LanikaiUkulele (MAP)

I went a little Ukulele-crazy this last year and bought a few each for myself, my wife and my daughters. Out of all the various Ukulele's* (*beginner, higher-end, travel, etc) THIS one is the one I tend to gravitate towards.It has a vintage ukulele tone. It's not dull and tinny like a travel uke and not overly bright like some "higher-end" models. This is just right. It has a nice woody tone and the pineapple shape is really fun and easy to play. It has a short scale neck and is great for smaller hands (like mine).It isn't heavy at all (even though it's made from mahogany) and is excellent for strumming or fingerpicking. You can gently play it or tear into it; it's sturdy and just sounds like you're on the island.I HIGHLY recommend.

This is one of Lanikai's cheapest ukuleles. For the price, this is a decent ukulele. Build quality and setup are comparable to Kala or Ohana in the beginner price range (less than $100). The D'Addario EJ88 strings are similar to the Aquila Nylgut strings used on other popular beginner-level ukuleles and they work fine. The product description says this ukulele is made from mahogany, but that is not really true. It is made from a thin mahogany veneer on top of a plywood laminate base, which is the typical construction on ukuleles costing under $200.Sound quality is typical of beginner-level ukuleles. It holds it tune, but is not real loud or resonant/vibrant like you would get from a good quality solid wood instrument (costing much more, of course). If you learn to strum this ukulele smoothly and fret it carefully, you can get usable sound out of it.For beginners, I believe that good playability is just as important as adequate sound quality and playability on this model is pretty good. String action is a little high at the nut but reasonably comfortable and intonation is fine up to the 12th fret. Fit and finish are fine with no sharp fret ends and a decent finish. The tuning pegs operate a little rough, but they do work and hold their position properly.This ukulele does have fret markers on both the front and the side of the fretboard, which I think is a really important feature, especially on beginner ukuleles. I do not know why many Ohana and Enya (and other brand) ukuleles do not have fret markers on the side of the fretboard (facing the player).Strap buttons are unusual on a soprano ukulele and no strap is included, but if you want to use one, they are available cheaply or you could just use a piece of ribbon. A good basic gig bag is included, which is a nice to see in this price range. No electronic tuner is included; that would be my first purchase if you don't already have one (Snark SN6x is a popular inexpensive choice).

This is now my second cheaper Lanikai Ukulele and both couldn't even hold a tune long enough for me to even use them! I am going to give Lanikai one more time and try a more mid-range one, since they have such a great reputation, but don't buy their cheaper stuff, it just won't hold a tune any better than the $3 toys.

The tone is so clear and strong. I’ve tried two or three others, and I love my Lanikai soprano and baritone ukuleles best!

Great beginning uke