10 Of The Best Soprano Ukuleles (2022 Buying Guide)

Check Out Some Of The Best Soprano Ukuleles Out There!

Looking to buy the best soprano ukulele and not sure where to start? You’re not alone! Whether you’re buying a soprano for yourself or you’re buying a soprano ukulele as a gift, it can be hard to determine which one is the right fit.

There are loads of great ukulele brands that design some of the best soprano ukuleles for beginners and intermediates. Our detailed guide will walk you through what a soprano ukulele is, how it differs from the other types of ukuleles (soprano versus concert ukuleles), and why a soprano ukulele might be the best fit for you.

Below, we’ll dive more into topics like soprano ukulele price ranges, what to look for in a great soprano uke, and showcase some of the best soprano ukuleles by brand and style. From the very popular Kala KA-15S to others by Cordoba or Luna, let’s dive into this detailed guide on soprano ukuleles!

The Top Soprano Ukuleles

If you are sure you want to purchase a small ukulele, a soprano ukulele is the best option. Below, you can have a look at a number of top soprano ukuleles from known brands.

The soprano ukuleles below have been picked based on a combination of personal experience as well as factors like user experiences and reviews, price and value, and overall quality. Consider these among the best soprano ukulele options for the money.

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Kala KA-15S Mahogany Soprano Ukulele

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• Features: A very popular entry-level soprano ukulele
• Pros: High-quality mahogany body, excellent stock strings come on it
• Cons: Particular model’s price doesn’t include accessories (strap, tuner, bag)

One of the top soprano ukuleles you can buy is the Kala KA-15S. This mahogany soprano ukulele has made a name for itself as being a great overall ukulele that is well built and has a really nice sound quality. It’s also become known as one of the best soprano ukuleles for beginners

There are definitely other soprano ukuleles from Kala you might look into since it is one of the trusted ukulele brands on the market. Here is a Kala Soprano Ukulele starter pack that might interest you.

Cordoba 15SM Soprano Ukulele

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• Features: A well-built wooden soprano ukulele
• Pros: Mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard
• Cons: Higher in price for an introductory soprano ukulele (but great quality)

Cordoba – the experienced maker of classical guitars – also makes top-quality ukuleles. The Cordoba 15SM is no exception as a handmade, all-wooden ukulele with warm, bright tones.

Makala Soprano Mahogany Ukulele (MK-S)

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• Features: Another solid wood soprano ukulele by Kala
• Pros: An affordable, entry-level soprano ukulele
• Cons: Open tuners are prone to dirt and dust

The Makala line is produced by Kala – a reputable ukulele brand in the space. For a more unique soprano ukulele, the Makala pineapple ukulele is a great option. The signature pineapple-shaped ukulele creates warm tones and also has an authentic look to it.

AKLOT Soprano Ukulele

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• Features: An affordable, wooden ukulele with loads of great accessories
• Pros: Buttons for potential strap to be attached for easy holding
• Cons: Open tuners might get dirt and dust in them

The AKLOT soprano ukulele is a great ukulele for those looking to purchase a soprano ukulele as a gift. This is because this particular model comes with a number of accessories that make getting started easy.

If you’re interested in an acoustic-electric ukulele, AKLOT has a soprano a/e ukulele that you can play unplugged or plug into an amp!

Enya Soprano Ukulele

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• Features: A uniquely blue and wooden soprano ukulele from Enya
• Pros: Closed tuners, strap buttons, comes with a case and other accessories
• Cons: Higher price (reflect the value of the instrument and the accessories)

If you like the brand Enya, they also have a composite ukulele (carbon fiber/plastic) in the Nova U Mini. This denser material might be great if you are harder on your belongings and/or the ukulele is meant for travel.

Luna Artistic Series Soprano Pineapple Ukulele

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• Features: A classic pineapple soprano ukulele with a fantastic design
• Pros: Unique design, great sound quality
• Cons: More expensive for the look and lack of accessories

For those seeking out a pretty ukulele, the Luna Artistic Series is loaded with beautifully designed and decorated ukuleles. Also, Luna is a trusted instrument maker to have on your radar!

Luna Tattoo Soprano Pineapple Ukulele

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• Features: Another classically designed, wooden soprano ukulele
• Pros: Rich tones from the pineapple body shape, great body design, comes with gig bag
• Cons: Open back tuners are something to once again consider

Flight TUS-40 Travel Series Soprano Ukulele

Last update on 2024-03-28 at 17:45

• Features: A fully plastic soprano ukulele made for travel
• Pros: Plastic is more durable, less affected by humidity, comes with gig bag
• Cons: Plastic frets/body can affect the sound quality and overall playability compared to wood

You can trust Flight for the quality of their instruments. The question becomes whether a plastic instrument fits your needs over a wooden one.

