The black strings were far too brash sounding for the Eleuke and didn’t fret easily on the tenor scale however on the soprano scale of the Mahalo U30 they are much easier on the fingers and the sound from the uke is louder and the tone has improved, I reckon that the robust build and finish of the U30 softens and rounds the sound of the harsher strings, it’s still a quiet uke and doesn’t have the same punch and brightness as a mahogany uke like my StewMac kit uke but for £13 what are you expecting. But the price is worth it. Mahalo made some small changes to the body, but we all know what it is supposed to look like. My enthusiasm has also inspired my mother to revisit her ukulele playing days but she’s in need of a little guidance and, of course, I’m willing to help her out. If you’re looking for a practical instrument that you can take anywhere without worrying too much about it, a decent starter uke or a base model for a home customisation project, you could do a lot worse for the money. Hard to tune! And I have to say! And – oh yes, it sounds a bit tinny and raw, so it’s probably just as well that it ‘s also a bit quiet…… but me, I just love it to bits – at least for now. It kept going out of tune the first few weeks but finally settled after a few weeks of dedicated tuning and playing. So was pleasantly surprised to discover that it stays in tune reasonably well, and rarely requires a full-on tune-up – just the occasional tweak. The outfit came with a book and CD, though I never used the CD. These experts do this because Mahalo ukuleles represent the very best value for money on the market! Thousands of music stores around the world stock Mahalo as their main ukulele line. Honolele — a brand newly created in Thailand. A small price to pay for a birthday present which also doubles as a distraction from Grandpas more expensive instruments, perfectly sized for tiny hands and cheap enough that you need not worry too much about them. They stretch, and need time to stretch. Mahalo. Perhaps that’s not a glowing recommendation but it fits my needs perfectly. Hola! The Java series is already out actually. Mahalo Kahiko Ukulele. U/LTD2 – Limited. I then found a chord sheet and began playing a 12 bar blues I was immediately surprised at how hollow it sounded and flat. ), Jens Lekman and Erlend Øye (from Kings Of Convenience). The bodies are all made of exotic needle the natural made of mahogany. Greg Bennett (Samick) — are cheap ukuleles made in Korea, but have had good reviews. I wouldn’t recommend this Uke, but the one I had must of been a Friday afternoon, Monday morning Uke at the Mahalo factory (Nice green colour though). If you are here for an orientation of which ukulele brand to buy as your first or second ukulele, you are in the right place.This post will cover only the subject of ukulele brands , not about where to buy them. Traditionally, ukuleles were made from just one tone wood, and it was used on the sides, top, and back. He wasn’t an expensive uke, cost me under 60 quid (complete with what is now a well worn, battered and bruised hard case) but with just a little tweaking he has proven to be invaluable. Chad took this photo of me playing my Mahalo ukulele with Steve on his hand-made bass, Darren on drums, and Fran on tapshoes on her special wooden board (which is out of shot). Our Kumu collection is made exclusively with Hawaiian Koa wood from the Big Island of Hawaii. Sound is produced through these instruments by plucking and strumming the strings. There is a huge variety of sporting and recreation goods from China, listed on our site including Mahalo Ukulele above, and you can choose from other purchasing options such as ukulele, soprano ukulele, tenor ukulele before you make your final sourcing choice.Find the right Mahalo Ukulele factory and manufacturers can make a big difference to your future business success. Nor, by the same token, would this uke be a good way to convince someone who plays another instrument of the ukulele’s many merits. Each Hawaiian made ukulele has been made Honolulu, Hawaii and designed to ensure the best quality, sound, and play-ability. I bought a tenor uke which I gave as a gift and it will not stay in tune. Mahalo — a very cheap ukulele originally made in China and now in Indonesia. 