Gearank

The Oscar Schmidt OU5 is made from koa, which is the wood traditionally used for ukuleles. Besides having an aesthetically pleasing grain pattern, koa has a tone that lends itself well to the size and playing style of the ukulele.

Koa is similar to mahogany, but as a general rule has a stronger mid-range focus and a bit more separation. It’s not quite as mellow sounding as mahogany, but it does cut through a mix better. It’s also a better choice for more complicated pieces, as the separation helps different notes stand out from one another.

Specifications

• Top: Koa
• Body: Koa
• Neck: Nyatoh
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Frets: 16
• Extras: None

This uke also seems to have a bit better hardware than the ukuleles that proceeded it in this list, using Grover branded tuners as opposed to no-name generics. The difference between Grovers and off brand tuners isn’t huge (this is largely due to the fact that ukulele strings don’t exert a ton of pressure) but it is noticeable. It’s worth investing a bit more to get better tuners if you’re planning on gigging, though if you only plan to play at home it’s not a necessity.

The only downside to buying this uke is that it doesn’t come with any of the extras you get with the ukuleles above, though you can upgrade to a bundle package for roughly $50 more.