Donner DUS-10M Soprano Ukulele

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• Features: An affordable soprano ukulele with extra accessories
• Pros: Made from maple (a decent tonewood), comes with gig bag and more
• Cons: Open tuners can get dirty

The Donner soprano ukulele is a dependable instrument for a beginner. They come in many different colors, too. Just be sure to keep quality in mind at this price point.

Kmise Ukulele Soprano

Last update on 2024-03-28 at 17:45

• Features: Another nice soprano ukulele made from good woods
• Pros: Closed tuners, comes with a number of accessories like ukulele tuner and bag
• Cons: Kind of a starter ukulele only – you could easily upgrade to one of higher overall quality (if needed)

The Kmise soprano ukulele bundle would be another great choice for a beginner because you’d get everything you’d need to start playing.

What Is A Soprano Ukulele And Why You Need One

If you’re new to buying ukuleles – or you’re confused about the different types/sizes of ukuleles – let’s get you up to speed with everything you need to know about soprano ukuleles.

A soprano ukulele is simply the name of one of the smallest-sized ukuleles. Because of its small size, it’s the most popular size of ukuleles. It’s not the smallest ukulele – that would be a pocket ukulele – but a soprano ukulele is the smallest uke of the four main ukulele sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.

Interestingly, the soprano size is known as the “authentic” or “original” size that the original ukulele players – those of Polynesian descent – used to play. The small neck and body produce a higher pitch and a brighter overall sound – especially compared to the larger uke sizes.

Soprano ukuleles make great introductory ukuleles and are arguably the best ukulele size for kids and people with smaller fingers because of their small body, light weight, and small spaces between the frets.

Soprano Ukulele vs Concert Ukulele

This guide focuses on soprano ukuleles. However, the soprano ukulele is similar to the next size up – the concert ukulele – and so they often get compared by first-time ukelele buyers. Below, we’ll briefly cover the differences between a soprano and concert ukulele so you can make a confident buying decision.

Overall, the difference between a soprano ukulele and a concert ukulele is that the soprano ukulele size is smaller. How long is a soprano ukulele? The overall length of the soprano ukulele is approximately 21 inches compared to a concert ukulele which is often 23 inches long. The soprano ukulele also generally has fewer frets (12-15) than a concert ukulele (15-18 frets).

When it comes to tuning a soprano ukuleles, the strings are tuned to G-C-E-A which is the same as for a concert and a tenor ukulele. String length is also similar meaning the two ukuleles have similar overall pitches. However, the slightly larger body on the concert ukulele can produce more mid-range and deeper tones than a soprano ukulele can with such a small body.

So, if you’re trying to decide between a soprano or concert ukulele, the difference is honestly not that huge. However, we will discuss the implications (pros and cons) for having a smaller body and smaller fret spacing down below!

Benefits Of Using A Soprano Ukulele

There are a number of pros and cons to buying/playing a soprano ukulele. Here are some benefits to choosing a soprano ukulele over another size of uke and how the benefits might affect you.

As mentioned, soprano ukuleles are small in size. This smaller overall size translates into ease of playing and holding for beginners and even kids wanting to learn the ukulele.

The small size can also be beneficial for people with small hands and fingers as it might feel more comfortable to play. This is because the neck smaller, the fretboard is shorter (has a “shorter scale”), and the space between the frets – to play the strings – are smaller. Those with larger fingers might find the soprano ukulele cramped up on the fretboard as they change chords or finger-pick.

The smaller size also makes the soprano ukulele easier to pack up. The soprano ukulele is usually the size of ukulele you see being taken on a camping trip or on an airplane (in case you’re looking to travel with a musical instrument).

The overall pitch of the soprano ukulele is quite high. This is not so much a pro or a con but a consideration. You’ll hear bright and higher tones overall compared to the sound produced on larger ukuleles.

You can’t make a soprano ukulele sound lower and have more bass-range tones. If this is important to you, a soprano may not be for you. You can always consider a larger ukulele – like a tenor ukulele – and place a ukulele capo on it to make it sound like a soprano uke.

The Different Types of Soprano Ukuleles

If you’re getting more set on a soprano ukulele as the instrument for you, there are a number of variations/types of soprano ukes that you get to choose from.

