Best ukulele under $100?

[Authentic]

Hey guys, are there any particular brands similar to say the Yamahas of the "cheaper" acoustic guitar world but are still decent quality for ukuleles? A friend has recommended the Pono brand, but it seems to be more expensive than $100. Does brand really make a difference at such a low price point, or should I just buy one that looks good aesthetically as if I really want quality, I'll have to go higher? I don't really want to spend over $100 for my first ukulele, as I'll likely bump the heck out of it and intend to get better before looking at higher priced ones.

[jrs146]

I have a Yamaha Guitalele. Not quite a ukulele as it has 6 strings tuned to ADGCEA. But it sells new for $99 so it's within your price point. I bought mine brand new for closer to $70. Overall for the money it's a nice instrument. It stays in tune okay and you can get a fairly descent tone out of it. It came with a carry bag also. Hey for under $100 it's not so bad.

[1neeto]

Can't go wrong with a Kala. This one was $99 and it plays great, stays in tune, and looks great too!

[moccaguitar]

Hi,

+1 for the yamaha GL-1 guitalele. I love mine for holidays or campfire or bicycle trips etc.......

[arwhite]

I bought my daughter a Cordoba for her birthday last year. Laminate top, geared tuners, intonates reasonably well, stays in tune, sounds pretty good. She likes it and plays the heck out of it. Thinking of getting one myself. The one I got was a starter pack from a local music store. It was right at $100.

[CASD57]

Been looking at the Baratone size because chording is similar to guitar minus the two bottom strings. I don't really want to learn new chord shapes, watching this thread for good brands

[Earl49]

You won't get a stellar instrument for that price, but can get a decent Makala (think the economy version of Kala). Lanikai, Corboba, and others will also have something down there. Oscar Schmidt can be OK but seem to be more variable than other brands.

Pono is definitely a quality upgrade, more comparable to a Taylor 214 versus a Yamaha 700FG.

If you can stretch your budget, I routinely recommend the thin Travel ukes by Kala. They sound good, are well built, and all examples I have ever tried have been set up well and intonate accurately. You simply get a lot more instrument for $200 than for $100, and then don't have to upgrade next year. Not to endorse, but Costco often has Kohala ukulele kits during the pre-Christmas season. For ~$100 you can get a concert uke, thin gig bag, and a clip-on tuner. They are not bad.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Earl49

...If you can stretch your budget...You simply get a lot more instrument for $200 than for $100, and then don't have to upgrade next year...

My thoughts exactly...

[Earwitness]

I played a lot of them last week, leading to my NUD post. Some of the $100 ukuleles sound good, I thought, but I ended up with the solid topped Ohana mahogany tenor, and paid $169. Not sure whether I got the best price or not, so you may get better.

I am brand new to ukuleles, but it sounds pretty good to me--better than the $100 ones I tried.

Here's an interesting youtube video making comparisons on tenors (I never got to play most of these brands):

[jricc]

I tried the Cordoba 15CM concert, the Cordoba Protégé concert and the Kala concert. All are laminated woods and between $75 and $100. I purchased the Protégé, at $75, because I happened to like it the most. But, all of them were excellent, great starter ukes.

[CASD57]

Ordered Makala MK-B Baritone ukulele will be here Friday, should be interesting to see how it sounds on my songs lol

[Freddieb]

Guitar Center sells a Solid Cedar Top concert with Aquila Super Nylgut strings and a under saddle pickup. Not listed on there site or the Mitchell site, MU50SE is the model number. Played everything they had, nothing even close, sound or volume wise. $99.99. JMHO

[Shaneh]

I highly recommend the Gretsch. I paid 129 for the tenor and it plays great way better then others