The concert ukulele strikes a perfect balance between the compact size of a soprano and the fuller sound of a tenor, offering great tone and portability. Here are the best concert ukulele options, chosen for their playability, build quality, and aesthetics.
Best Concert Ukulele - Acoustic | Best Concert Ukulele - Acoustic Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
 | 94 | 6500+ | |||
 | 93 | 200+ |
Top Rated Concert Ukulele - Acoustic-Electric | Top Rated Concert Ukulele - Acoustic-Electric Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
 | 95 | 400+ | |||
 | 95 | 100+ | |||
 | 94 | 100+ |
Concert Ukulele Best Budget Option | Concert Ukulele Best Budget Option Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
 | 90 | 100+ |
*Gearank = Rating score out of 100.
**Sources = Number of gear owner and user opinions analyzed for these product Gearank Ratings.
Research Process: How Gearank Works
The concert ukulele is a versatile choice that appeals to a wide range of players, from beginners to seasoned musicians. Its size strikes the perfect balance—larger than a soprano for added comfort and volume, yet more compact than a tenor, making it easy to handle without feeling too small or too large. This makes it a great first ukulele for novices, as it’s forgiving on the hands and allows for a smooth transition for those familiar with different ukulele sizes.
Tonally, the concert ukulele offers a harmonious blend of warmth and brightness, making it well-suited for various playing styles and musical genres. It produces a rich, fuller sound that can project well without losing the characteristic ukulele charm. This sweet spot between size and sound quality is why the concert ukulele has become a popular choice among ukulele players looking for a versatile and accessible instrument.
In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the best concert ukuleles available on the market today. We’ve carefully selected these instruments based on extensive market research, incorporating the latest reviews, ratings, and expert feedback to help you find the perfect concert ukulele for your needs. Whether you’re just starting your ukulele musical journey or looking to expand your collection, these top-rated options offer excellent playability, sound quality, and value for every player.
Best Concert Ukulele – Acoustic Ukuleles
Ranch UK-23 Concert Ukulele
Smooth playability, elegant design, and warm sound make this one of the most recommended ukulele instruments for both beginners and intermediates. While some minor issues exist, such as rough fret edges, it remains a top choice for those seeking quality and affordability. For the most part, I recommend this as a good contender for beginner ukes.
Pros:
- Great entry-level uke
- Elegant look and craftsmanship
- Awesome playability
- Comes with extras
- Rough edges
- Tuning pegs feel a bit cheap
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With an affordable price point, good craftsmanship, and an elegant look, the Ranch UK-23 stands out in the market.
At first glance, the aesthetics of this ukulele is nothing short of elegant and organic. And, the sound it produces, among many user reports, describes it as having good quality mids and highs. It’s due to the Sapele top that gives this top-rated concert uke its warm and darker sound quality.
In terms of playability, reviews have raved about how easy it is to press on the strings. This top-rated concert ukulele has nickel-silver frets that are smooth in the middle. However, some have reported that some of the frets did have rough edges.
While it does fit the criteria for the best ukuleles for beginners, the string action gets a bit higher as you go up the register. Another aspect of the uke you want to consider is that the tuning pegs need some durability improvements.
It’s something to keep in mind, but it’s a little detail that you might consider if you’re buying this for kids.
The fretboard has good spacing that it accommodates people with small to large hands. Despite its minor flaws, it’s among my recommended concert ukulele, best for beginners and intermediates alike.
- Top: Sapele
- Body: Laminated
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 18
- Extras: Tuner, picks, gig bag, strap, extra strings
Balnna Concert Ukulele 23 Inches
With its vibrant design and sweet, mellow tone, this good concert ukulele stands out for both beginners and seasoned players. While tuning stability might be an issue initially, its durability and appealing aesthetics make it a great choice for travel and practice.
Pros:
- Colorful uke with striking design
- Well-made body
- Comes with accessories
- Nice mellow sound
- Initial tuning adjustments
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Balnna might not be the most popular in terms of brand recognition, but when it comes to their ukuleles, they’ve surely earned themselves enough users to get the attention they deserve.
In stark contrast to the minimal but elegant aesthetics of The Ranch UK-23, the Balnna Concert Ukulele 23 made design and color one of their selling points.
Visually, this great ukulele has colored fingerboards, strings, and a body that captures attention. It feels great to the hands, playable at any skill level. For beginners, I find the color scheme accommodating because it aids those who want to play at a higher register.