These include variations on body shape and also whether the ukulele is acoustic or a hybrid acoustic-electric. We’ll outline these below so you can learn about them all and make the right choice for you.

Standard Soprano Ukulele

When it comes to ukulele body shapes, the “standard” soprano ukulele shape is the figure-8. This common body shape is well-known across other stringed instruments as great for producing rich and balanced tones.

Of course, body size and the material the body is made of can affect sound quality. Buying a standard soprano uke with a figure-8 shape would be a safe – and great – choice. An example of this soprano ukulele body shape is the Kala KA-15S.

Pineapple Soprano Ukulele

For a classic and unique soprano ukulele, check out the pineapple soprano ukulele body. These soprano ukuleles have a wooden body that is shaped much like a pineapple! We really like the pineapple shape because it somehow feels more authentic (this is just a feeling).

The rounded overall body shape is said to produce warmer and fuller tones compared to a figure-8 body. However, sound quality is also affected by string choice, etc so keep that in mind. An example of the pineapple-shaped soprano ukulele is the Kala KA-MK-P Makala Pineapple Soprano Ukulele.

Acoustic Soprano Ukuleles

Generally speaking, most soprano ukuleles are acoustic. Ukuleles are acoustic by default because the sound is produced by nothing but the strings, body, and sound hole. Acoustic soprano ukuleles are not plugged into an amplifier (an amp) to make the sound/volume louder.

If you plan to never plug in your ukulele and/or you don’t have an amp at home anyway, a regular soprano ukulele without a pick-up is a good option to buy. You can always play it when you want to and don’t have to worry about extra equipment.

A good example of a purely acoustic soprano ukulele is the Makala Mahogany MK-S. That said, we’ll talk about what a pick-up is (and why you may be inclined to have one) in the next section.

Acoustic-Electric Soprano Ukuleles

If you have an amp at home already (maybe you play electric guitar or bass guitar), or you want the ability to plug the ukulele into an amp for volume or effects in the future, you should consider buying an acoustic-electric soprano ukulele.

These ukuleles have an electronic built-in, called a pick-up, already installed. The pick-up is what picks up the sound made from the ukulele and transfers it through the cord to the amplifier to make the sound.

Keep in mind, you can still play an a/e soprano ukulele unplugged like a purely acoustic ukulele – but the pick-up gives you versatility and the option to plug in in the future. Acoustic ukuleles are much more common than a/e ones but it’s not unheard of to buy one. Two nice examples of good a/e soprano ukuleles are the Kala KA-SE and the Aklot acoustic-electric soprano uke.

To be fair, other than performing or to use guitar effects pedals, the average person won’t need an acoustic-electric soprano ukulele. They sound lovely as is.

Soprano Ukulele Price Ranges

When buying a soprano ukulele, price is (most likely) an important buying factor. As for other ukuleles and stringed instruments, the price of a soprano ukulele can be a helpful indicator of not only the quality of the product but of the ukulele brand, as well.

You should be slightly more critical of the cheapest soprano ukulele you can find. At the same time, if you’re a beginner or buying a ukulele as a gift, you don’t need to go out and buy the most expensive soprano ukulele on the market.

Soprano ukulele prices can fluctuate quite a bit even among similar styles and brands. So, let’s break down different soprano ukuleles price ranges so you can plan your ukulele buy accordingly.

Cheap Soprano Ukuleles

Determining which is the best cheap soprano ukulele is hard to do since “cheap” is a relative term. Price is dictated by factors like what materials the ukulele is made of, the quality of the build, the brand behind the model, and even where it is shipped from.

Soprano ukuleles are also smaller in size so they can generally be less expensive than the other larger sizes of ukuleles. However, if we had to assign values to what constitutes a “cheap soprano ukulele”, we’d say anything under $30 dollars.

At the 30 dollar range, you really need to be conscious of what the soprano ukulele is made of and the quality of the instrument. If you are looking to buy a ukulele at this price range, be prepared for the chance that you’ll have to repair or replace it in the not-too-distant future.

Remember: It’s often important to invest in a musical instrument. In many cases, higher-priced instruments have better quality and thus a longer lifespan.

That said, check out the Donner DUS-10M Soprano Ukulele as a good option for a cheap soprano ukulele.

Best Soprano Ukulele Under 100

If you are looking to spend money on a quality soprano ukulele, $100 dollars will accomplish that just fine. At this range, you can find good ukuleles from companies like Luna, Cordoba, and Kala. These companies produce high-rated and reliable instruments that are a great fit for a beginner or intermediate uke player.

