Ukulele Buying Tips - What's Suitable For a Beginner

!±8± Ukulele Buying Tips - What's Suitable For a Beginner

For the first time ukulele buyer, the options available can be overwhelming. Ukuleles come in a number of different sizes and tunings and can vary wildly in price. It can be difficult to work out exactly what the beginner ukulele player should look for when buying a ukulele. This article will give you a few tips on what to look out for and how to make your choice.

How Much Does A Beginner Ukulele Cost?

There are some very cheap ukuleles available (less than twenty dollars), these ukuleles aren't really suitable for someone who is serious about learning the ukulele. They're really only toys. If you do buy one of these, it's likely you'll experience problems in tuning the ukulele and intonation. If this happens, you'll probably get discouraged by how you sound and your lack of progress (even though the problem isn't yours).

Spending fifty to one hundred dollars will get you a much more playable ukulele. As well as sounding better, it will feel better to play. Having a nice ukulele will encourage you to play more often.

Which Size Ukulele Should I Buy?

There are four main sizes of ukulele. They are, in ascending order of size, soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. It can be difficult to tell which ukulele is most suitable for a beginner.

In general, I'd recommend that players start on a soprano ukulele. It is the traditional and most common size of ukulele. It is also the most suitable for playing chords (which is where most people begin).

Larger ukuleles, such as the tenor, are becoming increasingly popular for beginners (thanks to their use by professional players such as Jake Shimabukuro). However, they are more suited to advanced solo ukulele playing rather than beginner strumming.

What are the Best Makes of Ukulele?

Some of the most popular brands for beginner ukuleles are Lanikai (used by Zach Condon from Beirut), Oscar Schmidt (used by American Idol's Jason Castro) and Kala.

Ukulele Buying Tips - What's Suitable For a Beginner

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Kala KA-ASACC Acacia Concert & Lanikai LU21-C Concert Ukulele's.

!±8± Kala KA-ASACC Acacia Concert & Lanikai LU21-C Concert Ukulele's.

My thanks to Ken Middleton for the song. He plays it better.

Kala KA-ASACC Acacia Concert & Lanikai LU21-C Concert Ukulele's.

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Ukulele Sizes Part 2 - The Concert Ukulele

!±8± Ukulele Sizes Part 2 - The Concert Ukulele

Of all the sizes of ukulele, the concert ukulele is often the most overlooked. The terms for the other sizes of ukulele are familiar to other people: soprano, tenor and baritone. But concert is slightly different.

The two most common size of ukulele for people to play are tenor and soprano. Each of these offers players their own advantages and disadvantages. But the concert offers players the perfect compromise between these two.

Concert Ukulele: Definition

Like all the ukulele classifications, the concert ukulele is defined by its scale length (i.e. the playable length of its strings). It has a scale length of around fifteen inches. This places it exactly in the middle of the soprano ukulele (with a scale length of thirteen inches) and the tenor (with a scale length of seventeen inches).

What's Good About the Concert Size Uke?

The concert ukulele should bring you what most people love about the soprano and tenors all in one package. You get an extra bit of room for your fingers to maneuver; allowing you to play more complex single note parts (as with the tenor). And you also get the traditional ukulele sound of the soprano and it is as natural as the soprano when it comes to chord playing.

The adaptability is the major appeal of the concert ukulele for me. It allows me to switch between fingerstyle and strummed sections of a particular piece without losing anything in the move in terms of sound and playability.

If you have tried playing a soprano ukulele but found you need a little more space - as many people do - then the concert ukulele should be your next stop.

What are the Disadvantages of the Concert Ukulele?

There are some downsides to the concert ukulele. They tend not to be as available as tenors and certainly not sopranos. This means you are likely to have less choice when you buy than you might with the other sizes.

Another is the price. In the beginner price bracket, you won't find too many concert ukuleles.

Should I Get a Concert Ukulele?

Concert ukuleles are great for intermediate players who want to stretch out their ukulele playing and take on new challenges. Moving their playing into new areas and taking on lead parts but still retaining the traditional sound of the ukulele.

Ukulele Sizes Part 2 - The Concert Ukulele

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Lanikai S-C Spruce Series Concert Ukulele

!±8± Lanikai S-C Spruce Series Concert Ukulele

Brand : Lanikai | Rate : | Price : Too low to display
Post Date : Dec 09, 2011 23:42:36 | Usually ships in 24 hours

The Spruce series by Lanikai offers a supple mellow tone that can provide a strong foundation for any songwriter. With its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides has incredible projection for those late night jam sessions on the beach. Die cast tuning machines ensure long hours of stress free strumming. With the easy playability, and included instruction booklet written by Mary Lou Dempler you will be playing in a matter of minutes.If you have never played ukulele before get ready for a world of fun. The ukulele is an addicting instrument that can and will be taken everywhere. The standard tuning on a Soprano, Concert, and Tenor ukulele is GBEA, and on a Baritone DGBE. If you can play one ukulele you can play them all! Pick up a Lanikai today and see why people are saying Lanikai Makes Me Happy! For more information about this model or Lanikai please visit www.Lanikaiukes.com

• Concert Sized
• 18 Frets
• Easy Playablity
• Die Cast Tuners
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• Concert Sized, 18 Frets

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Ukulele For Beginners - Which Ukulele Should You Buy As a Beginner?

