A soprano ukulele for beginners is not the first thing that comes to mind when somebody mentions a ukulele. This is the smallest of the four size types, and finding a quality model may be a bit harder than you’d initially think.
Quick Look: Best Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
★ #1 Best Soprano Ukulele for Beginners Overall: Kala KA-SSTU ★
- Best Beginner Soprano Ukulele for Immediate Beginners: OS OU13
- Best Intermediate Soprano Ukulele for Beginners: Luna Honu Turtle
- Best Professional Soprano Ukulele for Beginners: Ibanez Open Pore
- Best Cheap Soprano Ukulele for Beginners: Donner Soprano
- Best Soprano Ukulele for Beginners Under $1,000: Ortega Guitars
- Best Soprano Ukulele for Beginners Under $500: Lanikai ACSTS
- Best Sopranino Ukulele for Beginners: Ortega Guitars K1-PUR
- Best Semi-acoustic Soprano Ukulele for Beginners: Vangoa Soprano
- Best Soprano Ukulele Bundle: Kala Official Learn to Play KALA-LTP-S
I’ve lined up some calls and had a few friends lend me their beginner soprano ukuleles for this review, and I’ve also had the pleasure of owning a few myself. Without any further ado, let’s dive into the reviews.
About Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
Soprano is the smallest type of ukulele other than the sopranino (which is basically a variation of soprano). It has a small fretboard and a lightweight body, allowing inexperienced players to easily approach it.
However, not all soprano ukuleles are for beginners. Student models are best-suited for newcomers, mainly because they’re often packed in value bundles. Professional soprano ukuleles are sought after for their high-pitched tone and quality instead of their accessories.
About Beginner Music
In essence, “music for beginners” refers to songs and tunes that are not technically too demanding. Regardless of whether you love classical compositions, hard rock, or poppy tracks, every genre and category have “easier” songs that even beginners can grasp.
For example, Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” is an excellent example of an easy ukulele pop song, while Bob Marley’s “One Love” leans a bit more towards reggae while being relatively the same technique-wise.
Types of Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
Soprano is one of the main ukulele categories. There are several sub-groups of soprano ukuleles, all of which are perfectly suited for beginner players, including:
Sopranino Ukulele
Sopranino is a variation of the soprano ukulele that sports a fingerboard that’s roughly 2 inches shorter. The body and neck of a sopranino ukulele are also proportionately smaller, which is why they’re even better for players with smaller hands and kids.
Semi-electric Soprano Ukulele
Semi-electric soprano ukuleles are standard ukuleles with built-in pickup systems. Magnets are often built into the body, although the positioning varies greatly among different brands and models. These instruments can be used both with an amp and unplugged.
Electric Soprano Ukulele
While semi-electric soprano ukuleles are essentially acoustic instruments outfitted with electronics, fully-fledged electric ukuleles are “dedicated” electric instruments. They offer better responsiveness to amps, but they don’t offer as much volume and versatility when unplugged.
Fretless Soprano Ukulele
The fretless soprano is not recommended for beginner players, but it’s a variation of the soprano ukulele. Basically, the only difference between the two is that the former doesn’t feature brass frets.
This makes it easier for players to perform slides on a fretless soprano, but at the same time navigating the fretboard becomes significantly harder.
Top 10 Best Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
While testing out soprano ukuleles for this review, I mainly focused on playability, sound, and price. Beginners don’t pound on their instruments as much as pros do, so durability can be put to the wayside just this time around.
If you’re looking for a decent-sounding, high-quality soprano that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, feel free to browse through my list.
1. Kala KA-SSTU
- Frets: 12
- Body shape: Soprano travel
- Included in the box: Kala gig bag
- Material & finish: Mahogany back & sides, spruce top, satin finish
- Best for: Superior versatility, best overall
Kala KA-SSTU is a workhorse – it’s sturdy, road-worthy, and it offers outstanding sound quality. It has a mahogany construction complemented by a spruce top, and it’s remarkably light and playable.
✅ Mahogany and spruce construction
✅ Padded gig bag
✅ Remarkably durable
✅ Excellent sound quality
❌ Minimal accessories included
❌ A bit more expensive than average
Why I Recommend It
I’d always go with a good-sounding ukulele rather than a good-looking one. Kala KA-SSTU, fortunately, offers both. It’s a sturdy ukulele that offers much in all fields of performance, although it’s a bit pricier than average.
2. Oscar Schmidt OU13
- Frets: 18
- Body shape: Soprano
- Included in the box: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Rosewood back and sides, spruce top, abalone rosette, gloss finish
- Best for: Intermediate ukulele for beginners or people who’ve played a stringed instrument before
Oscar Schmidt is mainly a guitar-manufacturing company, so it’s obvious that they’re well aware of what guitar players who want to transition to ukuleles want and need. The Oscar Schmidt OU13 is an exceptional soprano ukulele made of abalone, rosewood and spruce.
