?
7. Donner
Donner doesn’t come to our mind that often when we think about the best ukulele brands that money can buy. However, they are good, but at the same time, they are not considered one of the best out there. Fortunately, they are still doing well as they have an attractive customer base who loves Donor as a brand.
The ukuleles, according to us, are pretty standard in terms of quality though there is nothing to go super excited about. In short, it is a decent brand to have at home.
8. Lanikai
The brands that we have discussed so far are all good, but they have one issue in common. They do not focus primarily on the Ukulele market. Yes, they all manufacture decent quality uke models, but they are not only doing that. On the other hand, Lanikai is a brand that specializes in producing Ukuleles as they do that and that only.
It helps the brand to have a better image as people consider them ukulele experts. Moreover, if you go to their website, you will see that the brand takes pride in being ukulele experts, and it reflects too.
9. Oscar Schmidt
If you are looking for an old and established brand that will take care of everything with a posh and classy attitude, Oscar Schmidt is your company. They have been around for 200 years, and they are doing something, aren’t they? Otherwise, it is tough for any company to be around for 200 years in the music industry.
Oscar doesn’t only produce Ukuleles, but they have a wide variety of products. As a result, you can choose their products. Though for many, it doesn’t matter, going with a strong brand truly helps as you get extra benefits in terms of customer support and similar activities.
10. Lohanu
This brand will always rank within the top 10 or 15 when it comes to getting the best ukulele brands from around. The products of this brand are of very high quality. Yes, the price might be a bit higher than some competitors out there, but it is worth it for many. The best thing about this brand is the fact that it produces long-lasting ukuleles, and the concert ukulele is the top-selling product of this brand.
If you have that habit of breaking ukuleles for no reason (like some do on stage), then this is a good option as they don’t break easily. Regarding the sound quality, it is tough to differentiate the sound quality of top brands, and we will leave you there.
11. Fender
Fender is a well-known brand whose name you may have heard. It has been producing electric and acoustic-electric guitars for decades with a reputation. It also makes it to the ukulele. If you plan to buy an electronic ukulele, you can opt for a ukulele from Fender.
To clarify, they’ve already launched some great ukuleles. As a result, the reputation of their skills in making machinery has become bright.
However, some of the ukuleles are fantastic beginner options. Due to their lovely craftsmanship, high quality, and superb finishes, their ukuleles have gained popularity. They have a Telecaster-style headstock ukulele, which is of different colors. Most importantly, their ukes are easily playable.
12. Mahalo
If you question some experienced ukulele players about their first ukulele brand, they will probably answer that they first used Mahalo’s ukulele. Compared to the brands included in our list, Mahalo is more influential in the beginner division of the market. To clarify, they do not manufacture anything else.
The instruments of this brand are quality and affordable at cost. As a result, all classes of Uke players can use their equipment.
Mahalo has gained familiarity due to its endeavor to design and build great apprentice ukuleles. That’s why we’ve taken them on our list.
13. Caramel
Caramel Ukuleles do not have much history. The owner of this brand is Rubin Commerce and Trade Co. Ltd (a China-based company). In the past, their ukuleles were known as Rubin Ukuleles. But, at present, the brand sells its ukes as caramel names. It is a story from many different import brands, but this brand is a bit different.
However, according to user reviews, the Ukes of Caramel are well-made for the amount you pay for them. Their products have a good tone quality, well-finished, and eye-catching designs. In short, you can add an instrument to your collection.
14. Martin
Martin is famous for producing high-quality guitars. Perhaps, many music lovers are not familiar with their ukulele manufacturing. But they manufacture ukuleles too, and they are quite skilled at it. They have been producing guitars since 1833, but they began constructing ukuleles in 1916.
You really can’t avoid this brand because their instruments come with marvelous craftsmanship. Maybe, their models are a bit expensive, but you can’t raise any questions about the quality and design. One thing that makes Martin’s range separate is their use of good tonewoods and hardware. If you desire to get an instrument from the best brand, Martin is one of them.
15. Sawtooth
The popularity of Sawtooth is growing among players who are new to ukulele learning. The instruments of this manufacturer are well-constructed, and the soundholes of their instruments are found to be bright notched features.
The sound is mild and well-balanced. Most models are available at an affordable cost. If you are searching for a quality and decent ukulele at a reasonable price, then Sawtooth is suited enough to meet your needs.
What are the Best Ukulele Brands?
As we told you before, you find a lot of good ukulele manufacturers. Kala, Cordoba, Hola, Luna, Donner, Lanikai, and many more have been included in the list above. Several companies produce quality products without a huge price tag, a few choose a good medium-range, and for those of you who desire to spend a bit extra for excellent materials, we have got you obsessed too.
We intended to create this list for different skill levels. From beginner to professional ukulele players, from laminated wood to high-finish wood construction strategies, and from beginner kits to top-rated ukuleles on the market, we present a brand for you to check out.
Honestly, there are some surprising ukulele brands that we can’t include in this list. However, here are the best ukulele brands that make the best products at low prices and are effortlessly available for the average person.
Best Ukulele Brands to Avoid
Since more and more retailers sell more instruments online, more and more lower-quality instruments are available at lower prices too. When purchasing a ukulele confirm it is not constructed using fundamental plastic because instruments usually contain strange vibrations that distort the sound and cause an overall lack of sound in a real ukulele.
In this article, we will not name any specific brand because many of the brand names we will name are only audible or what we have collected from online reviews. You can do just that kind of research!
That being said, for those who are very sensitive in case of price, we can’t recommend Kala (or Makala) and Luna Ukulele for beginners. Both brands supply ukuleles for around $50, which will surpass the quality of musical instruments. You can buy it from any big box store and will not need to spend more.
Conclusion: Best Ukulele Brands
Yes, you guessed it right. It was tough for us to get the best ukulele brands in one place. We still feel like we couldn’t include many of the top brands now doing well. However, that’s always the thing. No matter how much you try, you will always leave some good brands out there simply because the industry is continuously changing. What are some of the brands that you like? In conclusion, tell us about the ukulele brand that you have used and have had a positive or negative experience in the past. We would love to know.
