Luna Ukulele
Luna have been making guitars since 2005 and are one of the few guitar companies started and headed by a woman, Yvonne de Villiers. Villiers started out as a designer and stained-glass artist. Which might explain the Luna ukulele’s individual and ‘love it or hate it’ look.
The website is heavier on symbolism than it is on technical specifications, but I think all their ukes are laminated.
At the time of writing they have six models. At the top end there are the tenor and concert High Tide ukuleles. In the middle are the Floral and Dolphin designs (both concert size) and the cheapest are the tattoo (a soprano pineapple ukulele) and the Honu (not to be confused with lHonu ukuleles).
Luna Ukulele Review
JuKeBox661 reviews a soprano Luna Honu.
On Overstock
Overstock is selling the full range of ukuleles in the UK, Europe, Canada and the US.
Luna Pineapple Tattoo
Soprano Tribal Turtle
Concert Dolphin Maple
Flora Maple Concert
High Tide Concert
High Tide Tenor
On eBay
On Amazon UK
On Video
Rachel Pearl lays out on a Luna High Tide
62 Comments
I just bought the Luna Pineapple soprano today and I’m impressed. It came with a nice bag, Aquila strings, it has a bone nut and bridge and the intonation is as spot on as I’ve seen. I have a Mahalo u320, and Emenee Wai Ki Ki, and an old Hilo Hawaiian soprano and the sound of this Luna blows them all out of the water. The headstock logo is a bit too hippy/new age but if you can get past that, it’s a great ukulele for about $70.
Jeff: Thanks for the review. Good to hear that they’re well made ukuleles. Personally, I still couldn’t get past the looks.
Received a Luna High Tide tenor for Christmas this morning- and I love it. The tone is lovely- haven’t tried the pickups yet- but wanted to let folks know if they’re leery of buying one without having played it- please Jump in-! Nice low action- very playable- very nice instrument. Other Ukes I have now, include an old Martin and an old Kamaka both soprano-… this sounds just as clean-
I bought a Luna High Tide concert koa laminate a couple of months ago and it has turned out to be my top favorite uke. I have an eight-ukulele collection comprising of an old Hilo Hawaiian, Martin, Mele, Lanikai, and my new Luna; 4 sopranos, 2 concerts, and 2 tenors made of solid koa, solid mahogany, and the Luna koa laminate . Each ukulele has its own characteristic sound but I favor the Luna the most with its sweet sound. It has an electric hookup and I use it regularly on gigs. The neck size is perfect for me and find it very comfortable to play. The construction is of very high quality for a comparatively low-priced instrument. My uke-playing partner is very impressed with it as well and tells me that his next uke will be a Luna. I am waiting for the arrival of a Luna High Tide tenor electric that’s made of ovangkol wood laminate and am very anxious to hear how it sounds. I highly recommend this ukulele brand. Happy ukin’……
I bought the flora maple concert, because I actually adore the look. It’s so beautiful, and though I was worried about the sound before I bought it since there is no videos up on the Luna youtube, I have NO regrets. It sounds AMAZING. So sweet and beautiful. I think it sounds better than any ukulele I’ve ever played.
Highly recommend it!
Just bought my wife a luna floral concert uke for her birthday.
It looks beautiful and sounds beautiful.
I love the ethos of the company and Yvonne DeVillers( the founder) is extremely helpful with regards any enquiry you may have.They are extremely well built and sound better than any uke I have played.
I am about to purchase the dolphin concert uke as I’m so impressed with my wife’s uke and , as it’s my 50th birthday, it’s a perfect excuse to add to my collection…..they really are a thing of great art and beauty and you just want to play and play them.
The electric pick up works very well and I’ve never known a uke stay in tune for so long!!
Please support this company…you won’t be dissapointed.
Although I don’t have any personal experience with the Luna ukes, I am in the market for one. I have had my Luna guitar for a few years now and it’s always the first one I pick up. It feels comfortable, its beautiful to look at (http://www.lunaguitars.com/acousticproduct/hennaoasis.php)but most importantly, it sounds incredible!! I will continue to collect Luna instruments for years to come!!!