!±8± Ukulele For Beginners - Which Ukulele Should You Buy As a Beginner?

So you've decided on which instrument to play. The Ukulele! Great choice! Now you're asking yourself which is the best ukulele for beginners? Buying your first ukulele depends on the type of person playing the ukulele.

Do you want to be really good at the ukulele or will it be a hobby? Some people like to buy one for the beach and some like to play one at home. Do you want to have a really good sounding ukulele that has great quality and made by a professional brand?

Sometimes it's good to have both, a ukulele that you play all the time which you don't mind taking to the beach (for example) and won't get too upset about if it gets damaged in some way (ie rocking out too hard!). So go for a cheap one here and then have a good quality ukulele at home or when performing for people which you'll only use at home or indoors where the likelihood of damage is very low.

There are different types of ukuleles but for the beginner it is best to start off with a small affordable 4-string ukulele and then you can work your way up the better you get as a uke player.

Some great brands include the Makala, Lanikai and Oscar Ukuleles. If you are buying a uke for a child then buy most basic plastic type and if they show genuine interest then upgrade to a beginner/standard ukulele

The Makala is great for absolute beginners as it's an affordable brand. Makala Ukuleles are also great for kids as they can come in pastel shades with dolphins on.

A little more higher up in price but fantastic for beginners are the Lanikai Ukuleles. If you plan on making playing the ukulele a serious hobby then maybe consider buying a more up-market ukulele like the Oscar.

Hopefully this article has steered you in the direction of which ukulele for beginners you feel will be best for you. Enjoy the uniqueness and pleasure you'll get with your new ukulele. It truly is a remarkable, fun and entertaining instrument to play.

Ukulele For Beginners - Which Ukulele Should You Buy As a Beginner?

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Lanikai LU-21P Pinapple Ukulele

!±8±Lanikai LU-21P Pinapple Ukulele

Brand : Lanikai
Rate :
Price : Too low to display
Post Date : Nov 26, 2011 02:24:06
Usually ships in 24 hours

The LU-21P Pineapple Soprano Ukulele is a favorite offered by Lanikai. With the attention to detail and easy playability it is easy to see why. This handcrafted ukulele is made with Nato wood (otherwise known as Eastern Mahogany) on its top back and sides. When this wood choice is paired with the Rosewood fingerboard it brings out a mellow tone with an enhanced midrange that is often missing in instruments in this price point. With the easy playability, and included instruction booklet written by Mary Lou Dempler you will be playing in a matter of minutes.If you have never played ukulele before get ready for a world of fun. The ukulele is an addicting instrument that can and will be taken everywhere. The standard tuning on a Soprano, Concert, and Tenor ukulele is GBEA, and on a Baritone DGBE. If you can play one ukulele you can play them all! Pick up a Lanikai today and see why people are saying Lanikai Makes Me Happy! For more information about this model or Lanikai please visit www.Lanikaiukes.com

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The 'Ukulele - A History

!±8± The 'Ukulele - A History

Portuguese immigrants began coming to Hawai'i in 1878 to work the sugar cane fields. With them they brought two traditional Portuguese instruments: the braguinha and rajão. Manuel Nunes and some of his buddies (Augusto Dias and Jose do Espirito Santo), immigrants and instrument/cabinet builders, combined elements from the two instruments to create the machete, which would eventually become known as the 'ukulele.

By 1886 the instrument came to be known as the taro patch fiddle and was popular even with the royalty. King David Kalakaua had accepted and was playing the taro patch fiddle. Isobel Strong writes: "He would occasionally pick up a 'ukulele or a guitar and sing his favorite Hawaiian song, Sweet Lei-lei-hua." It is said that the King's chamberlain Edward Purvis who also played the instrument, had the nickname 'ukulele (jumping flea) because of his antics. Since he was associated with the instrument, the Hawaiians began using the word 'ukulele instead of taro patch fiddle.

Another theory about the origin of the name is that when the Portuguese began playing their machetes, their fingers looked like jumping fleas when they played.

Nunes began the first 'ukulele company with his two sons around 1910. He called it M. Nunes & Sons (clever guy).

The 'ukulele's popularity grew. Many people on the mainland had caught the bug, and the demand for 'ukuleles was greater than Nunes could supply. Cue Samuel Kaiali'ili'i Kamaka. Kamaka began building 'ukuleles as an apprentice to Nunes, but in 1916 he started his own business. His workshop was in his basement, where he would turn out a dozen 'ukuleles a week and sell them for a piece. Now run by Sam Jr., Kamaka Hawaii inc. is still building some of the world's best 'ukuleles.

Along with Kamaka, other companies like Martin, Gibson, and National also jumped on board the 'ukulele-making bandwagon in the early part of the century.

In the 40s, 50s, and 60s the demand for 'ukuleles started to slow down. When the 70s came around, Kamaka was the only company still manufacturing 'ukuleles.

Now into the 21st century, the 'ukulele is making a comeback. People are really starting to see the potential that the instrument has, lots of thanks to Jake Shimabukuro's Gently Weeps Youtube video. Along with the new interest came new manufacturers: Kala, Lanikai, Hilo, G-string, and Koaloha, just to name a few.

Hopefully someday we will walk down the street and there will be somebody playing an 'ukulele on every corner.

Copyright 2009 Live 'Ukulele.com

The 'Ukulele - A History

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