The only downside that you need to be aware of: the strings tend to go out of tune when you’re playing this for the first few days.
When it comes to its durability, I’d say that it can withstand the demands of travel. It’s all thanks to the all-maple wood construction of the top, sides, and back.
Lastly, the tone it produces is what I could describe as sweet and mellow in tone, and it rivals ukes with a solid mahogany top. Compared to Kala ukes, this one sounds warmer, with glassy highs.
So, for those seeking for the best quality ukulele with that tonal profile, this will fit you like a glove. Highly recommended.
- Top: Maple
- Body: Maple
- Neck: Maple
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: Not specified
- Extras: Tuner, picks, gig bag, strap, extra strings
Best Concert Ukulele – Acoustic Electric Ukes
Cordoba 15CM-E
Ideal for beginners, this is a good concert ukulele that stands out with its built-in pickup system, making it stage-ready. Though it might require a separate preamp for the best sound, its warm tone and value make it a solid choice.
Pros:
- Stage-ready ukulele with good pickup
- Produces a warm tone
- Good aesthetics
- Action is a bit high
- Few reports on intonation issues
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The Cordoba 15CM-E is the stage-ready sibling of the Coroba 15CM, with the difference being the addition of a built-in pickup system.
This ups the value of this great ukulele, making it ideal for those who are truly invested in learning to perform amplified with one.
In terms of playability, this ukulele is great for beginners who are still learning the ropes. The action of the strings is good. However, some have reported that it tends to be a bit higher than some cheap ukulele brands.
It’s absolutely essential to know that it uses a passive pickup system with volume control. This means that you’ll probably need a separate acoustic preamp to get the best sound if your amp doesn’t support passive pickups, but not necessary with most acoustic amps.
There are a few reports of string and intonation issues, with some recommending replacing the strings to better appreciate this great ukulele. It also doesn’t come with any accessories, which can be a bummer for some whose budget is limited.
Finally, this recommended ukulele doesn’t stray too far from conventional designs. This is a laminate mahogany concert uke that produces a warm tone.
This good quality ukulele is well-loved for the value that it brings, being a couch instrument that can also serve as a stage instrument. And since it’s not overly expensive compared to its non-pickup equipped sibling, many feel that getting this stage-ready version is the better and more practical option.
If you’re looking for the best ukes for live performance, then be sure to check out the Cordoba 15CME.
- Top: Laminate Mahogany
- Body: Laminate Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 19
- Extras: None
Fender Fullerton Tele Uke
This top-rated concert ukulele blends iconic electric guitar design with acoustic playability, making it fun and easy for all levels. While it lacks strap buttons, its built-in electronics, distinctive look, and quality construction make it a standout choice for any player.
Pros:
- Telecaster design looks pleasing
- Durable build
- Easy to play
- Great resonance
- Doesn’t have strap buttons
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For any local shop out there that sells a Fender Telecaster, there’s a concert ukulele in the market that takes its miniaturized version.
The Fender Fullerton Tele gets most of its positive reviews from fans of the Telecaster design. Yes, even those who don’t play the ukulele end up getting it because of its familiar look. This is a good quality ukulele that is fit for both display and playing.
Of course, there are regular uke players who appreciate its good looks and build quality, and this is reflected in owner reviews. This great ukulele is described as fun and easy to play, which makes it appeal even to younger students.
Its familiar single cutaway Tele body is hard to miss, complete with pickguard and bindings, and is available in popular butterscotch blonde and black finishes.
What makes this different from a Tele is the addition of a sound hole to make it function like a conventional acoustic uke. Even the headstock follows the familiar Tele shape, with 4-string in-line tuners.
A minor complaint that players have addressed is that it does not come with strap buttons. This a bit baffling since this is an acoustic-electric uke inspired by the Telecaster.
For its other hardware, Fender equipped this with synthetic bone and saddle, along with walnut fingerboard and bridge.
In keeping with its electric guitar-like design, this great ukulele comes with built-in electronics that allow for volume and tone adjustments, and it also has a built-in tuner.
This is a no-brainer for guitar players, and even more so for fans of the Telecaster guitar. However, you don’t have to be a Tele aficionado to appreciate its quality and tone – it looks well-built, and it does sound good. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a great ukulele with aesthetic appeal and a few dollars to spare.
- Top: Spruce
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Maple
- Fretboard: Walnut
- Frets: 19
- Extras: Built-in tuner
Luna Guitars High-Tide Koa
This good concert ukulele is a head-turner with its koa body and unique design, offering a clear tone both acoustically and amplified. While the preamp is basic, its craftsmanship and aesthetics make it a solid choice for performers and enthusiasts alike.