I got the Luna tattoo concert uke and it is awesome for the price, great look, feel and sound. I love my uke!
i’ve hade my luna saprano tattoo ukulele for about 3 months now and the bridge popped off the other day! i love it otherwise though.
I purchsed the luna high tide concert a couple off weeks ago. It is my first ukulele but i am very happy with the quality. I initially bought a different brand but had to return it because of a defect. I was kind of hesitant in buying the luna becuase of lack of reviews. But I am so happy with it that Im adding my own review.
I purchased a Luna tattoo concert uke about three months ago. Although tuning took a while to settle down I’m very happy with it for the price.
I am a singer/songwriter leaning heavily on the Trop Rock genre. As a Parrothead of long standing I was introduced to the ukulele via Jake Shimabukuro, which is to say my standards were set high from the get-go. Just for kicks I decided the ukulele sound would compliment several of my songs, so I picked up a Samich UK-60 Greg Bennett design walnut bound concert uke. I learned the basics in a weekend and had a blast doing it! The following week I found myself in my favorite locally owned/operated music shop and a Luna Floral concert Uke materialized in my hands and hasn’t left them since. I have simply fallen in love.
I’ll not gripe about my first purchase – it served its purpose much like the (arguably) worst song ever written by Pat Monahan served its purpose and led me to this site (the chorus is, I must admit, catchy). There my loyalty to Samich ends. Luna’s knockout finish, inlays, and sleek lines make this one head-turning sexy instrument. I’m not at all surprised to discover a woman behind its birth! The sound coming from such a petite gal is HUGE. The NYLGUT strings seem indestructable. The electronics are outstanding. The pearl knobs are the ideal accent for well-built tuners, which hold the tune far better than any of my guitars. This little baby is all that and a bag of chips…hell, it’s the whole happy meal.
Aloha Nui Loa, Luna! Mahalo! Trok on!
With love from the Tropical Hills of Ohio,
~D!
I just started playing ukulele (I’ve played guitar forever) with a Lanakai Tenor that I received for Christmas. I just bought the High Tide Concert for my birthday. It is extremely well made, looks great, and has great features. It sounds great, tunes up well, and stays in tune well. It is really a great value for the money. I would recommend this to anyone just starting out or anyone who is just looking for a great uke. I expect it to last for many years.
I got the Luna High Tide Koa Concert for my birthday, the sound is great with Aquilas and I am going to try out worth clears and d’addarios and maybe worth browns. Although there are better made ukes for $240 this is pretty darn good!
wow this is amazing design!! I just bought Luna Soprano Turtle ukulele. I`m so happy! So awesome sound! This is my first ukulele I hope I`ll be a star in future with this ukulele )))))
I got a Luna Tattoo Concert ukulele Saturday, acoustic. It’s my first ukulele so I’m not sure how much you can trust my judgment on the matter, but I think it’s a great instrument. I picked it up with no problems and have learned a few tunes since then and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has a very bright sound, the tattoo design is a nice touch with the warm look of the mahogany, and it’s very fun to play.
I purchased a Luna Pineapple Soprano from my well saved money – being a student isn’t easy.
It’s worth every penny; sounds good, looks good and genuinely easy to play.
I just got the Luna Pineapple soprano today! It’s sound is too sweet and warm also good looks. I can’t believe that can get at around $70.
I got a Luna High Tide tenor for Christmas and it is fantastic! The preamp works fine and the cutaway gives me full access to the higher frets. Aquia strings with it sound superb and are easy on the fingers. I would say Luna makes a pretty super ukulele.
I bought a Luna concert size a few days ago. I am a complete beginner at playing the ukulele, but have played the dulcimer and other instruments in the past. I like the look and the strings are staying in tune easier than I thought they would, but I am having some problems with intonation. When I checked the fret board roadmap with my digital tuner many of the notes are way off as are some chords. My questions are: Is this normal? Should I return this uke and get my money back?
very much would like to purchase Luna Honu uke, have been unable to source one, can anyone help, live in New Zealand and we have only one Luna outlet and they haven’t received their delivery. thanks
Gillian….
I could give you several places in the USA, but the shipping to New Zealand would probably be more than the Ukulele costs?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/
http://www.zzounds.com/
http://www.music123.com/
Hope you can find something closer.
