Have you maybe got into a situation where the Ukulele body was too small to grip properly and the frets were so tiny that you couldn’t play so much?
If this sounds familiar, you were probably playing Soprano Ukulele, so, perhaps you should consider trying Concert Ukulele instead.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Concert Ukuleles
- OUR TOP PICK: Enya EUC-M6
- RUNNER-UP: Magic Fluke FLEA Ukulele
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Lohanu Acoustic Electric Bundle
Table of Contents
What is a Concert Ukulele?
Concert Ukulele is one of the three most common Ukulele models on the market. It’s tuned in the standard GCEA setup with a high G 4th string. It is usually considered to be the sweet spot model regarding all the aspects of typical Ukulele sound for beginners. This goes especially regarding string tension - due to its body size it will require less effort to pluck the strings correctly.
It’s similar to the soprano ukulele which probably has that sound you would imagine in your head when asked. But, Concert Ukulele comes with a bigger body and fretboard size so it’s much more convenient for adult players. A bigger body also resonates with a hint of extra depth.
What Size is a Concert Ukulele?
It comes second in size - smaller than a Tenor and larger than a Soprano Ukulele while still being lightweight and with no real need to use a strap. The frets size is also more convenient for the hands of the regular grown-ups so it could be unofficially called “Soprano Ukulele for Adults”.
How Long is a Concert Ukulele?
The average size of a Concert Ukulele is about 22 or 23 inches in total with the fretboard size around 15 inches.
What to Look For When Buying a Concert Ukulele
Here are some quick tips on aspects you should think of before purchasing:
Wood Design
While solid wood models are considered as premium ukuleles, there is a middle ground that comes with a solid wood top. If you would like to get the most from a sound without breaking a bank, consider those models first.
Also, if you plan to play lead themes and improvisations, the cutaway design will allow you to reach higher notes in a much more convenient way.
Acoustic or Electric?
If you have ideas of performing live at some point, having an electric ukulele will be a great add-on.
Due to the size of the Concert Ukulele, it will sound exactly the same when played in acoustic mode and most of the time you’ll even get a chromatic tuner on board.
Finish
If friends tend to put some jokes on you as being “OCD person” perhaps Gloss finish isn’t the best choice for you. High Gloss models may look gorgeous in a showcase but they also capture a lot of fingerprints. And our personal taste goes with Matte (Satin) finish much more - we feel it gives Ukulele that vintage feel, especially for any kind of light-colored woods.
Comparison of the Best Concert Ukuleles
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Review of the Best Concert Ukuleles
Here are our favorite ten Concert Ukulele models on the market:
Best Overall:
Enya EUC-M6
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers really praise the fluorocarbon strings Enya has provided with this instrument and say that it improves the playability and sound quality a lot. The travel bag is incredibly thick and can almost replace the need for a hard case. But, they are unsure why the regular Enya extended accessory bundle wasn’t included.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Most Ukuleles tend to resemble classical guitar shapes. Enya is a bit different. While it retains the standard cutaway shape, it has an appealing electric guitar headstock.
Body is made from AAA Solid Mahogany top which produces bright sound, while the fretboard comes with a radius type which will make barre chords a little bit easier to play. The inlay details are so beautiful that we honestly wonder why other brands don’t implement such motifs on their products.
If you’re into a more casual look those models are also available in Dark Brown and Natural color scheme. Our favorite is definitely this glossy Sea Blue model.
Bottom Line
Enya EUC-M6 is a showcase of the benefits you may get from ordering an imported instrument from a brand that’s not that famous. Wonderful design and details, great sound
Runner-up:
Magic Fluke FLEA Ukulele
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
They loved the durability of this instrument and tend to describe it as indestructible. They also appreciate the fact that it's a non-imported instrument with the proper and responsive customer support service.
The only thing on their wishlist seems to be the wooden fretboard as the frets aren’t so visible with the current design.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Ukulele has a molded birchwood body with fiberglass sides and back combined with polycarbonate fretboard on a Maple neck.
It has an original flat bottom so you can rest it in an upward position on any flat surface without using an extra accessory.
Speaking of sound, it has a pineapple shape - this means the sound is much louder and resonant. Crispy is the first word that came to us when we thought about its sound and it shows us that even a non-wooden Ukulele can sound great when made properly.
And due to its specific design, you can rest it upwards without any stand.
