Every advanced uke player has used a concert ukulele at some point in his journey. Concert ukuleles are for everyone. They are easy to play for all players, from beginners to experts.
It’s a smooth ride when you’re playing a concert ukulele, from the transitions to the spacious fingerboard to the user-friendly changes.
However, high-quality concert ukes are easy to duplicate. Counterfeit manufacturers often produce low-quality replicas, which mostly deceive the novices.
Top 6 Best Concert Ukuleles
A reverberating sound, excellent tonewood, and an easy-to-use fingerboard are all you require. The concert ukulele’s scale is long, which gives room for additional frets and more space between them, ideal for persons with large hands. Due to its deeper body, this instrument projects the sound much more and makes it louder. Here, we will review the top 6 concert ukuleles to make it easier for you to choose.
| Product | Rating |
|---|---|
| Kala KA-C Satin | 4.7 |
| Luna Tattoo Mahogany | 4.7 |
| Lanikai LU-21C | 4.3 |
| Fender Zuma | 4.5 |
| Kala Makala MK-C | 4.6 |
| Oscar Schmidt OU5 | 4.7 |
1. Kala KA-C Satin Mahogany Concert Ukulele
This top-of-the-line concert is well-known for being the best concert ukulele in the industry. It produces a vibrant and happy tone, which is the standard Kala concert ukulele sound. On the other hand, this instrument doesn’t get too crisp when the pitch is high because its back, sides, and top are designed using mahogany. It means that the overall sound quality is somewhere between neutral and vibrant.
The bridge features nylon Aquila strings, contributing to this instrument’s sound quality. Moreover, the fingerboard is made using laurel, which creates tension for bending and vibrato practices. The geared tuning machines are entirely covered, and as a result, it guarantees that no string goes off-tune.
Features
- Mahogany body
- It has 4 Aquila nylon strings
- Weighs 1.25 lbs
- Laurel fingerboard
- Completely covered geared tunings
- Chrome die-cast tuner
- NuBone saddle and nut
Pros
- Durable tuning machines
- Produces neutral tone
- Dense fingerboard
Cons
- String height causes inaccurate intonation
2. Luna Tattoo Concert Mahogany Ukulele
The Luna tattoo embodies the mahogany construction’s appeal and aesthetics. This Hawaiian ukulele surpasses the soundboard to the fingerboard using shark teeth insets. The walnut bridge is quite dense and maintains the geared tuning, ensuring stability. With this concert, Uke comes a gig bag.
The strings are yet another unique thing about this Luna Tattoo instrument. The bronze-plated nylon strings improve the mid-range sound for which concert ukes are known. While the mahogany body promotes sound quality, the walnut fingerboard makes it user-friendly.
Features
- Bronze-plated nylon strings
- Mahogany body
- Easy-to-use Walnut bridge
- Shark teeth inlays
- Hawaiian Satin finish
Pros
- Playable fingerboard
- Durable
- Soothing sound & warm tone
- It comes with a gig bag
Cons
- Tuners can’t endure the stock strings
3. Lanikai LU-21C Concert Ukulele
This excellent and cheap ukulele has 22 frets and a rosewood body. It comes in a single tune, it is incredibly playable, and it produces high-quality sound.
The Lanikai ukuleles are put through thorough testing and approval from the ukulele community in Hawaii, and the LU21-C is no exception. It has a simple but classic design. The top, sides, and back are made using Nato with white binding.
The rosewood body means this instrument is durable. Also, this tonewood promotes vibrant and clear sound. Moreover, it comes with all the essential accessories and is perfect for beginners.
Features
- Die-cast tuners
- Nato top, sides, and back
- Rosewood fretboard
- White binding on the sides, top, and back
- 18 frets
Pros
- Impressive design
- Affordable
Cons
- Poor-quality factory strings
4. Fender Zuma Concert Uke
This beloved California Coast product has several accessories, like a gig bag and an attachable chromatic tuner. The back, top, and sides are veneered Sapele, promoting deep sound and robust build.
This ukulele has an open-pore satin finish. The cream binding on the back, top, and fingerboard boosts its appearance. Besides, the bridge is made of acrylic abalone.
The other exciting feature is the telecaster-design headstock, which offers this ukulele a simple but classic look. The neck is made using Nato and has a satin polish. The rosewood fretboard has 16 frets and dot-position insets. The no-tie bridge makes changing the strings easy.
Features
- Nato neck
- Veneered Sapele top, back, and sides
- Satin polish
- Rosewood fretboard
- 16 frets
- Acrylic bone bridge
- Cream binding on the top, back, and sides
- Telecast-style headstock
Pros
- Amazing tone
- Re-stringing is easy
- Easy to play
Cons
- Quite pricey
- Inconsistent factory setup quality
5. Kala Makala MK-C Mahogany Concert Ukulele
It is the perfect ukulele for beginners. Not only is it a magnificent uke with a soul-melting sound, but it also comes with all the essential accessories. The mahogany construction blends well with its walnut fretboard. The satin polish is ideal for this instrument since it lets the sophisticated wood pattern sparkle.
Among the extras is an attachable tuner. It lets the player keep his instrument in tune. A tuner helps you comprehend how every note is supposed to sound and has all the strings sounding exceptional.
However, it also has some flaws. The case is of low quality, but on the positive side, there are very few complaints about it.
Features
- It has four nylon strings
- Weighs 1.55 lbs
- Mahogany build
- Walnut fretboard
- Satin finish
Pros
- It comes with many accessories
- Cheap
- Classic design
Cons
- Poor quality case
6. Oscar Schmidt OU5 Koa Concert Ukulele
This Washburn’s product has veneered Hawaiian Koa on the back, sides, and top. It also features cream binding and glossy polish that magnifies the Koa’s magnificent grain. Besides, the bridge is made of abalone, an exquisite detail that pairs well with the abalone purfling.
The well-bound neck is made of Nyatoh. Nyatoh is a quality hardwood that grows in Asia. It translates to durability since it is also paired with a veneered body. What’s more, the fingerboard is made of rosewood.
This OU5 ukulele is fitted with high-quality Grover tuning devices. These chrome enclosed-gear tuners function correctly by holding the tuning once the strings settle. The rosewood rosette and the ABS saddle help to stabilize and keep the strings in tune. This ukulele produces a deep, warm, and balanced sound with a clear and crisp tone, which is expected from a ukulele with a Koa body.
Features
- Koa sides, back, and top
- Abalone rosette
- Cream binding
- Nyatoh neck
- Rosewood fingerboard
- ABS saddle
Pros
- It comes with a wadded gig bag & polishing cloth
- Excellent craftsmanship and impressive design
Cons
- The sound is not very deep for a Koa-bodied ukulele
Frequently Asked Questions
The typical tuning for the concert ukuleles is GCEA, also called the “reentrant C,” since the G string’s tuning is an octave higher than usual. However, this is not the only tuning you can try. The other alternatives include Hawaiian slack key (GCEG), Pipa (ADEA), open G (GBDG), and Viola (CGDA).
They are about 10% bigger than soprano ukes. However, concert ukuleles are warmer and louder in tone, and they are effortless to learn if you have huge hands. Besides, the concert’s large neck lets it reach higher notes than the sopranos.
Our Top Pick
If you want to enhance your playing skills and generate exceptional sound, there is no better option than the Kala KA-C Mahogany Concert Uke. It seems our top pick because it has Aquila Nylgut strings that produce quality sound, chrome die-cast tuners, durable mahogany build, and an exclusive NuBone saddle and nut.
