Lanikai LU-21C Ukulele
The LU-21 is the ukulele that Lanikai is most famous for. It’s a huge hit with beginners, with good reason. It’s a well made uke with geared tuners (essential on a cheap uke). Their aren’t many beginner level concert ukes around, which makes this a good choice.
It’s made of Nato wood – which is advertised as an alternative to mahogany but is a long way from it. Still it’s very suitable for a beginner uke and has the advantage of being much cheaper.
On Video
Todd busts out his Lanikai LU-21C for Frankie and Johnny.
On eBay
On Musician’s Friend
Lanikai LU-21C – $79.00
On Amazon
LU-21C – $79.00
Specifications
Size: Concert
Construction: Nato top, sides, and back
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 18
Tuners: Chrome Die-Cast
Binding: White
9 Comments
I just bought this uke, Ive played a cheap soprano uke for a while, and this is a huge step up, it looks great, sounds great, and for the price, you get a great instrument. I’d say anybody looking for an upgrade from a $30 soprano, this is the instrument for you.
i love it!
Well I bought mine one year ago and I cannot put it down. It sounds great, never goes out of tune and everyone of my guitar playing friends pick it up and are surprised by the quality of the sound.
PS. Just buy one !
Just bought one, must agree with all the above comments. Good value for money and a reasonable quality instrument. Ideal as the next step up from a soprano.
forgot to give it a rating……
I bought this Ukulele with electronics for $80 online through a sale, and couldn’t be happier! A friend of my has the Spruce top TEQ which sounds a lot better than this, however, that ukulele retails for $260+ so its quite understandable. The sound is pretty good, but when I compare it to my friends, his blow this one out of the water. Not to hit this one down, since its a pretty cheap price!
I bought two LU-21C (concert) from Ukulele World six years ago. $90 including the hard foam and fabric Hohner case. I asked for a “matched pair” and they are pretty similar in appearance. On one, I found the action a bit low at the front for my taste, and added a .020 white styrene spacer under the nut. Then, they “matched”. No other issues since.
They have a deep body compared to most ukes, and that gives then a fuller, more “bassy” tone. I like it. Intonation is very good, and the neck plays well all the way up.
I find the construction to be very good, with well fit seams and gluing. Frets are neat and even. They have one point that seems common with Lanikais (and other brands), that the tuners are mounted a little off “square” from perfect. I don’t have a problem with that.
A very good uke, as good as many that cost a lot more.
I got one. I had to work for a week on the saddle to get the intonation right but now it plays like a bell. A very well made instrument.
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