4. I bought it a little over 4 months ago from a person on eBay. when i first got it i had to re-tune quite a few times but now it hardly ever goes out of tune and i have never needed to replace the strings. Luna — They have more than six models. There are rumours that one Mahalo in five sounds absolutely great. amzn_assoc_search_type = "search_widget"; Built with methods derived from original Hawaiian craftsmanship along with precise building techniques, and efficient Japanese production methods, Imua Ukulele are quality instruments that will last for generations. Sorry if this doesn’t help you at all, I had the same problem choosing off of other peoples reviews to get a uke. make the uke be with you. Using Walnut, it constructs the fingerboard and bridge, and the neck is made of Nato. Ukuleles are small guitar-like string instruments which usually comprise of four-strings. When you’re as desperate as I was, anything will do. Keep you ukulele on a wood stand made of reclaimed plywood. a month ago i went to my local music shop and got a mahalo uk-51 for 50 bucks. If you tune it once a day for a couple weeks it will keep its tune perfectly well with very little attention. With a wide range of tone woods and premium features, Lanikai ukuleles provide you with inspiration that sparks creativity and fuels musical passion. three years later, i still have my Mahalo and i would recommend them to absolutely everyone. They are more expensive ukuleles. Check Pirce on Amazon. Mahalo is the No. Don’t put down the little Mahalos guys, just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it sounds it. Bass ukuleles are fun to play – very easy to take on-the-go or practice anywhere! Your ukes are more for a low to medium price.Universal Worldwide Trading — low quality ukuleles aimed at tourists in Hawaii. I’m absolutely convinced that any guitarist would improve their playing by learning to play the ukulele. So if you are looking for greater guidance, comment here at the end of the post to see if our community can help you with their experience. David Beckingham plays Baby Elephant Walk on his Mahalo tenor. Shelby — sold in quantity in Brazil, but it is a low quality instrument, but it is a good price for a first ukulele, for those who just want to know the instrument before making a good investment in a better ukulele. When his original strings break I plan to replace them with black nylon. There were only two ukes in stock, both Mahalo. I’d only be out thirty bucks! I learned to play on a £15 Mahalo U30G which came with equally cheap multi coloured strings. If you have done your research then you will already know that a Mahalo ukulele is traditionally made out of mahogany. When the Ukulele arrived, I eagerly tore the bubble wrap off and opened the complimentary hard case (WHAT A BARGAIN). They based in Japan, while most of their products are made in either China or Indonesia. Despite its shortcomings (and of course, my own! I’m not sure about that, but if you get to try a bunch of them out and pick one, that’s a good way to go. Mahalo put a lot of effort into their instruments. PC : @ronstrums . Bondi Ukuleles acclaimed for vibrant instruments & authenticity. I definitely recommend the Mahalo for any beginner or those who want to play the ukulele for a hobby or even any advanced player! The plastic-y rubbery strings have a poor quality sound. More recently, they have created a more ukulele line called Kanile’a Islander, which has been receiving excellent reviews. Mahalo has moved, No longer made in China. Regardless of your personality, the amazing colours of the Mahalo Rainbow Series Ukuleles lets you scream your individuality to the world! Anyway, that will cost more than the instrument is worth. Anuenue — high quality ukuleles from Taiwan APC Instruments — Manufacturers of ukulele from Portugal and their ancestors. –I had to file the corners of the bridge down. Mahalo has brought the MR1LBU soprano uke on the market in the lineup of the Rainbow series. The addition of a traditional trans-brown finish not only fills out the Rainbow Series finish options, it also introduces Mahalo's first introductory package, suitable for ukulele enthusiasts of all ages. There was a threat of bear but no sightings by us. Mahalo é tudo sobre ukuleles. I must warn people to be careful as some do make a buzzing sound when strummed. but since i started playing i can sort of play piano and guitar and even the agarina. Mahalo are a very cheap ukulele made originally in China and now in Indonesia. A really joy. I recently came across a julia nunes song on youtube (weezer keep fishin) and after hearing her i was hooked. Swagerty — became popular during surf fashion in the 50s and 60s — the pointed tip of uke were meant to be threaded into the sand as you caught waves. This is now collecting dust. The next time I saw it was about a month later when I was packing for Europe. My students like the sound better than my Washburn. It is also one of the most popular.Gibson — are no longer manufactured and have become a collector’s item with quite high price. There are soprano ukes, which are the smallest and feature the highest pitch, concert ukes, with beautiful mid-range tones, tenor ukes, which produce distinctly deep tones, and baritone ukes, which are the ukes with the lowest tones and are tuned differently from their counterparts. But a deeper look into the