I bought a Luna Concert Uke today, and it’s the most beautiful looking thing! My dad got it for my birthday, and the sound is full and lovely, even if it is lacking a bit in resonance. It’s like my baby! It’s really nice to play, and I’m very happy with it! Only cost 75 quid too! 🙂
I purchased a Luna Tattoo Concert Ukulele from Hawaiian Music Supply and am quite impressed with the quality and sound of this uke. For a laminate it has very good sound, well made, and looks nice. I highly recommend getting this uke.It is very reasonably priced. I also recommend purchasing it from Hawaiian Music Supply because they do a professional set-up and inspect it for manufacturer flaws and make any necessary adjustments. You won’t get that from a “warehouse music store”. It was worth every penny spent. Great uke for a beginner or someone who’s been playing for awhile.
my fiancee is buying me a luna pineapple tattoo for christmas, its design fits in with my lifestyle coz i love the sea and sharks, i scuba dive and this will be great on diving weekends next year, i will rate the uke after christmas
well i got the luna pineapple tattoo today, cost £55 on amazon.co.uk, i tried it out and truth be told i am having mixed emotions, there is a bit of a buzz when you fret the E and C string at the first fret and it all sounds quite tinny, the build quality is nice and for the price it cannot be faulted, looks wise its like marmite you either love it or you hate it, as mentioned in my previous review the patterns all relate to my lifestyle, i only wanted a uke i could take camping and on dive trips etc, so this will fit the bill, now the sound of this uke kinda creeps up on you, the only way i can describe it is compared it to the sound my other ukes make which is a bit bell like, this uke sounds a lot more like the old uke style a sorta smokey almost plasticky uke sound,intonation is ok and it has the sustain of a makala dolphin, which is about half the price, it came with aquilas and a nice little padded gig bag and a tuning pipe, will i keep it well at this moment i am really in 2 minds, the smokey sound is winning me over but how much hassle will the fret buzz be
I got the Luna Honu Soprano on Black Friday~
I am a total beginner at playing the uke, but familiar with music since I play the violin & piano.. so I didn’t know much about buying it. So far, I am really impressed! I was really confused between chosing the Lanikai LU-21 or the Honu, but I am glad I chose it. 🙂 When I first saw it, I fell in love with the turtles… like everyone else. :3 If I get better, I want to go out for the Dolphin Concert uke because I am in love Luna Guitars now. I highly recomend any Luna ukulele to beginners as so far, the quality and sound are wonderful for such a cheap uke!
Just got a Luna wave tenor made of ovangkol as a present and I LOVE it. Great strings, great look, beautiful bright tones. I highly recommend it! I had tried it in a shop before and my wife was so taken by the tone of it that she surprised me with it. I would definitely buy Luna again, and am now curious about their guitars. I also note that the uke was not cheap, but beat out brands that were at least comparable in quality.
I’m afraid I’m a guitarist first, proud owner of Gibson LP, LAG BBQ Classical and Cort acoustic to bash about with. I’ve only been playing UKE since last April, bough a tangle wood union cheep thing, burned the lacquer of the fret board, filed the tops off the frets and put some aquilas on it and that did the job… To learn on. When it came to choosing a UKE to gig with I had a good long hunt, a Uke hunt. My first buy was a Vintage Vuc60ea which I love and then I saw a this beautiful thing ! cutaway, electro, tattoo design… A ukenique thing. Spent a month trying to find it instock (finally found one the the US, I live in France) and ordered it. It’s now my Low G and one of my favorite toys. Sounds, looks and feels fantastic so chant the mantra with me UKE TEC MAH !
Blasted IPad, didn’t let me rate…
I purchased the Luna High Tide Tenor, in july of 2011. It is the best sounding ukelele I own! The electric pick-up is great for performances, and I believe the ovangol wood, creates a beautiful sweet sound. I congratulate the Luna Guitar Company, for its high standards and awesome integrity
Bought a luna tattoo concert ukulele about 3 months ago and have been really pleased with it. The aesthetic of the body is really nice, and this is accompanied by a clear and full sound. The only problem is the fact that the depth of the wood that makes up the body is quite thin, and this can reduce the strength and fullness of a chord.Overall however, a great uke and well worth the price 🙂
Just got my ukulele and tested many others, LOVE it! Sound is amazing pluged in and raw. Pleased whit my purchase.