Bottom Line
Magic Fluke FLEA seems to be a perfect balance between having a proper non-imported instrument and being on a budget. Its unique size can also be an interesting option for those looking for something between classic Soprano and Concert Ukulele.
Best for the Money:
Lohanu Acoustic Electric Bundle
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
They really like this Spalted Maple design and the Spanish headstock and also comment that the arm rest is quite convenient.
And from what we have seen on reviews, their customer service is very responsive and willing to solve any troubles that may occur, so they prove their unconditional lifetime warranty policy.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Ukulele comes with all the things you will need for a head start. Arched Back is something we don’t see so often on Concert Ukulele and because of the larger body, it will produce much longer sustain.
A preamp is a bit average, but it comes with a nice and clear two-color chromatic tuner display and a 3-band EQ setup.
The accessories bundle is pretty good - it comes with a decent padded bag, additional clip on tuner, strap and paracord Ukulele hanger with strap buttons preinstalled, and even a double set of Aquila Super Nylgut strings. It will also provide you with free online video lessons.
Bottom Line
If you’re a beginner, Lohanu seems to be made exactly for you while providing you with all the accessories and the electric preamp feature even before you fully understand the benefits of having such models right.
Best Concert Ukulele for Beginners:
Enya EUC-25D BU Starter Kit
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users really enjoy this model, especially its Blue Matte finish. They say it’s one of the best bang for buck purchases they made and they would gladly recommend it to any beginner out there.
Intonation seems to be accurate, craftsmanship is more than decent and even sound quality seems to be perfectly fine.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Most of the Ukulele sound is created from the top wood layer, and that’s why Solid Mahogany wood instead of typical Laminate is a great choice, especially with the Fluorocarbon strings Enya provides.
The Richlite fretboard will probably work better for you than any Rosewood model at this price range as it will be much more resistant to environmental hazards.
Accessory pack is also worth mentioning as it’s one of the best bundles we know on the market - besides the standard good padded gig bag, strap, and clip on tuner, it will also provide you with the Capo, finger shaker, and extra set of strings.
Bottom Line
Being a beginner doesn’t mean your instrument must sound mediocre. Enya has provided a very affordable model that sounds just fine, looks even better, and has a wonderful accessory bundle included.
It’s hard to find any bad word, especially at this price.
Best Luna Concert Ukulele:
Luna Guitars HTC KOA High Tide
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers praised the vintage look this Ukulele emits. There were no complaints on build quality and electronics seem to work properly as well. They could also confirm a significant sound improvement when compared to entry-level Ukuleles and say that the price approves the experience they had with this instrument.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It will be really hard not to notice beautiful abalone tide details on the fretboard and rosette. Combined with the darker wood and Satin finish it simply looks gorgeous. We also love how thick black bindings look on the side panel as it definitely gives the instrument a more premium feel.
The preamp is placed conveniently on the top side with 3 sliders providing volume, treble, and bass control.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a traditional-looking Ukulele that can stand out in both sound and build quality, Luna High Tide series is your choice. And the longer you have it next to you, the more you will fall in love with those abalone tides placed on the fretboard.
Best Concert Ukulele Under $300:
Kala KA-ACP-CT
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
People comment that the finishing details are on the match with the price. Most buyers were looking for a model that will provide them with more professional sound and this Kala got it right for them.
However, more experienced players report that the action seems to be a bit higher than usual.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is one of the largest Concert Ukuleles on the market.
Cedar tonewood can create a much brighter sound compared to other wood choices. Acacia back and sides on the other hand will create a louder and crispier sound when compared to the usual Mahogany so this combination seems to be an ideal choice for live performing. We may even recommend you to use Low G setup on this model as well.
Design is pretty much basic with two things that break the design, the padauk rosette, and bindings that give your Ukulele a unique premium look and the slotted headstock design.
Bottom Line
At this price range, you should start focusing more on sound instead of design. That’s why this Kala is our favorite - it will produce a professional sound to you at a price that’s not that much over your average Ukulele.
Best Doner Concert Ukulele:
Donner DUC-4E Beginner Kit
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
In general, they all report that you won’t be disappointed with the bang-for-buck you’re getting with this Ukulele and they even praised the design. It seems to hold the intonation correctly but due to poor quality control, you should check this for yourself upon arrival as there is a slight chance of shipping faulty items.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Ukulele comes with a Solid Mahogany top which seems to be an incredible choice at this price and it helps to create a more resonant sound. Fretboard is made of typical Rosewood but it comes with 18 frets in total.
