There is no denying the tropical and noble vibe that the ukulele brings to the musical world. This has largely contributed to its increase in popularity and many other people are looking forward to owning one, particularly the beginners. So today we are going to give you some major tips on how to choose a ukulele as a beginner.

Check the Size
As a beginner, you may not be well-versed with the different sizes of ukuleles out there and so we will shed some light into the issue. There are typically four sizes of ukuleles; the soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. The soprano usually has 12 to 15 frets, the concert has 15 to 20 frets, the tenor has 15 to 25 frets and the baritone has 18 or more frets. Now when it comes to choosing a ukulele based on size, the best advice we would give you is to try all of them out in person. This is the most ideal way of finding the one that suits you.

There are some differences between the sizes of ukuleles that you should consider before picking one, for example; the bigger the ukulele, the more space you get within the frets. To some people a concert is easier to play compared to the soprano because they get slightly bigger spaces within the frets. If you are tall and have big hands then you may find the tenor easier to use but if you have small hands then the soprano or concert can be a great pick for you. You should also know that the bigger you go the deeper the sound and that is why a baritone sounds quite different from a soprano.

Find Out the Material Used
It is always important to find out the material that was used to make the ukulele you are planning to buy. Ukuleles are usually made out of 4 materials. These are; Plastic, laminate, solid wood or a combination of wood and laminate. All these materials do have their advantages as well as disadvantages. Solid wood ukuleles are known to have a superb tone quality and can rise in value with time. Not to mention that the material used is first class. Despite the quality, solid wood is susceptible to humidity and temperature if not well-taken care of. They are also quite expensive.

The Laminate and wood combo is known to have a good tone and are inexpensive. Its tone quality is however not as good as solid wood and are still sensitive to temperature and humidity although not as much as solid wood. As for plastic, well they are affordable but you will face constant problems with tuning. Even though you are a beginner, plastic ukuleles should be out of the picture when picking a ukulele. We would advise you go for a beginner ukulele made of laminate or a combination of laminate and wood. They are affordable as well and produce a better sound than plastic ukuleles. Once you gain more skills and become a professional, then you can go for a carefully crafted solid wood ukulele.

Assess the Brand
There are numerous ukulele brands out there. As someone who is starting out, you have probably not heard many of these brands, but not to worry we will give you all the top ukulele brands you need to know before buying your ukulele. The first one on the list is Kala. Kala surpasses all the other brands when it comes to sales and is rated as the best-selling ukulele brand out there. The second one is Luna, which is mostly known for its uniqueness in designing their ukuleles. The third one is Mahalo which is popular for making some of the best affordable beginner ukuleles out there. So here’s a brand that should be on your buy list already.

The fourth and fifth brands are Oscar Schmidt and Cordoba respectively. Oscar Schmidt is known for making quality ukuleles with good pocket friendly prices while the Cordoba is known for its luthier series. The sixth is the quality Martin brand. These are mainly used for professionals given the high price. Last but not least, we have Lanikai which is situated in the place of origin of the ukulele, Hawaii. As a beginner, you are probably looking for an affordable and good quality beginner ukulele and so the best brands to go for are Mahalo, Oscar Schmidt and Kala.

Check the Condition
We couldn't finish this article without talking about the condition of the ukulele. To assess the condition of a ukulele, especially the used ones, check for dents and cracks. Ensure that the body of the ukulele is flat and not bulgy. Also, run your fingers through the sides of the ukulele’s neck to ensure it has no prickly edges.

Conclusion
This is basically how you choose a ukulele. You assess all the mentioned factors and pick one that meets all your needs. It may be difficult picking the right one as a beginner and so we advise going with a teacher or a ukulele professional.