What to Consider When Buying a Ukulele?
Music stores are usually filled with a variety of Ukuleles to choose from. Some are usually beautifully designed and are certain to catch the eye of anyone walking into the store. But beauty doesn’t always mean quality. You need to look for more than just beauty. In the end, a good sounding ukulele is better than a good looking one. Here are some very important factors to consider when buying a Ukulele.
Size
The common sizes of ukuleles you are likely to come across are soprano, concert and tenor. Their sizes are 21”, 23” and 26” respectively. Size is an important factor to consider because it affects the tone and usability of the Ukulele. Concerts and tenors are known to produce a bigger tone because of their big bodies. They have a richer and warmer tone. The bass and volume is also enhanced. Bigger ukuleles are also easier to play as they have a long scale length. Small ukuleles like Sopranos can be a problem for people with big hands and fingers.
Brand
Top ukulele brands out there, include the likes of Luna, Oscar Schmidt, Pono, Kanilea, Kala and Mahalo. Some brands mainly focus on making their ukuleles for those who like spending extravagantly while others are all round with both cheap and expensive ukuleles.
Kala for example, is a popular brand among all categories of spenders. It is considered as a great brand for people who are just starting out. The only problem could be perhaps the low quality strings on some of their ukuleles. This means you might have to do a replacement if you are an experienced player. Other brands such as Pono and Kanilea are considered high end brands and can be good for experienced players.
Acoustic or Electro-Acoustic
Deciding between an acoustic and electro-acoustic ukulele can be a dilemma for most people. Electro-acoustic ukuleles are usually more expensive and are mainly used by people who do live performances since they need to amplify the sound produced. If you don’t do performances or have no need to amplify the sound, then we would recommend going for the Acoustic ukulele. That way, you can save some bit of money to buy other accessories you may require.
The wood
There are a variety of wood types used in making a ukulele. The commonly used types are: Mahogany, koa, cedar, rosewood and acacia. Most high end ukuleles are made of koa wood. Koa comes from Hawaii and gives a great warm sound to the ukulele. Middle and low end ukuleles often use mahogany and spruce respectively. Mahogany is known for the soft sound it produces. It is also important to know that there is a difference between a laminated and a solid wood. Laminated wood is usually composed of a cheap wood that has been covered by a beautiful one.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important factors to consider when buying a ukulele. The best thing to do before buying is to research first. Whether you are buying it online or from a store, do some extensive research about the ukulele you like. You can also find some experienced ukulele players to help you make the best choice.
See more: https://cs.byu.edu/job-posting/how-playing-musical-instrument-benefits-your-brain