You can certainly go over this price range for a soprano ukulele but as a beginner you likely don’t have to. Check out the Kala KA-15S Mahogany Soprano Ukulele or the Luna Tattoo Pineapple as strong examples of soprano ukuleles by reputable companies at this price range of under 100.

High-End Soprano Ukuleles

If you are looking to go all out and buy a really high-end, high-quality soprano ukulele, look to the four K’s of Hawaii: Kamaka, Ko’olau, Kanile’a, and KoAloha.

Handcrafted using traditional methods and materials, these Hawaiian companies create the highest quality and authentic ukuleles on the market. Some soprano ukuleles by these companies go for $1000 and up.

Things To Look For In A Good Soprano Ukulele

When it comes to choosing a good soprano ukulele, there are a number of important things to look for. From the brand to what materials the ukulele is made from – let’s outline a number of buying factors.

Ukulele Brand

While this isn’t the top factor to consider, the brand of the soprano ukulele you are looking to buy can be a consideration. If quality matters to you, certain ukulele brands are known to produce consistently higher quality ukuleles than others.

That said, there are many, many really good brands out there to choose from – and we’ve included a number of them above. To learn more, you can read all about the best ukulele brands.

Soprano Body Material

The different materials that make up the soprano ukulele body will impact the overall strength, quality, and sound of the ukulele. Knowing the differences between the kinds of materials can help you make a better buying decision.

A solid wood soprano ukulele is said to produce the best sounding instruments. A laminate ukulele (wood pressed into layers) can also produce a good quality overall tone. Laminate body ukuleles – or even soprano ukuleles made from a mix of wood and laminate – can be slightly more affordable than a solid wood ukulele.

There are also a few ukuleles that are made from composite materials – like polycarbonate (a high-strength plastic material) and/or carbon fiber. These types of materials are more durable and are often found on ukuleles that are meant for travel. However, these materials may not resonate as well and produce bright sounds like regular tonewoods (such as koa or mahogany) would.

One thing to note: Because of their small size, you’ll find small plastic soprano ukuleles that look like real instruments. These plastic ukuleles are often toys for kids that don’t hold their tuning. Don’t confuse a small plastic ukulele as a real instrument even if it is marketed as one.

Tuners/Tuning Pegs

Good tuners/tuning pegs are important to the overall function of the soprano ukulele. Good tuners/pegs hold the strings in tune. You’ll never be able to play an instrument properly if it’s not properly in tune.

Tuning pegs are often made from different kinds of metals – like brass – and a little money may ensure you get high-quality tuning pegs on your ukulele.

Another thing to consider related to tuning pegs is whether the back of the tuner – the part with the small gear on the back of the headstock – is open or has a closed casing. Open tuners are more likely to get dirt and dust in them over time.

This is especially important to consider if you plan on traveling with your soprano ukulele (to, say, the beach). Of course, you can help keep the ukulele in top shape by cleaning it properly and keeping it in a good ukulele case!

Soprano Ukulele Strings

Another buying factor is the soprano ukulele strings that come with the instrument. Usually, ukulele strings are made from nylon (plastic) but there are other materials used today like fluorocarbon. Many top soprano ukuleles come with good strings that will just need a stretch and a tune before you can play.

Of course, you can absolutely change the ukulele strings if they are not to your liking (due to sound quality or feel). Different soprano ukulele models might require slightly different re-stringing techniques. Ukulele bridges come in slotted, pinned, or traditional tied versions.

If you want to have a look at popular, quality soprano ukulele strings, have a look at the D’Addario EJ87S or the Aquila corde armoniche New Nylgut.

Soprano Ukulele Construction

Aside from these points, you should definitely have a look at the overall construction quality of the soprano ukulele. Specifically, have a look at the most important parts of the soprano ukulele like the neck, frets, bridge, nut, saddle, and headstock.

• Cheaper frets in a cheaper wood might pop up over time causing tuning and playing issues.
• The material of the saddle and the nut can impact the overall tone and the ability to change the action of the ukulele.
• The type of material – e.g. wood – might require oil over time.
• Are there strap buttons already installed? Do you want to use a strap to hold the ukulele? Soprano ukuleles are so light that this is generally not necessary but still a consideration.

And there you have it – a rundown of some of the best soprano ukuleles out there. A soprano ukulele makes a great introductory ukulele for a beginner. It can also be a great gift for a music enthusiast. We hope this buying guide helps you make the right decision when it comes to which soprano ukulele works best for you!

As always, Happy Strumming,

-E