Ukulele Brands

There’s a bewildering range of ukuleles available at the moment. If you’re looking to buy your first ukulele but are overwhelmed by the choices, this page will probably make the situation worse. If you’re looking for guidance, try the Best Beginners Ukulele page. Or take a look at the highest rated ukuleles. But, if you’re looking for an exhaustive list of your ukulele options, here it is:

Abbott – Banjo ukuleles made famous by George Formby
Ana’ole – Hawaiian makers headed by Gareth Yahiku.
Antoniotsai/ Hanworks – heavily decorated ukuleles with a questionable reputation.
aNueNue – High quality ukuleles from Taiwan
APC Instruments – Portugese makers of the ukulele and its ancestors.
Applause (Ovation) – Distinctive electric ukuleles.
Aria – UK cheapo brand.
Ashbury – Good quality, entry level ukes from a UK company. My first ‘real’ ukulele.
Ashton – Cheap first ukuleles in the UK.
BeBop – You know, for kids.
Beltona – The ukulele that killed off Tiny Tim.
Blackbird – Carbon fiber ukulele so you don’t ruin it at the beach.
Brownsville – Cheap end solid-top ukuleles.
Brüko – Long established German ukulele company played by most of Germany’s top ukers.
BugsGear EleUke – Solid body, electric ukuleles.
Bushman – The video contest guys try their hand at making ukuleles.
Clearwater – UK ukulele company with Eleuke and Vita uke copies.
Cole Clark – Australian ukulele makers.
Collings – Highly respect guitar makers move into ukes.
Cordoba – Popular guitar makers with a line of ukuleles.
Duke – New Zealand makers focussed on modernising banjoleles.
Earnest Instruments – Top quality ukes as played by Eddie Vedder and John King.
Eddy Finn – The ukes with the sharks fin soundhole.
Epiphone – Big instrument maker with their Les Paul style uke.
Favilla – The 20s/30s cheap and cheerful ukulele.
Fender – The biggest name in guitars moves into ukuleles.
Flea – Bette Midler’s favourite ukulele.
Fluke – Iconic ukulele.
G-String – Top quality ukulele endorsed by James Hill.
Gibson – I think they used to make guitars as well.
Greg Bennett (Samick) – Korean-made budget ukuleles.
Gretsch – vintage ukes from the legendary guitar maker.
Hamano – the original ‘good’ ukulele from China.
Harmony – Vintage ukuleles as endorsed by the legendary Roy Smeck.
Hawaiian Ukulele Company – The Hawaiian shop’s own-brand ukuleles.
Hilo – A few companies out there have gone by this name.
Honolele – Ukes from Thailand.
Honu – Turtle covered ukuleles from the Big Island Ukulele Company.
Ibanez – Japanese guitar makes follow in their namesake’s footsteps and start making ukuleles.
iUke – Ultra-tiny ukulele.
Johnson – Bog standard starter ukes.
Kahuna – Newcomer with cheap colourful and graphical ukuleles.
Kala – Hugely popular mid-range ukulele. I love my Kala.
Kamaka – The oldest surviving ukulele maker.
Kanile’a – Top quality, top price, Hawaiian made ukuleles.
Kau’wela – Kailua based ukes in Zebrawood.
Keli’i – Hawaiian based company keeping prices down with Chinese production.
Kiwaya – Japanese company best known for their Martin copies and K-Wave Fender-style ukuleles.
Keech – The reputed inventor of the banjulele.
Ko’olau – Their ukuleles are played by Ledward Kaapana, Lyle Ritz and Abe Lagrimas Jr. Who could argue with a line-up like that?
Koa Pili Koko – Koa-ish ukuleles from Keli’i.
KoAlana – KoAloha’s budget range of ukuleles.
KoAloha – Hawaiian made ukulele company headed by the adorable Alvin Okami.
Kona Guitars – Low-end ukuleles by US guitar maker.
Kona Ukuleles – South Korean based ukulele company.
Korala – Cheap intro-level ukes.
Koyama – Uke line from Australia’s Dominant Instruments.
Kumalae – Vintage Hawaiian maker with a ferocious output.
Laka – Vintage ukuleles put out a new range (possibly to end confusion for people searching for ‘vintage ukuleles’).
Lani – Chinese made ukes from Yorkshire-based company.
Lanikai – Probably the best ukulele for a beginner.
Lazy – Cheapo UK ukuleles.
Le Domino – World’s coolest ukulele?
Lehua – Instruments from the original home of the ukulele Portugal.
Leolani – Cheap ukuleles made respectable by their use by Priscilla Ahn and AJ Rafael.
LOCALS – mysterious (to me at least) Hawaiian ukuleles.
LoPrinzi – Top notch Floridian maker with a taste for oddly placed soundholes.
Luna – Individual looking ukuleles from one of the few female run instrument makers.
Lymana – Hawaiian made ukes.
Lyon and Healy – Vintage ukuleles with unusual designs.
Maccaferri – The most sought after plastic ukulele.
Mahalo – The ukulele every UK player started with.
Mainland – Very popular Indiana-based company.
Makai – Ukulele designs that give me a sense of deja vu.
Makala – Kala’s budget ukulele. An excellent choice for beginners.
Manea Ukuleles – Company producing Tahitian and Hawaiian style ukuleles.
Martin – The Rolls Royce of ukulele makers.
Maton – Australian makers back in the game after a 40 year hiatus.
Mele – Double-headed ukulele madness.
Melokia – Big in Thailand.
Mid-East – Striking looking ukuleles with an Eastern influence.
Mitchell – Available at a Guitar Center near you.
Morelli/Santini – Questionably marketed. Their big selling point is that they’re, “Teacher Endorsed.”
Moselele – Ukulele group turned ukulele manufacturers.
Mya-Moe – small ukulele makers with a big star following.
Nalu – Hawaii-based mid-range ukulele maker.
National – The ultimate in resonator ukuleles.
Noah – Handmade ukuleles from Vietnam.
Ohana – Mid-range ukuleles. My tenor Ohana has been my favourite uke for a while now.
Ookook – Ukes from Korea.
Ortega – The German maker with the very un-German name.
Oscar Schmidt – Very popular entry-level ukuleles.
Pahu Kani – Top-end ukuleles with holes where you least expect them.
Peavey – Amp maker moves into ukes including a Jack Daniels model.
Pono – Ko’olau’s less expensive ukuleles.
PukanaLa – Taiwanese company making a range of ukuleles.
Pure Tone
Pyle-Pro
Red Star
Regal – The original pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap ukulele.
Riptide – Boulder Creek Guitars play around with the soundholes.
RISA – German ukuleles with a number of innovative electric ukulele designs.
Rocket
Rogue – Cheap UK brand.
Road Toad – originators of the bass ukulele and many other unusual designs.
Savannah – Australia’s ukes on a budget.
Slingerland – Vintage banjoleles.
Stagg – English ukuleles with a name macho enough to stand up to Staff Sgt. Max Fightmaster.
Swagerty – Vintage ukuleles designed to be played on beach.
T’s Guitars – Japanese ukulele manufacturer.
Tangi – Hawaiian ukuleles with a taste for the unusual.
Tanglewood – Ukuleles from the British guitar maker.
Tiger
Titeuf – Cheap ukes aimed at children.
Universal Worldwide Trading – Ukulele aimed at tourists in Hawaii.
Vineyard – Chinese made ukulele of questionable quality.
Uluru – Australian ukes from Ayers.
Weissenborn – Ukes from the masters of the Hawaiian lap-steel guitar.
WikiWiki – Super-cheap Chinese ukuleles.
Yamaha – Makers of the most popular guitarlele.