✅ Looks gorgeous
✅ Superb playability
✅ Extended fret range
✅ Sounds amazing
❌ Pricey
❌ Slightly less playable for total beginners
Why I Recommend It
If you’ve had the opportunity to play some guitar prior to looking for an ukulele, I warmly recommend Oscar Schmidt’s OU13. It feels like an acoustic, but it sounds and plays like a ukulele. It was a no-brainer choice for me, as it felt fairly familiar to me as soon as I picked it up.
3. Luna Honu Turtle Soprano Ukulele
- Frets: 12
- Body shape: Soprano
- Included in the box: Gig bag
- Material & finish: Mahogany body and neck, spruce top, walnut fretboard, natural satin finish
- Best for: Immediate beginners
Luna Honu Turtle Soprano Ukulele features a multi-tonewood construction. Its tonal qualities and sonic performance are impeccable, and it also looks awesome and feels pretty expensive (while actually being pretty affordable).
✅ Unique design
✅ Pre-strung with highly playable strings
✅ Optimal scale length and fret range
✅ Affordable
❌ Unusual fret inlays
❌ Gig bag is the only extra accessory
Why I Recommend It
If you’re on the market looking for a playable soprano ukulele that doesn’t cost a fortune, Luna’s Honu Turtle is what I’d recommend to you, especially if you have little or no experience with playing stringed instruments.
4. Ibanez UEWS5
- Frets: 19
- Body shape: Single-cutaway soprano ukulele
- Included in the box: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: All-mahogany construction
- Best for: A “keeper,” best professional soprano ukulele for beginners
Ibanez made the UEWS5 for experienced guitar players that required another creative outlet. The Ibanez UEWS5 is a professional instrument that offers unparalleled sound quality and sturdiness, although it’s also the most expensive model on the list.
✅ Easier access to higher frets (cutaway design)
✅ Well-suited for players at all skill levels
✅ Tremendous level of durability
✅ Superior sound quality
❌ Very expensive
❌ Nylon strings
Why I Recommend It
If you can afford it, Ibanez’s UEWS5 is the best soprano ukulele for beginners. It performs better than any model that the current market has to offer, but you should be prepared to pay top dollar for it.
5. Donner Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit DUS-10N
- Frets: 12
- Body shape: Soprano
- Included in the box: Gig bag, tuner, strap, replacement strings, picks, polishing cloth
- Material & finish: Canadian maple construction, natural finish
- Best for: People on a tighter budget
The Donner Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit DUS-10N is one of the finest entry-level soprano ukulele bundles I’ve managed to find on the market. It sports a myriad of accessories while the ukulele itself feels sturdy and sounds fairly decent. It’s made of high-quality Canadian maple, although it struggles to keep in tune at times.
✅ Very affordable
✅ Plenty of accessories inside the box
✅ Decently sturdy
✅ Highly playable
❌ Poor intonation
❌ Some of the accessories are flimsy
Why I Recommend It
You’ll spare yourself a trip to the store if you opt for Donner’s DUS-10N. Even though the tuner, strap, and gig bag feel flimsy, they add much value to the sturdy ukulele in this bundle.
6. Ortega Guitars RU10L
- Frets: 18
- Body shape: Left-handed soprano ukulele
- Included in the box: Gig bag, Aquila Nylgut strings
- Material & finish: Solid mahogany construction, satin finish
- Best for: Boutique soprano ukulele for left-handed people
The Ortega Guitars RU10L is another “keeper,” a high-end ukulele that excels in virtually all aspects of performance.
I should emphasize the fact that it’s a left-handed ukulele, as well as a highly expensive model. Other than that, it’s easily one of the best-sounding sopranos that the current market has to offer.
✅ Unrivaled sound quality
✅ Remarkably robust construction
✅ Warm, highly controllable tone
✅ Remarkable playability
❌ Extra strings are the only accessory
❌ Very expensive
Why I Recommend It
Soprano ukuleles are relatively rare, and left-handed models are practically impossible to find. Ortega’s RU10L is by all means a snatch, so I recommend saving up for it. It offers impeccable intonation and sonic performance topped by remarkable, road-worthy robustness.
7. Lanikai ACSTS
- Frets: 12
- Body shape: Soprano
- Included in the box: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: All-acacia construction
- Best for: Best mid-range soprano ukulele
The Lanikai ACSTS is the perfect alternative to the Ortega and Ibanez models I just reviewed. It offers a similar level of performance at a more approachable price range, and it’s easily one of the best mid-range soprano ukuleles for beginners that the current market has to offer.