materials shows some big differences. Ashbury — UK manufacturer with wide range of instruments including reasonably cheap ukuleles and good quality for anyone who is starting out. Overall for £13 you can’t go wrong you can go very right though and have great fun with this brilliant beginners instrument. I went online, googled ‘ukulele’, and was hooked from that moment on. They are the most popular in the UK. Mahalo Ukulele tuning pegs. I bought my U320C, a concert sized Mahalo ukulele on January 2012. amzn_assoc_width = "auto"; Made With Aloha In Hawaii. We’ve played live on the BBC, Xfm and 6music, recorded in Maida Vale, took the stage at Bestival & Lattitude festivals, gigged on boats and steam trains and never once let each other down. They’re most popular in the UK. Welcome to Makai Ukuleles. I feel like there’s a general misunderstanding of nylon strings – they take forever to keep tune, even on classical guitars. The MK1TBR (the single ukulele… Great write-up! The dolphins that hold in the tuning pegs pretty much made the whole thing for me. Are you in search of Hawaiian Made Ukuleles? I caught the ukulele itch when, in December of last year, I thought it would add an interesting twist to my job as a youth services librarian. The fretboard is plywood painted black and the position markers are black dots on the side of the neck, basic but effective. The Crossover collection provides a wonderful variety of unique ukulele instruments that are sure to catch the eye and the ear. I have a Mahalo U320C. It’s quite heavy for a uke and quite basic in it finish. For one, the MK ukuleles are made of laminate agathis, a less expensive wood than the mahogany the KA series is made from. I found that the ukulele seemed to stereotype me as a friendly individual, everywhere I went people were asking me to play things. The Mahalo brand is definitely one with a more traditional Hawaiian feel. My friends and family were easily amused by this little instrument. It’s a couple of weeks before my eldest daughters 2nd birthday and I am wondering what to get her, she’s taken a keen interest in Grandpas guitars and his Banjo although I’m pretty sure Grandpa’s not so keen on little mits putting things into them, as I wander past the local music shop gaudily coloured tiny instruments catch my eye, they are; pink, yellow, blue, green, red, orange, white or black and they are only £13, they are Mahalo U30 ukuleles. The only problem is the fact that the strings go out of tune quite easily, but with a piano nearby it’s not hard to fix. Thanks, (I can play ACDC on there! amzn_assoc_default_search_key = "Mahalo ukulele"; I bought today a black mahalo U30G, and I’M VERY HAPPY! Kala, Mahalo, Magic Fluke, Pono, Luna, Lanikai, Martin and Kanilea and many more were all considered for this list. The bridge is nicely secure. Mahalo MK1 TBR has a clear and beautiful sound. You can watch Ghetto Escape Plan B in The Bobby McGee’s A Dog At All Things. Mahalo — a very cheap ukulele originally made in China and now in Indonesia. The Ukulele has been made out of tonewoods right from the heart of Indonesia. The Java series is already out actually. i posted a reweuw erlier when i first got my uk-51 After 3 more tunings and tightening the machine heads twice I lost patience and fit it snugly into its complimentary hard case and slid in under my bed- almost embarrassed of it. Shima Ukulele is a family-owned and operated business founded by ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, who exclusively plays Kamaka Ukuleles, and his brother, a fellow artist and teacher, Bruce Shimabukuro in 2018.Born from a shared passion of making quality ukulele accessible for anyone interested in learning to play, Shima Ukulele has a concert-quality sound and feel at an affordable price. (: at first .. I have since bought two other ukuleles and am aching for another. The fact is Mahalo is offering a good quality ukulele for an affordable price, and some more pricey companies are unset by this. It is just varnished with a layer of wood lacquer. I now have 2 Mahalo ukes! It came with a good quality gig bag which was supposed to be worth about $40, but got the lot for $145 AUD. The Mahalo U30 is so cheap as to be almost disposable, it’s made of plywood, has rather crude friction tuners which are a little trickier than would be expected to tune with but once in tune work fine, the strings stretch as soon as you strum them and the sound produced is rather muted and dull. The Makala line features an array of ukulele with a vintage look at an entry-level price. Their bright colours and low price tag mean that … Even if chocolate chip is on your mind, our cookies make an important contribution to a great shopping experience. Believe or not, the bright pink ukuleles were very popular with the boys in my class! with a dolphin bridge – these are