I got a Flora concert sized. Its my second uke (well third if you count the $12 one with buzzy frets) my first being a $40 Diamondhead soprano. I am revelling in the Flora’s girly girl looks. It has a clear pretty sound that is especially nice in the dramatic strums of the Spanish music I am learning. I am still a beginner but I think the Flora is a great choice for a duke upgrade. I would describe its sound as bright rather than rich but it is very sweet to play and listen to.
bought a luna honu soprano for my birthday a while back it was back ordered for 2 months..and now i know why…i was shocked at how well crafted it was! It is utterly beautiful and was perfectly in tune right out of the box with a price that can’t be beat.Im planing on buying a concert size in the near future.Don’t hesitate you won’t be disapointed.Im in love with mine.it sounds great.
Completely outta nowhere, I decided I wanted to own and learn to play ukulele. Why? I haven’t a clue. This weighed on my mind for a few days. Last week while driving home, I passed a neighborhood music store and at 50mph! I made a sharp right into their parking lot. I went in and asked the fellow at the counter if they sold ukuleles, he said yeas and pointed to them right behind me. He had 8 or 10 and some were as much as $400! I had no idea a uke could cost so much! So I quickly scanned the display and grabbed a Luna Hona Soprano. He packed it up in it’s free gig bag and original box. Tax, title, out the door $88. I took it home, pulled it out and STRUM! Wow. Beautiful. Great tone. I checked tuning, WOW, in tune, straight off the wall!
Now, I’m not a musician (though I have owned a few drum machines) and I’ve never played guitar, so this is all new to me. Seriously, this buying a ukulele is something completely out of nowhere (hmmm, I did turn 40 three months ago… do I smell a mid life crisis??). I totally dig this little uke! I know I dont have anything to compare it to (at least not yet), bit this little baby makes me want to get home after work and practice!
HOWEVER, there is one slight issue. Not equipment, but user. I find that the fret spacing is too small for my short, fat fingers. In a G7, it looks like Twister on Rosewood! So, earlier this afternoon, I went back to the music store to discuss my love and issues with the Luna Soprano. The fella said,bring it back and we’ll go through the catalog and order one you want. So, I am gonna order a “concert” or “tenor” uke. From reading online, I understand the fret spacing will work better for me. Plus, because I am SO FOND of this intro Luna, I might step up to a big boy ukulele. I’m really digging the Egret model!
Hi. I started learning on my nephew’s green Makala, hating the sound. Also my partner has a fender tenor. I trawled the music shops and couldn’t find what I wanted. Finally found Luna on youtube. As i’m in New Zealand I had to buy from an overseas stockist without having touched or seen. I decided to go for a Tattoo Concert as it wasn’t too expensive. It arrived only a few days later. I tuned it on arrival and then didn’t need to tune again for ages. The sound is lovely. I was incredibly happy with my purchase and have become a luna convert. I like it more than my partner’s fender I recently bought an expensive koa soprano but do not love it like I do the Luna. As I play every day I have decided to invest in one of the more expensive Lunas with a pre amp shortly. I feel I can trust the brand.
My second uke was a Luna Mahluia concert. (first was a Makala soprano). I bought it from Hawaii Music Supply which is my preferred dealer as they properly set the action on all ukes they sell. I loved the funky peace sign design and the laser etching. It is a distinctive uke and has been a great conversation starter at my uke club. It s a laminate instrument and I don’t care as the intonation is good all the way along the neck and it is LOUD! Great for a sing along although I ave just restrung it with a low G nylon string from D’Addario as I like to play melodies and the low G opens up lots of repertoire. I would love to try some of their higher end ukes.
I bought a ukulele last year for the first time, a no-name cherry red number and the cheapest one in the music shop. I fell in love with it right away! The ukulele is so much fun to play! But I wanted a more expensive number now that I’m getting better at playing, and so decided to buy a new uke for my birthday.
