What brand ukulele is the most reliable?

Answer 1

It would be hard to name a single brand as being the best. There are many luthiers out there that make custom ukuleles and they are probably the best. There are several dozen companies that make stringed instruments that are well liked. Martin Ukuleles are well thought of, but there are a dozen makers in Hawaii that have their advocates.

Answer 2

There are literally hundreds of makers. Some of the ones I've heard good things about:

Fluke/Fleas - With a plastic body, these are very durable and have great tone

Martins - The same company that makes Guitars. The vintage ones go for big bucks!

Bushman

Kamika

Favilla

Fender

Gibson

Glyph

Kumalae

Makala

Lanikai

There are lots to choose from. Your best bet is to go out and try some at a music store, or through other Ukulele players. Many sites have reviews of various instruments.

Answer 3

That depends on how serious you want to get with it. The cost is going to be the deciding factor in most cases. The more you are willing to pay, the better the quality will be. You can get a good ukulele for around $50-$100 that will produce nice sounds and good music for many years.

Here are a number of things to consider:

Size - Soprano, concert, tenor or baritone. The 'normal' size is soprano or standard.

Solid wood has better tones than laminates. However, they are more susceptible to temperature and humidity changes.

Geared tuners vs. Pegged tuners. Personal preference.

Personally, I have found that Kala ukuleles are good quality and produce a nice sound. Other good starters are Lanakai and my favorite, Ohana.

Answer 4

It will depend on what sounds best to you. In general, the higher the cost, the better the instrument is. However, there are many very nice, good sounding ukulele's for less than $200. But the style and shape and make are all going to be very dependent on what sounds best to you and what feels comfortable to you.

Answer 5

You can never go wrong with a Martin, if you have the money for it.