particularly popular with kids. This is a very special instrument that was made to be played and enjoyed. They’re not the world’s greatest uke by any means but, considering the price, it’s a decent ukulele. The proper niche for this ukulele, I believe, is the person who doesn’t play any instrument at all, yet. The tenor is 66cm and it is deeper than a classical guitar. Last year I had a SHADDOW pick up installed by a good friend, this cost more than the ukulele, but has been another good investment. The chord chart in the book was useful enough for getting started with basic chord shapes. BugsGear EleUke — a Japanese ukulele company created in 2004. by any chance do you know a good brand/model of soprano ukulele with 14 frets? Overall they are great little ukes, whilst cheap as chips you can still play a tune on them, you don’t worry about leaving them anywhere and as a result they get picked up and played with. Hi there! I played the whole song and it stayed in perfect tune for the whole lesson. Concert ukuleles are slightly bigger than soprano and have a richer, deeper tone. I recommend buying it as well. it has geared tuners and a solid mahogany body, no buzzing, doesn’t need tuning..although i bought aquila strings for it i couldn’t be happier! The World's biggest selling ukulele, the Mahalo U30, has now been totally re-designed and upgraded into this dazzling range - The Mahalo Rainbow Series. Now for real life…this is a Les Paul ukulele. Brownsville — listed in the range of less than $ 100. I love it and will stay loyal with it. Its a wonderful little thing that i love. I wouldn’t reccomend it. In January, 2014, mass production commenced, which represents a new quality standard for the market. I actually have a U-320P Soprano pineapple shaped Mahalo Ukulele, it’s my starter Uke and I adore it! I’m no technical expert or sound master (as I am all too often reminded by my double bass player, who is!) Contact Us Contact Us. Mahalos have made good ukes in my experience and I’d buy another. Despite being a ‘cheap soprano by Mahalo’ as he’s been described, there is not much difference in the playing and sound quality compared to more expensive ukes. The machine heads of the Mahalo Ukuleles MK1TBR Kahiko Series Soprano Ukulele is made of vintage geared and nickel material. $25 - $50 (30) $50 - $100 (84) secondly, my mahalo sounds beautiful. Twenty-five dollars is a tremendously low entry barrier. Problem now is, my chrissy present is neglected, ‘cos the Mahalo’s so good! Ibanez — has a long history with the production of guitars. by the way im 13. Morelli / Santini — are sold very cheap (about $ 35) and have a shape very similar to other ukueles like the Fluke. Kala is known for high-quality instruments that sound amazing, and the Makala line is no exception. –My storytime kids don’t tend to notice (or care about) the tone problems or the buzzing during “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. Shortly after getting together, me and the uke took a plane to Lisbon, and from there, travelled to the rural area in Central Portugal where my young family live. Thanks . LEHO engineering team members are “not at all new” on the ukulele scene and many of our close-knit LEHO team engineers have more than 20 years experience in the careful design of ukuleles for various other ukulele brands that you already know. The tone is balanced but not as rich as i wish it could. LOCALS — say their ukuleles are made of solid koa in Hawaii. Unfortunately, today’s ukuleles are no longer so cheap. So I handed over my £46, and practically flew out of the door with happiness and anticipation. After 10 minutes of playing it was out of tune. But though new to uking, I do know that in real life, my uke’s tone definitely leaves something to be desired! It has been a good experience and although it still sounds bad I’m getting better on it and it has made me want to buy a better one from which I can really play properly. Many ukulele players start out using Mahalo ukuleles as their first instruments. Shop today at Long & McQuade, the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in Canada with over 70 stores. BUY. Koa Ukuleles. So, I had been going on a quest for different brands at local music shops here in Anchorage to see what our options were. Melokia — They have plenty of solid ukuleles in mahogany and acacia. When you plan a trip to Woolacombe you should you should definitely check out the Wooalcombe Fryer fish and chip shop. Kalani — instrument of low quality. Put on some Aquila strings and away I went. Makai — Makai ukuleles seems to be very similar to other ukuleles such as Hilo and Ohana Makala — low price ukulele line brand Kala. Fender — The biggest name in guitars in the world began making ukuleles in early 2009. It travelled well, flying as hand-luggage – the laptop had to go in the hold for the first time. It’s like those people who have broken down cars, rusted farm equipment, and vinyl siding all over their yard. Fit and finish is second to none and so is the value! I decided to get a tenor as it was a comfortable size for someone used to guitars. It is produced in China. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; I came across a soprano sized Mahalo for $29.95. I bought one for a friend and basically the same – again great playing – no intonation problems, the guys who blow one up in the video – what a nonsense. Hello! I’m 13, and this instrument has become my new best friend. i even go to the skate park with it. I have had a slight upgrade to a £50 Kala but will still be playing my purple Mahalo. Firstly I had the saddle filed down under the “A” string to sort out an intonation problem (that only the luthier who could hear!). The black Mahalo fitted the bill, as I was working on “Bat out of Hell”, and I could customize it with a few stickers. 3 years passed by. They make a number of ukuleles, however they specialize in long neck ukuleles. The strings are brand new when you first buy them so of course they’ll take a while to stretch! Now everybody wants one of their own. The bodies are all made of exotic needle the natural made of mahogany. We do not want to put any mark on this list.As I do not know all the available brands, we will update this list according to your contribution in the discussion here in the comments of this post. How Ukulele is perfect for beginners. The last brand we want to mention is Mahalo. I usually plug straight from the uke into a D.I. Mahalo Painted ukuleles are the best choice in affordably priced and extremely well made soprano-sized instruments that are designed to sound great, play easy and most of all be affordable, too! I’ve got a musical ear and I can tell what is good and what is not. But I love it. Among the other best Mahalo Ukulele is the Mahalo Hano Series MH2 Concert Ukulele. Each Bari-Bass ukulele come standard with 20.2″ scale length – offered in a variety of wood options, walnut fingerboard and sturdy die-cast open gear tuners. This may not sound like a fantastic Uke ‘looks bad’ sounds bad and is generally very unreliable but it had one tremendously redeeming quality, one that I did not expect at all. The Not Quite So Bulletproof Boy Scouts of BTS, I Learned Everything I Needed To Know From My Bad Band: A 10 Year Postmortem, Classical Record Producer Robina G. Young: Looking Back, “Hold Me Down Through These Troubled Times” (Why I Shed Tears For Nipsey Hussle). but I have a whole wealth of empirical evidence that lets me know that this little Mahalo** ukulele is all any ukulele player could need (And the “Solid Mahogany” bit impresses my dad!). They based in Japan, while most of their products are made in either China or Indonesia. Built quality is not an issue since it is a cheap laminated top, side and back ukulele, but somehow the finishing is lack of aesthetic value. $44.99 . We seek to make all brands. Planning to buy an undersaddle pickup for this uke. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "ukhu-21"; MY UKE IS FANTASTIC! Slingerland — Nowadays, the brand is most famous for its drums. Jake Shimabukuro uses this brand. Heck no. Mahalo ukulele bags are high quality products. Kala KA-15S – Best for Intermediate Level Children. Cordoba — popular guitar makers with a ukulele line. They actually do the very best fish and chips in the neighborhood therefore you should head over to them, then you should take your fish and chips right down to the beach and savor. This meant I could travel with it , unlike my trusty piano, which always stays at home when I go away. At first, I’ll admit it had trouble keeping in tune, but now it can hold the tune for a week or so before I need to fiddle with it. amzn_assoc_default_search_category = ""; Also the neck is quite chunky. Kanile'a's Ukulele Store & Factory is Located in Kaneohe, Oahu where we offer some of the best Hawaiian Ukuleles on the market. I expected to have to tune the uke every five minutes – having read as much on every ukulele site I visited online. I love that thing. With the aim to supply the world with the ukulele in even better quality and at more competitive price, in July, Mahalo’s own factory, named PT AKT INDONESIA, was official registered in Surabaya, Indonesia, in 2011. Despite of my piano adiction, I’m now addicted to the ukulele to! Happy to keep it and upgrade in a few years’ time once I confirm that it’s not just a passing phase. It didn’t even matter it sounded bad and that I only knew a few famous songs (‘you got a friend in me’ and ‘sexual healing’). ), friction tuners, a nylon gig bag and a choice of colourst. Mahalo EUK-200. The most common is based on the island of Hilo, Hawaii (although the ukuleles themselves