Pros:
- Unique look
- Top-notch craftsmanship
- Clear, acoustic sound when plugged in
- Has high action
- Strings go out of tune for the first few sessions
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The Luna High-Tide Koa Concert Acoustic-Electric Ukulele sports a Koa body known for its distinct aesthetic appeal and tone. While koa is not as commonly used as other tonewoods, it does have a lot of fans who love how it looks and sounds when used on wonderful ukuleles and guitars.
Thanks to Luna’s eccentric designs, the High-Tide Koa easily stands out from among the top ukulele brands have to offer. This unique look, combined with top-notch craftsmanship, helps propel this ukulele into the hands of more owners. Tone quality also gets a lot of thumbs up, with some describing it as very clear sounding acoustically when plugged in.
As expected from a Luna Guitars instrument, this good quality ukulele comes with cosmetic detail that ups its overall look, utilizing abalone fret markers to show the interaction between the moon and the tides.
On top of all that, this concert-size ukulele comes with built-in active electronics and a preamp that allows you to sculpt your tone via a 2-band EQ.
For the downsides, there are some complaints about the bundled gig bag, while others report having to tune the instrument a bit more often than what they expected. The preamp also lacks features compared to what others have to offer.
If you want a great ukulele that will turn heads on stage, then do check out the Luna High-Tide Koa.
- Top: Koa (Not Specified If It’s Laminate or Solid)
- Body: Koa (Not Specified If It’s Laminate or Solid)
- Neck: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 20
- Extras: Gig Bag
Best Budget Concert Ukulele
Kmise UK-24 Hawaii Solid Spruce Concert Ukulele
For those looking for the best beginner ukulele, this concert model offers impressive tonal quality and build for its price. With a solid spruce top, it delivers great projection and a rich tone. Minor tuning issues aside, it’s an excellent value for the money.
Pros:
- Etched design looks beautiful
- Great build quality
- Affordable
- Slight intonation issues
- Small blemishes in other units
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With its solid spruce top, the Kmise UK-24 is hard to beat in terms of value. This recommended ukulele gives it an edge in terms of acoustic tone and projection, not to mention that the specs are great given its price.
Positive reviews point to its good tonal quality, impressing even experienced musicians who were expecting less given its low price.
Supporting its solid spruce top are sapele back and sides, that form its concert body shape. This gives this ukulele that rounded tonal color with silky trebles.
There are also plenty of kudos for its overall build quality and the extra cosmetics, which make it look more expensive than it actually is. Speaking of expense, owners agree that this is a great-value ukulele.
Some things to keep in mind–intonation and tuning-related issues came up a few times, along with those who spotted small blemishes. However, these are common issues with cheaper options.
For plugging in, it comes equipped with active pickup and preamp electronics. The preamp has a built-in tuner and a 3-band EQ that you can use to shape your sound.
Instead of plastic, it utilizes bone material for the nut and saddle, which is another add-value feature that helps it resonate better.
Finally, the top has nice-looking graphics that make it visually stand out.
If you’re looking for a market-approved and budget-friendly acoustic-electric ukulele, then definitely consider the Kmise UK-24.
- Top: Solid Spruce
- Body: Sapele
- Neck: Okoume
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 18
- Extras: Built-in Electronics with 3-Band EQ and Tuner
Things to Consider When Buying a Concert Ukulele
If you’re looking for the best ukulele for your situation, there are a few things you’re going to need to know. We’ve laid out some information that will give you all the information you need to make an informed purchase.
Concert Ukuleles Compared to Other Sizes
There are three commonly found traditional ukulele sizes, ordered from smallest to largest: soprano version (21”), Concert (23”), Tenor (26”), and baritone uke (29″). The smaller the uke, the thinner and brighter the sound, with the inverse being true of larger ukuleles. The concert uke is a middle ground between the best soprano ukulele and tenor uke, having some of the plinky tone of the former with the warmth of the latter.
It’s worth noting that while size has an impact, the same rule doesn’t always doesn’t apply to other forms of ukulele like guitalele and banjo ukulele instruments.
A Brief Primer on Tonewood
If you’re opting to find the best ukulele for beginners, this wouldn’t matter as much. However, tonewood is kind of a contentious subject because a lot of the differences between how one species of wood’s tone compares to another are subjective.
