How much does a ukulele cost? This is something pretty much everybody starting out with the instrument wonders when they head out to buy one for themselves.
If you want to know how much are ukuleles in cost, the first thing you should know is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The price for a ukulele can vary drastically, depending on the ukulele brand and several other factors.
In this blog post, we are going to break down the ukulele cost into different price ranges to help you understand how much a ukulele costs and why.
What Factors Determine the Price of a Ukulele?
Wondering how much does a ukulele cost? The first thing you should know is that there are a few main factors that ultimately determine the price of any ukulele. Those are the ukulele’s materials, whether it has built-in electronics, the brand and type of ukulele, and whether it has any additional features. Let’s go over each one of those in more detail.
Wood for the body of the instrument is an important component to the sound and physical durability of a ukulele. Mahogany is very durable and popular as a choice for ukuleles. Maple is another popular choice for durability and availability.
Koa and rosewood are more traditional and expensive woods, but rosewood is endangered and you may want to take that into consideration.
An acoustic-electric ukulele is going to be pricier simply because the electronics tend to be expensive, but for someone who performs regularly, they are much more adaptable to any performance situation.
You can find great beginner ukuleles for as low as $30 or so. But if you want to invest in something more high-quality that has better sound and stays in tune, you should expect to spend anywhere between $100 and even $500.
The Importance of Quality When Buying a Ukulele
The ukulele is a relatively cheap instrument, but you’ll want to make sure to invest in a good one if you want to get the best experience and value out of ukulele playing. A cheap ukulele may get the job done at first, but it’s almost certain that it will break or fall apart faster than a high-quality one. Ukuleles are generally made of wood and a synthetic material called plastic. Top-quality ukuleles have an all-wood construction, while cheap ones will use a lot of plastic. Ukuleles made with all wood are far better because they are more durable and will sound better than plastic ones. They are more expensive because they are made with better materials.
Budget Ukuleles: Cost Around $50
Make sure you can afford the cost of a ukulele and that it will give you value for your money. The budget ukulele category is tricky because you can find some pretty amazing ukuleles in this category as well as a lot of bad ones.
If you want to go for the budget ukulele price range, it is better to stick to the upper end of the category rather than going below it. Budget ukuleles that cost around $50 are a great way to start learning the ukulele.
Kala Learn to Play Soprano Ukulele
But before you get one, you should ask yourself if you’re willing to buy another ukulele in the future as you get better. If you plan to play the ukulele seriously, getting a better ukulele will become necessary at some point in the future.
Beginner Ukuleles: Cost $50 – $150
For most people wondering how much ukuleles cost, the ideal price range is the beginner ukulele category. With the average price ranging from $50 to $150, this particular category can give you the best combination of good quality and affordability.
A lot of new players opt for beginner ukuleles because the materials used to make them are far better than those of the mass-produced ukuleles in the budget category. Of course, the difference in the price range offers a lot of variety.
Kala Satin Mahogany Soprano Ukulele
At the low-end category, you will find an assortment of high-quality ukuleles made of simple materials, but they make more than an excellent choice for starters.
Meanwhile, at the high-end of the category, you can expect ukuleles made of superior materials with aesthetically pleasing designs. They also offer much better playability, higher quality hardware and they generally have a much better sound tone.
High-End Ukuleles: Cost $150 – $500 and beyond
So, you want to know how much a ukulele costs but you want to buy only the best of the best? If you’re looking for how much does a ukulele cost and want something that is both high-quality and sounds great, then you’ll want to invest in a high-end ukulele that costs anywhere from $150 to $500 or more.
You see, at the top of the whole pile are high-end ukuleles from the most well-established companies in the country like Martin and Kamaka.
These ukuleles can be in rare woods, but sometimes are in higher quality but more common types of wood.
Martin C1K Acoustic Ukulele
Martin has an incredibly impressive line of ukuleles made from solid koa, which range from their basic $500 to almost $2,000.
A certain musician once asked me if I wanted a Martin, and as a broke college student, I answered honestly, “I’d rather keep my car.” But if you are a professional or intend to become one, a Martin C1K could be the ukulele you would want.
A Hawaiian company, Kamaka makes their ukuleles from the very best materials and construction methods. Their most basic ones start at $900 and keep going up from there. If you want something that is as traditional as possible, you may want to consider a Kamaka uke.
How Much Does a Ukulele Cost: The Price Is Up to You
In a nutshell, it is not just about how much are ukuleles, but more about what you can afford and why you want to buy one. You should know that you can learn everything about ukulele very easily.
While you might feel tempted to save money while buying your first ukulele if you really have a passion for learning the instrument, buying a cheap one will be counter-productive.
Inferior quality ukuleles sound really bad and they will ruin your learning experience. Now that you know how much ukuleles cost, make the best decision and purchase one that you can comfortably afford and have fun with.