I was attracted to the Luna brand after learning that it was a women-headed organisation, and the website really won me over, their aesthetics and ethos seem really friendly, and all of their pieces have so much thought and personality put into them.
I bought the Tattoo Concert acoustic ukulele (£99 from Amazon UK, a little more expensive than on the American sites but seemingly the best UK deal) and have absolutely loved it so far. The sound is so sweet and clear; the thin neck is perfect for my teeny hands; and the design is even more beautiful in person than in photographs.
The only problem I’ve had is a little buzzing, but I suspect that is a playing issue rather than an issue with the ukulele itself. I highly recommend this ukulele and the company as a whole.
I have the High Tide concert and tenor ukes. They are good looking mid-range priced ukuleles with sweet tones. Both are laminated tone woods(ovangkol and koa) I’ve had them about 5 months with the original strings. New it took 4-5 days for the Aquila strings stretch and now they stay in tune for 2-3 days at a time. (Probably should replace them soon). Acoustically no issues. No buzzing frets and they seem (to my ear) to be true at every fret. The electronics are basic but good. They both sound fine thru my Crate 15TX (great amp for busking).To add additional tone and control I added a Zoom A2 acoustic pedal(it was a really nice surprise for the price). Look forward to trying the High Tide baritone one of these days.
@Zoe I have a Luna Concert Tattoo ukulele and I have played it live with a band and the pickups sound fine as long as you turn the presence down, they sound weird with that up. Turn it down all the way for a natural tone. If you have the bass up too high it sounds kinda boomy when you strum, so it’s all about kind of experimenting with the pre-amp till you get the sound you want.
I bought a tattoo concert Luna. Within 3 weeks the top had a serious belly. I sent it off to Luna and it has taken more than a month and the replacement is only now on its way. Luna makes pretty and good sounding instruments. They aren’t too good at support.
Luna Tattoo Concert purchased from MusiciansFriend- good price, delivered OK, looks great, plays easily and smooth and sounds OK, but two problems: balance seems a little off- “boomy” sounding C string; and, damn it, fretting is “sharp” from the second fret up on all strings. Dealer has been VERY cooperative about replacement with new uke (it is on a lifetime in-house warranty from MusiciansFriend). More when I get the replacement.
hello, i was looking on sam ash website and when i saw this ukulele i was head over heels! but i was wondering if i should get this uke since I’m a beginner, but i want a good quality uke and this one seems to have it plus looks amazing. any suggestions?
My Luna Pineapple is my favourite uke. It turns heads wherever you take it, but usually not with people that know about ukuleles.
Intonation is pretty good, and it’s very nice to play. Loud for a laminate, but a little bit scratchy.
However, I do recommend trying it out first, as I’ve played a few Lunas that weren’t as good as mine and some were shocking.
I’ve owned several ukes including some that were much more expensive than this one, and it gets played more than the others. So go into your music shop and try one. (:
I bought the tattoo concert a while ago. I was attracted to it because of its design. It was also very well priced! It sounds amazing and looks amazing too! I don’t regret buying it, and i always get complimented on it. It sounds warm and mellow. I definitely recommend it.
I have a concert Luna Mo’o with electric pickups. It sounds great, is nice to play – the concert being more pudgy-finger friendly and feels quite substantial.
I just purchased a Luna Ukulele tattoo Baritone ^ string. I really love the tone. I have played guitar from the ripe age of 13 and am now 62. The first yuke I bought was a Yamaha and this one beats it hands down in quality and tone. I have one problem , maybe some one can help. I can’t find a set of notes to tune it to. One place says to tune it like a guitar andother sayes to use the notes on a regular 6string Yuke (A,D,G C E A), or use (B E A D G B), OR (B E A D F# B) . anyone know which is right?
sorry forgot the rateing
Got the Luna Tattoo Concert and it is great. It stays in tune very well and is pretty loud for a mahogany laminate. Great for the value and has a good sound. Great for a beginner or anyone who wants something decent in the hundred dollar range. Definitely a brighter sound than a Lanikai or Cordoba. Just try it and see what feels good. I liked the feel of the Tattoo and the Cordoba but the punchy bright sound won me over to the Tattoo.
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