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When I was shopping around for an affordable tenor, these two were my first choices:
Islander MT-4-RB (or the Islander MT-4-HNS with the turtle engraving are both variations of the same model, MT-4, mahogany tenor)
or
I ended up getting the MT-4-RB when it was on sale for less than $200, but if you don’t care about the binding, Uke Republic has the HNS version on sale for $148 (if you’re in the states, that’s a pretty great deal).
I’ve seen a couple others on this forum with the Kala ebony tenor and it sounds great. I hear it plays great, too. I have two other Kala ukes and I really like the brand.
I emailed Mike at Uke Republic a few months ago which he’d recommend between the Córdoba 20TM or the Kala ebony tenor. He said the Kala for sure (for “beautiful tone and looks”). The Kala is all laminate, but isn’t short on charm or quality.
Malachi- The different wood the tops made from effect the sound a bit. You might want to research some of the tone woods on youtube and narrow down the possibilities? Just a suggestion anyway. Consider the setup of the uke too. I saw Andrew did a review of a tattoo model Luna from Amazon and found its action too high. If you need to fix something like that, consider bringing your new uke into the luthier into the total cost. (I’m not saying this is the case with Kanae’s or anyone’s suggestions btw, just in general something to keep in mind depending on where you buy it.)
I am looking into an Oscar Schmidt laminate spaulted mango tenor which falls into your price range right now on Amazon…. Can’t guarantee you’d love it, but Rick plays one here and loves his. (I like mango wood) Goes without saying We’d all love to win the crazy beautiful contest ukulele too.
Basically in a very very long-winded roundabout way, all I’m saying is “The Best” is kind of personal preference. Maybe i’m wrong, but if you’re in the same boat as me $200 is a large investment and I’m just trying to help you to be happy with your choice long term.
In my case, when I can upgrade, just about any ukulele will be better then the $12 one I own right now, but I still like it, it’s quirky.
Anyway, good luck! I’m sure a lot of people will give lots more great suggestions to look up!
Thanks guys I’ve been busy looking at some ukuleles in my local music shop. I’m unsure if their the right ones to get
I’m a little late to this thread but wanted to throw in my two cents for anybody else who might come by.
I know it’s hard for a lot of people to find a good selection of entry-level ukes locally, so online might be the only option. I’ve tried a lot of the beginner ukes for sale around the internet (mostly Amazon) and have to admit a lot of them are pretty good. Lohanu, Hricane, and Donner stand out as three brands that offer the best bang for the buck. All of these models were under $100 and included a gig bag, tuner, strap, and extra strings.
If anybody’s interested, this article on the best beginner ukuleles is a solid starting point.
I’d always, always recommend to go to a local store and try as many ukes as you can. in the end it has to fit you and your personality, no matter the internet reviews.
after two years of playing i wanted to buy my first concert size ukulele. I tried four models in one store which were all of great quality and some out of my budget. waited two days, tried everything in a second store and when I finally came back to the first one I found her. I just knew it was her. a little out of my planned budget but totally worth it and i couldn’t be more happy.
i think we get blinded by good deals and professional reviews. i feel that one uke that really fits you and you enjoy playing is much more valuable than five good deals hanging on the wall.
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