Lanikai LU-21C Concert Ukulele

I am primarily a guitar player and I was seeking another instrument to add to my small collection that would help maintain my interest in learning music as well as help me to continue to build the finger dexterity required for guitar playing. I decided a ukelele would be a fun little instrument to play around with and, considering the small size, would be nice to be able to set down anywhere around the house for quick playing while watching TV or preparing a meal. As a beginner guitarist, my guitars are fairly standard quality so I wasn't in search of a very high end ukelele. After pouring over reviews on Amazon as well as several other online music stores, I decided that this particular ukelele would be my best bet. The concert size is highly recommended for beginners and Lanikai is a reputable company that produces several high end models in addition to some lower end models for the learning player. While this ukelele may be considered a "lower end" model, I was very impressed with the quality of the instrument when it arrived. Amazon offered the best price and, with Prime, it arrived quickly and in perfect shape. I am always wary to buy an instrument that will be shipped to me considering I wont be able to inspect it prior to purchasing, but my fears were unfounded in this case. A few reviewers noted that this Ukelele may require proper setup and intonation by a luthier in order to make it playable. Also several negative reviews mentioned that new strings, specifically Aquila strings, immensely improved the playability and tune-ability of the instrument. I am pleased to say that I encountered none of the problems mentioned in these negative reviews. I checked the setup and intonation of this ukelele upon receiving it and found it to be perfect. Granted, I may have received a "good one" from the factory and I'm sure there's plenty of duds out there as is the case when buying any affordable instrument; but mine was definitely perfect and sounded excellent right out of the box. I wasn't clear on the strings that would come on the ukelele as I couldn't get a good answer in my research prior to my purchase and, as previously mentioned, some reviewers recommended replacing the stock strings with Aquilas. Again, I was very impressed to find that this ukelele did in fact come stock with Aquila strings (Aquila Nylgut strings, handmade in Italy, are widely regarded as the best ukelele strings you can buy). The strings feel, play and sound amazing. Perhaps most impressive is that this ukelele never seems to fall out of tune. In the majority of the reviews I read, the reviewers mentioned the hassle of constantly having to re-tune this instrument. Perhaps mine is unique, but I rarely need to tune mine, even after sessions of fairly aggressive strumming. Overall, I am highly impressed with this instrument. At this price I was not expecting terribly much in terms of quality but those expectations were quickly blown away upon playing this little guy. I must admit, it is rather dull in appearance compared to some of the flashier ukeleles available, but that isn't a big concern of mine. If you are in the market for a budget ukelele of a bit higher quality than some of the other offerings then your search should end here. Almost every other ukelele at a cheaper price point will likely require new strings and a proper setup at a shop (unless you give it a shot at home), with this ukelele you should be good to go right out of the box after a little tuning. I'm having a great time with this instrument.

I am a long-time guitar player who in recent years has decided to add other stringed instruments to my "arsenal." I picked up the banjo about three years ago, and recently I decided to take up the ukulele. Since this is my first foray into the uke, I wanted something inexpensive to play. After much research, I settled on the Lanikai LU-21C concert ukulele. Simply put, for the price, it is a great instrument.Pros:+ Rosewood fretboard+ No buzzing anywhere along the fretboard+ Stays in tune as you move up the fretboard+ Very nice, balanced tone, plenty of warmth+ Comes with Aquila Nylgut strings (i.e. the nice white ones)+ Overall, very well constructed and easy to playCons:- The angle of the neck plus the height of the bridge makes the action pretty high. It could and should be a good deal lower.- Made from nato wood (yet still sounds good--not sure how they managed that!)- There are some very tiny craftsmanship issues (chrome tuners are a little scuffed, excess glue in a few areas)Overall, if you are looking for an inexpensive ukulele that still plays and feels like an instrument and not a toy, then you would be hard-pressed to find anything better than the LU-21C.

Nice looking Uke but I am having a challenge keeping it in tune. This could still be because of its newness. We shall see. I have other Ukes that I play more and this is not a problem. Nice sound. A good bargain.

First thing - I'm a beginner. I started playing and practicing the uke in Aug of 2015.My first uke was a soprano Makala Shark and after checking out some concert ukes at Guitar Center, I decided I wanted to purchase one. I did a lot of research and tried a few brands and I felt like Lanikai was it for me. I know purchasing any musical instrument on Amazon isn't the way to go, but I found a great price on the brand I wanted.I was looking forward to passing my Shark on to my niece once I received this Lanikai. When it arrived, I was thrilled to say the least. I was stoked to hear the difference between my soprano Shark and this concert Lanikai - I started practicing on it immediately. That's when my bubble burst! I felt so deflated! The tone in comparison to my Shark was very soft, almost muted and didn't sound as bright as I was used to. I found myself going back to my Shark time and time again.It wasn't until i fully dedicated myself to spending a month getting to know this Lanikai, now affectionately known as "King". I have fallen in love! King is a concert. I find it more comfortable to wrap my arms around him. His neck is the same size as a soprano, but his belly is a bit fuller. He's made of nato wood. His voice is deeper than a soprano, but it's endearing and timeless...painting old world scenes of whispering ocean breezes and undisturbed rest as you play him. So, it should be no surprise that he doesn't come with run of the mill strings. He's got a nice set of aquila strings on him so I didn't have to dapper him up.I have to say though, King was stubborn. It took me a couple months to break him in before he would stay in tune! Now, it's just slight adjustments a couple times a month. I'm really glad I finally gave this uke a chance!!! I'm as happy as can be strummin' on my King.Pics will be posted soon. I've been too busy playing my uke rather than taking pictures of it. lol

plays well, strings settled in and keep in tune. bit of a plain Jane compared to some of my groups shiny wooden ukuleles but does the job better than the cheap soprano i bought.

Even I'm a beginner, it suits. It performs quite well.