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Want to buy my four-year old daughter a soprano uke so she can learn the instrument. Any suggestions on brand/model that’s durable, good quality, and kid-friendly?
And how about good youtube channels for teaching kids uke?
Thanks!
I bought a Makala MK SS model with a shark shaped bridge (also available with a dolphin bridge) for my daughter. I am very satisfied with it. It is durable enough and surprisingly has a pleasant tone. The body is made of molded composites, while the soundboard is made of agathis layer. The neck is made of solid mahogany with a walnut fingerboard.
Very durable is also Enya Nova U model with carbon fiber construction. It has a thinner neck than the Makala, so it may be more pleasant for children to play. On the other hand, Nova U has a larger scale, so the strings have more tension.I would not give a pick to a young child as it may be a choking hazard. Kids have a tendency to put things in their mouths. My daughter once swallowed a largish necklace bead.
Most uke players don’t use picks from what I gather. They’re not necessary.@ukeduke any solid wood uke would work. There are some decent ones for less than $60 on Amazon that are solid mahaogany top, back and sides like the Aklot. I’ve given them away as gifts. They come with a bundle of things like a bag, tuner, strap, etc…. and are all solid wood.
No pick is normally used for the ukulele. It’s a rare thing.
What a wonderful gift for your child.
I bought an Enya Nova U(Soprano) for my little cousin (he’s 6). It’s brilliant. He loves it, but I also own one in each size and I love them too. It’s made of carbon fiber which means it’s extremely durable (I’ve bounced my own one off the kitchen floor multiple times & it’s still absolutely fine). It can also be wiped down if needed which is a huge plus with kids (I’ve used a Detol wipe on mine with no ill effects). It has a narrow neck which will make it easier for small hands to play. I’ve heard some people say theirs have a zero fret (which means less pressure is required to fret at the top of the neck) but none of mine have that so I’m not sure if that depends where (what country) you buy it maybe. Best of all it sounds really great. Obviously it’s not a Kanile’a, but I was surprised at how good they sound (which is why I bought more). There is a side sound hole on the instruments too so the player can better hear what they’re playing which I find really helpful while learning. They look really snazzy too and come in different colours I think black, pink, light blue & white are the standard colours. I’ve seen some in red, lilac and orange too but not sure if they were special edition. I’ve seen that either Octopus or Makala Dolphin are often recommended for children, but I also own one of each of them and never pick them up. They’re both ok and if you want a more traditional uke I wouldn’t discourage you, but in my opinion neither sound, feel or look as good as the Enya Nova U. The Enya is also more practical because it’s basically bullet proof which means a child so young can just enjoy playing the instrument without any worries. The soprano I bought was about £50. You can shop around because they’re made to a standard mould and that means no set up is required.
Sorry to have rabbited on so long. I sound like an Enya salesperson. 😂 I’m just really enthusiastic about them. Particularly for young children they are easily my top recommendation – I’m not an expert my any means, but I’ve played many different ukes from different brands, I’ve worked with children all my life and I did a LOT of research before buying for my cousin.
Hope you find something you both like and enjoy playing with your wee one. 🥰
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