Top 10 Ukuleles Currently in My Collection

In the style of George’s Ukulele Ghetto Blog, I will occasionally rank the top 10 ukuleles in my current lineup, as my preferences are subject to change.  This is a subjective ranking of all aspects of the ukuleles which provide me with utility (satisfaction), from the tangibles such as wood choice and fit and finish, to the intangibles like a fictional coolness coefficient.  (I actually do not have a shot of all my ukuleles together, but will try to get one someday.)
   
The following is the top 10, in reverse order, as of today.  One thing I noticed when putting this together is that the more expensive ukes tend to be at the top of the list.  This is due to the fact that with musical instruments, you do tend to get what you pay for, and more the higher the price, generally, the better the instrument (of course with diminishing marginal utility per dollar).

See the rankings by clicking the "Read More" link below.



10.  Applause UAE-148 Tenor
Acoustically, this ukulele is not very strong.  However, Aquila strings do help bring out more of the ukulele’s acoustic sound.  Another drawback is that this uke is rather heavy.  But for that, you do get an excellent ukulele when amplified, due to the onboard equalized electronics.  This uke sounds great amplified through my Roland AC-60, I would argue that it is as good amplified as my Kanilea K1-T with Fishman Matrix Infinity installed.

9.  KoaPiliKoko Tenor
I was unimpressed with the KPK out of the box, because it had high unplayable action.  However, the edges of the neck were as smooth as a Fender American Deluxe guitar neck with hand rolled edges.  This is probably the smoothest neck that I own.  And after I lowered the action at both the nut and saddle (nut needed quite a bit of work) and put on a set of Worth Clear strings, this became a VERY playable uke.  And it has about 85% of the Kamaka Tenor tone, for a fraction of the price.

8.  Fluke Hibiscus Red Tenor
Fluke ukuleles are very well designed, and are very rugged.  I love mine because it can take a beating, and I never have to worry about it.  Despite the plastic back and funny shape, it still sounds amazing with Aquila strings.  Lots of volume, and a nice bright tone.

7.  KoAloha SuperSoprano
The KoAloha SuperSoprano is the loudest soprano-bodied ukulele that I have ever played.  This is one of their older models with the old sticker inside, and it features a one piece top and one piece back.  The concert scale neck is a big improvement on KoAloha’s current soprano neck which I feel does not have enough frets.

6.  KoAloha SuperConcert
After Brian at KoAloha lowered the action on my SuperConcert, it became an excellent player.  I love the round tone that I can get out of this ukulele.  And as with all KoAlohas, volume is not a problem, and this uke can play from PPP to FFF.

5.  Kamaka HF-2 White Label Concert
The Kamaka HF-2 was the first high end ukulele I ever played.  And I knew I would eventually have to own one.  Mine has a flame back and flamed neck, which looks really cool.  The tone is also amazing and bright, and punchy.  It is louder than some of the tenors that I have.  The only problem is that some of the bridge slots have cracked, and this ukulele is currently out of commission until I fix it.

4.  Kamaka HF-3 Tenor
You have to play a Kamaka Tenor to really understand why the company is so highly regarded.  There is something just a je ne sais quoi with the Kamaka Tenor.  The neck profile on my Kamaka Tenor is probably my favorite neck shape of all of the ukuleles I own.

3.  Kanilea K1 Tenor
The Kanilea K1-T was the first high-end rack ukulele that I purchased.  The beautiful UV finish convinced me.  Out of the box, with Aquila strings, it outplayed the KoAloha, Kamaka, and G-String ukuleles that the store offered.  (Now I know that the strings gave the Kanilea an unfair advantage.)  It is still an amazingly resonant ukulele which will stay with me forever.

2.  KoAloha Pineapple Sunday
In my opinion, the Pineapple Sunday is the single most attractive ukulele designs available on the market.  Nobody else offers anything else like it.  And I fell in love from the first time I saw and played one in a Waikiki shop.  The tone is sweet and the instrument can be pushed to high volume levels.  I’m very happy with mine, and it is currently at the shop having a Fishman Matrix Infinity installed in it.

1.  KoAloha Tenor Sceptre
I also wanted a Tenor Sceptre from the first day I saw one.  I recently purchased one, and absolutely love it.  It has amazing projection, killer looks, and intelligent ergonomic design.  It is currently undergoing pickup installation operation with the Pineapple Sunday at the KoAloha factory.

Unranked Ukuleles: Pono PKT-1, Fluke Concert Mookulele, Kamaka HF-1 Soprano, Kanilea K-1 Baritone, Leolani Gloss Tenor, Leolani Satin Tenor, Tangi Koa Soprano, Tangi Mahogany Soprano, Mele Koa Top Tenor, Mele Guitarlele.