Well after mulling it over for a bit, I decided to pull the trigger on a Flea concert size! I really do enjoy the traditional wood offerings that were suggested, but at the end of the day I realized I really wanted a fun, knock-around travel instrument and the Flea ticks those boxes. I also appreciate that they're made right here in my home state, and despite the fact I have several imported instruments of high quality I've got a soft spot for MIA when I can swing it. Once I decided I wanted the unconventional Flea uke, I decided to get a loud finish to compliment it. Whats the sense of being subtle at this point? here she is:
It is leaps and bounds better than my Lanikai is term of tone, intonation, and projection. I'm quite happy with my purchase, and I was able to find this one on sale on Reverb for $199 with a gator brand gig bag. If I really take off with the whole ukulele thing you can bet I'll be buying one of the solid wood options listed in this thread, but for now I've got what I need.