are made in China). Ashton — Cheap ukuleles from the UK, being colorful and cheerful.Blackbird — San Francisco company that make instruments from carbon fiber, leaving them waterproof, sturdy and strong, being well priced. In 2016 Mahalo Ukuleles introduced a Wide-Neck Ukulele allowing for players with larger hands to enjoy the ukulele experience! My wife bought me one of these a while back, because I was keen to get into Uke for a change, having played guitar for 15 years – what a disappointment. He’s not a shy uke, and I’m not a jealous guy…he has been played live by Robert Newman (of Newman & Baddiel fame! The fingerboard is made of a mahogany body and looks very solid for its price. I’ll have to invest in a pitch pipe (for some reason this low-tech option seems more fitting than my electronic one). Many of the company’s top-of-the-line ukuleles are made there, in the local workshop. And it all came for the easy price of $30! Martin continued making koa ukuleles until 1940, when World War II made it extremely difficult to get the wood from Hawaii. The uke was out of tune almost immediately but I persevered. Their bright colours and low price tag mean that they are very popular with schools and ukulele groups. It’s a good idea “not” to over tighten them. After a couple of hours on a train into Paris I pulled it out and began playing immensely enjoying making an extremely public fool out of myself. … Flea — comes in two sizes soprano and concert, with a range of colors and designs available. I started to realise that whenever I carried it into a city people would always be friendly, always stop me to talk about anything, suddenly any language barrier separating me from the community is gone. Kohala Akamai ukuleles have a traditional look and tone made from rich Mahogany top, back and sides. Keli’i — a Hawaiian brand with ukuleles more in mind because they are produced in China and finalized in Hawaii. People just treated you like genuine guy- which can surprisingly uncommon as a backpacking student. However, it began in 1912 with the sale of ukulele and banjoleles. Just go the starburst Mahalo uke, was very nervous after reading reviews, but so far so good. both cheap – either would suit a beginner. He’s a 4 year old Mahalo U320C made, as far as I can tell from solid mahogany. Although I dreamt of buying a high end ukulele, this ukulele is sufficient enough for me. However, they do go out of tune pretty quickly so I would advise buying a ukulele tuner on your iPod. We crossed the Atlantic to play in New York, flew to Sweden to play at pop festivals and have played at least 300 gigs up and down the UK. My model (i think it’s the U30) is made solely from Maple, which is one of the best wood’s for ukes, apart from traditional koa. The spacing of the frets on the fretboard is also done accurately. It helps to keep the ukulele in tune for long, which is why players don’t need to tune all the time. I then bought a Fender U’uku, which is a lovely little Uke, stays in tune and plays really nice. Its surprising colors allow you to shout your individuality to the world irrespective of personality. Not only does it sound good, it looks good as well. Martin — began producing in 1916, being considered the largest producer of ukuleles. In many ways, Mahalo is a very peculiar ukulele manufacturer. I’m ashamed to say I only chose it over the other one because it came with a hard case. They're most popular in the UK. It’s not like those fake cheapo brand. I went home, onto eBay looked for the next to cheapest one and bought it. Beautiful solid mahogany top and curly malapoga back & sides. Plus the “art” series contain a bunch of awesome looking designs that make the ukulele totally unique! i have been playing harmonica and piano since i was young and have had trouble with guitars in the past but i figured i would take up the challenge anyway and have a go. They are no worse than some of my far more pricey ukes and bajoleles. Most of the ukuleles use plastic to make the Nut. aniways this thing can hold up. Nancy Bowker, Lafayette In. I took it to a local music store where they tried to help me tighten it and finally said it needed ‘geared tuning pegs’ or something like that. it's a soprano Java, but now there's a Java concert size and a java tenor size. Discover our selection of ukuleles. Don't miss out, Secure Your Happiness! i love it. He changed my perception of the ukulele and what can be done with it. The fingerboard and bridge are made out of mahogany, though—a very popular and fine tone wood. This uke is probably not for the guy who already plays something nicer, but then again, the guy who already plays something nicer probably already knows that. Ortega — a German ukulele manufacturer since 1996. Manea Ukuleles — located in Hawaii, feature ukuleles in Hawaiian and also Tahitian style.