Preamp seems to be a typical budget-level, but it is supported with 3-band EQ control and an accurate chromatic tuner.
We also must comment on the quality of the travel bag included in the basic bundle and we would really wish if some other brands could inspect it and see that it’s possible to include a durable bag in their offer.
Bottom Line
Besides the Lohanu model, this is one of the most affordable instruments on the market. It will endure many years of playing and if you don’t have any high ambitions it may be easily the only Ukulele you’ll purchase ever.
Best Concert Ukulele Under $200:
Oscar Schmidt OU5
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
People praise the clear sound it has without any intonation or buzzing issues and it was mostly purchased from people who wanted to invest in their first Ukulele.
The only letdown they felt is that they would like it if it came with more than 17 frets and better strings, though.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It’s not very often that we see Ukulele units come with the Koa top, even in laminated versions and it will bring your instrument closer to authentic Hawaiian sound. Every part of the instrument is made from a different wood - sides are from Acacia, the neck is Nyatoa and the back is Mahogany and they all look quite vintage all together, especially with the abalone bindings and rosette details.
Speaking of the accessories, this is the only model we found at this price tier that comes with the hard case. It’s durable enough that you could put it even on airplane cargo.
Bottom Line
Koa wood is used for making original Hawaiian Ukulele, so having a laminated version under $200 seems to be a very interesting offer. It’s definitely one of the main reasons why this Ukulele sounds good.
Best Acoustic Electric Concert Ukulele:
Fender Grace Vanderwaal Signature Ukulele
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This is one of the best rated ukuleles on the market with hundreds of five-star reviews. They praise everything about it - sound, electronics, finish and they very often recommend it as the best investment for beginners who are certain they want to go serious about their playing.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This Ukulele is a signature model from American Idol 2016 winner, Grace Wanderwaal and it’s accompanied by the typical Tele Fender headstock and golden hardware.
While it has quite decent sound acoustically thanks to the Sapele body the magic happens when you plug it in. It comes with a premium Fishman Kula preamp which will deliver you even better sound and the batteries will last for 240 hours.
Also, Fender improved the string changing system with the convenient pull-through bridge. With this model, you won’t have to apply to knot when setting up the new strings.
Bottom Line
Fender is probably one of the most famous companies in the world of electric guitars, so it’s always nice to see them providing a decent product in other areas as they have both knowledge and resources to make a great guitar product.
Best Kala Concert Ukulele:
Kala KA-KCGE-C
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
We have found reports that even professional players and tutors are satisfied with this model while the semi-pro players didn’t regret the investment at all.
It’s often praised as an upgrade after buying several budget models or from those who wanted to invest in proper electric Ukulele.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Everything regarding this Kala model breathes with elegance - from the slotted headstock to Venetian cutaway and vintage wood grain top. It comes with Laminated Koa wood with Pau Ferro fingerboard on a Mahogany neck and white bindings and a standard Ammoon UK-300T preamp with a chromatic tuner.
Such wood choice results in a bit more sophisticated action response and acoustically the traditional sound of a Hawaiian Ukulele. Sound quality is further upgraded thanks to the D’Addario Titanium strings. That’s why it doesn’t surprise us that intonation is excellent and that the sustain can almost match one made from a typical tenor ukulele.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a Ukulele that will allow you to enter the world of professional instruments, Kala KA-KCGE-C is the model made for you. It’s also a wonderful example of how much difference premium strings can make to the Ukulele sound.
Comparison Overview
Let’s check the basic differences between most regular Ukulele types:
Soprano vs. Concert Ukulele
Soprano and Concert Ukulele have a lot in common in terms of sound, but, the size is the main difference between them. Soprano is the smallest standard Ukulele type and it comes with a smaller fretboard and fewer frets in total. Also, those frets are a bit smaller compared to the Concert-sized one.
But, as small frets are not comfortable for all users, there is a hybrid Long Neck model that actually has a Soprano body and Concert Ukulele neck size.
Also, in order to match the sound of the regular Concert Ukulele, Soprano also may come in a more resonant Pineapple body type.