The objective fact is that no one quality tonewood (this excludes things like white wood and NATO) is objectively superior to the others. The best sounding ukuleles, are still, for the most part, preferential.
Below is a list of some more commonly found tonewoods, though as implied by the heading don’t consider this a definitive word on the subject.
- Mahogany:
Mahogany is a warm-sounding tonewood, commonly used in ukuleles. It has a strong representation in the low end, decent mids, and glassy (though understated) highs. Koa has a similar response. One good example of a solid mahogany concert uke is the Kala KA-C. - Spruce:
Spruce is very high-end focused, with a bright tone with plenty of punch. It can sound a bit brittle at times, depending on the body size and the other woods used in an instrument’s construction. For instance, the Fender Fullerton Tele Uke. - Cedar:
Cedar is warmer than both spruce and mahogany and is described as being very bass heavy. Great if you’re looking for a soft-sounding instrument, though it does lack some punch. Some premium ukes even feature solid cedar tops. - Rosewood:
Rosewood is a mid-range focused wood, which is great if you’re looking for clarity and volume. It does a phenomenal job of cutting through a mix, though like spruce it can sometimes sound brittle. - Maple:
Maple, like rosewood, is renowned for its clarity. It’s similar to rosewood but brighter. When used in a well-built instrument, it will arguably be one of the most defined instruments in a mix.
Solid vs. Laminated Wood
Something a lot of beginning musicians don’t know is that the wood used in musical instruments falls into two categories: laminate and solid. Laminate wood is thin pieces of wood glued together, while solid wood is literally a solid piece of wood.
Laminate wood doesn’t resonate as well as solid wood, so it has a lower representation of frequencies as well as less volume. Solid wood is louder, and in virtually every situation, it will sound better, but it tends to cost more.
Non-Wood Ukuleles
Some modern ukuleles use polycarbonate material, which is far more reliable and resistant to temperature and humidity changes. The downside is that it will sound different (not better or worse) compared to traditional wooden ukuleles.
In terms of durability, this can serve as the best beginner ukulele option because it won’t break easily. Better structural stability also means precise tuning is retained longer.
Acoustic vs. Acoustic-Electric
A term you’re going to hear thrown around while you’re looking for uke is “acoustic-electric.” Put simply, an acoustic-electric ukulele is a musical instrument with a pickup in it which allows it to be amplified. When you’re not using the pickup the instrument still has a good acoustic tone, but you also have the option to easily amplify it.
With that being said, there is a trade-off inherent to getting an acoustic-electric instrument. When you get an instrument with a pickup, you’re paying for the pickup in addition to the instrument itself, so you’ll get less acoustic tone relative to the money you put in.
If you’re pretty sure you’re never going to play live, an instrument without a pickup may be the better option. Likewise, if you’re planning on gigging regularly, you’re definitely going to want an acoustic-electric instrument.
Best Concert Ukulele Selection Methodology
The first edition was published in 2017. The current edition was published on August 29, 2024
We looked at all the concert ukuleles available from major American online music store retailers and ended up with an initial list of 68 for closer analysis – you can see most of them in the Music Gear Database. We then collated over 34,200 relevant reviews, ratings, and comments – and processed those data with the Gearank Algorithm to produce Gearank Rating scores out of 100 for each of them. For this edition, we decided to divide the guide into two main sections, the first uke section features non-pickup ukuleles, and second for pickup-equipped ukes. We then selected the highest-rated options and put them in their appropriate sections. Finally, we added a budget option section featuring a highly rated yet affordable acoustic-electric ukulele for those with limited funds. For more information about our methods, see How Gearank Works.
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide’s production – click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Contributors
Allen Articulo: Supplemental Writing and Research.
Mason Hoberg: Supplemental writing.
Jason Horton: Editing and Illustrating.
Media / Image Credit
Main/Top Image: Grace VanderWaal Live at the 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. 2/7/18″ by Theresa C. Sanchez – published under Creative Commons license CC BY-ND 2.0.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.
The videos above have been embedded in accordance with YouTube’s Terms of Service.
More Best Concert Ukulele Options – Acoustic, Electric & Budget Related Posts
Comments:
4 responses
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Publication of our February 2022 Edition resulted in the following ukuleles coming off the recommended list above:
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Our March 2021 edition saw the removal of the following ukes from our recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of them:
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As a result of our May 2020 update the following came off the recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of them:
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As a result of the November 2018 update to this guide the following Concert Ukuleles came off the recommended list above but you can still read about them here:
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