Tenor vs. Concert Ukulele
While Soprano could be considered as a younger sister, Tenor would be a big brother of Concert Ukulele. It has a larger body and the frets are also bigger. It resonates a deeper and a bit darker sound and due to its build quality, it will cost you more than Concert Ukulele from the same tier.
There is a middle ground solution between those two models, as well. Travel Tenor Ukulele provides you with the same size as a regular Tenor but at a much more thinner body. It will lack a certain depth in sound so it may resemble the sound you would get from a Concert Ukulele.
Baritone vs. Concert Ukulele
While all other Ukuleles share the same tuning, the baritone is the only one that comes with a different one. It’s the biggest standard Ukulele out there and its size may resemble more the acoustic guitar than a Ukulele. We could also say the same regarding sound characteristics so the only thing they do have in common is the 4 string setup and brands.
How to Play Barre Chords on a Ukulele
Barre chord is a playing technique of using the index finger to cover two or more strings at the same time. And, what’s most important, as long as you can stretch your finger across the whole fingerboard you can use this technique regardless of how big your hands are.
The main trick lies in utilizing your thumb. Move it to the center back of Ukulele and create support for pushing your index finger on the other side.
Once you master this technique you will find a way to play chords much easier.
For example, you can play C major with using the 3rd fret on the 1st (bottom) string. For a D-major, try using a barre chord - place the index finger over the 2nd fret and press the 5th fret on 1st string. If you move the position 2 frets up (index on 4th, other fingers on 7th fret), you’ll get the E-major chord and so on.
If you think about it, it’s pretty much like you’re using your index finger instead of a ukulele capo.
If you would like to find how to play more barre chords, check the video below:
Concert Ukulele Tuning Without Tuner - What You Need to Know
Ukulele tuning without a tuner is a routine process that you should learn as soon as possible. Of course, the tuner makes it even easier as it’s all about plucking the string, reading the display, and slowly turning the gears until you get the tone you need.
But, for those situations when you don’t have a tuner with you, you can actually use the next YouTube video for a quick checkup reference for the standard GCEA setup that will work for all Ukuleles except for Baritone.
- In case you have a low G setup, check the second part of the video
- Follow the string order from the video and play along
- If you don’t hear the exact sound, twist the dedicated headstock tuner until you get the exact note
- Once you tune the first string, proceed with the other three strings and repeat the process
- When completed, check all the strings once more just to be sure your Ukulele remained in tune during this process
If you don’t have an internet connection, you can also use a piano sound to check your tuning.
Go on and play the video below and bookmark it - it will come handy eventually:
Conclusion
Hopefully, you will decide between Soprano and Concert Ukulele pretty soon. We will totally understand if you tilt towards the Concert model as we find it to be the most balanced model out there in all aspects - sound, price, features, and most important beginners-friendly aspect.
People Also Ask
Now that we have provided you with all the important models from the market, we’re going to cover if the Concert Ukulele can go well with the beginners, its usual price, how many frets it comes with, and is it any different from the rest of Ukulele types:
Is a Concert Ukulele Good For Beginners?
Yes, Concert Ukulele can be a great first Ukulele for anyone. It’s ideal in terms of size so it may fit both kids and adults respectively. The only drawback is that it may not be ideal for traveling like Soprano and it will cost you a bit more.
How Much Does a Concert Ukulele Cost?
Concert Ukulele comes in all budgets, so you may find models ranging from $70 up to $500+ when we speak about standard models. Usually, an average Concert Ukulele spans from $120 to $300 price depending on the brand, features, and electronic preamp support.
How Many Frets Does a Concert Ukulele Have?
Depending on the company design plan, Concert Ukulele may have 15 or 18 frets, depending on their decision. Some models go even to 20 frets. Usually, if the frets are going inside of the body, cutaway body design will follow as it will allow you to play high frets easier.
How Many Strings Does a Concert Ukulele Have?
All standard Ukulele models come with 4 strings tuned in the GCEA setup. The only difference may be in how you would set the 4th (top) string. We wouldn’t recommend you to use a low G setting as you won’t have a lot of benefit due to its smaller body design.
Should I Use a Pick With My Ukulele?
Yes, you can use a pick on your Ukulele, but we would recommend you to find a leather or rubber pick instead of a standard guitar pick because of the nylon strings type. However, bear in mind that the usual Ukulele sound is done mostly with finger picking.