✅ Well-balanced performance
✅ Versatile sonic capabilities
✅ Lightweight acacia construction
✅ Wide, highly playable neck
❌ Pricier than average
❌ No extra accessories
Why I Recommend It
I’d describe ACSTS as a well-rounded ukulele that can easily sit in the hands of players at all skill levels. Even though it’s just a bit pricier than average, it puts most entry-level sopranos to shame with its outstanding sound and durability.
8. Ortega Guitars Keiki K1-PUR
- Frets: 12
- Body shape: Sopranino
- Included in the box: UWNY-4-SO strings
- Material & finish: Okoume-construction, open-pore finish
- Best for: People with smaller hands
Everything about Ortega Guitars Keiki K1-PUR is exquisite. It’s made of exotic okoume wood, it’s much smaller than an average soprano ukulele, and it sports a beautiful open-pore finish. Additionally, I loved the fact that it’s also fairly cheap.
✅ Perfect for people with smaller hands and fingers
✅ Substantially lighter than a soprano ukulele
✅ Affordable
✅ Unique sound
❌ High action
❌ Feels different from most ukuleles and guitars
Why I Recommend It
If you’ve never played a guitar or ukulele before, the K1-PUR might be perfect for you. Using it as a stepping stone to delve into the world of ukuleles should feel more natural to you than to players who’ve played bigger ukuleles before.
9. Vangoa Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit
- Frets: 15
- Body shape: Acoustic-electric soprano
- Included in the box: Gig bag, tuner, strap, capo, replacement strings, three picks
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, high-gloss finish
- Best for: People who want to use an ukulele with an amplifier
Semi-acoustic stringed instruments are typically not as cheap as Vangoa Soprano Ukulele beginner kit. Aside from affordability, this ukulele model also offers a decent tone and a high level of playability, even though it’s one of the flimsier models on the list.
✅ Cheap ukulele bundle
✅ Plenty of accessories
✅ Beautiful finish
✅ Decently controllable tone
❌ Flimsy construction
❌ Relatively inaccurate tuner
Why I Recommend It
Owning a semi-acoustic ukulele will help you find different tone colors with it, which is an excellent reason to consider Vangoa’s bundle. Furthermore, it’s laden with a plethora of cool accessories and is available at a very approachable price.
10. Official Kala Learn to Play KALA-LTP-S Starter Kit
- Frets: 17
- Body shape: Soprano
- Included in the box: Gig bag, Kala Quick Start guide lessons
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele for beginners bundle
Let’s pull the curtains down with KALA-LTP-S Starter Kit. Essentially, this is the best bundle an immediate beginner could have, as it packs a Quick Start guide along with free lessons you can partake in online.
The ukulele itself is made of decently durable mahogany and it brings a warm, chirpy tone to the table.
✅ Ultimate experience for beginner players
✅ Free lessons and a Quick Start guide
✅ Durable
✅ Cheap
❌ No tuners, picks, or replacement strings
❌ High action
Why I Recommend It
If I wanted to save up some cash while learning to play a soprano ukulele, I’d opt for the KALA-LTP-S instead of paying for a teacher. The lessons in this bundle are more valuable than the ukulele itself, and I liked how it felt and sounded considering how cheap it is.
Best Soprano Ukulele Brands for Beginners
The fact that the market of ukuleles is so huge implies that there was some thought put into in its diversification.
Over the years I’ve noticed that some brands do a better job manufacturing entry-level ukuleles and beginner models while some brands produce professional, boutique ukuleles exclusively.
The brands I’m going to introduce you to are popular among newcomer ukulele players mainly because they offer sturdy instruments at remarkably approachable prices.
Kala
Kala is my go-to brand for beginner soprano ukuleles, as I’m sure is the case with thousands of newcomer ukulele players. Their “Learn to Play” starter kit’s an all-encompassing soprano bundle that’s basically unparalleled in terms of value.
Most of their models are good enough to pass for intermediate-level (or even semi-pro) ukuleles while being available at decently affordable prices.
Luna
Luna is an obvious choice for most beginners, mainly because their ukuleles look a bit better than most.
If aesthetics are important for you, but you also want to find good value in terms of sound and sturdiness, a Luna-made ukulele might be a perfect choice for you.
Ortega Guitars
Ortega Guitars is not a brand that specializes in manufacturing beginner ukuleles. They’re more famous for crafting top-tier music gear. This German-based company has been around the market since 1994, and they pride themselves on impeccable craftsmanship and quality.
I’ve added them to the list for people who are looking for a “keeper” soprano ukulele, a model that you’ll start with and be able to stick with for years if you take good care of it. Ortega ukuleles are substantially more durable than most while offering great sound and playability.
Donner
I learned about Donner when I was shopping for guitar pedals many years ago. This brand specializes in crafting approachable entry-level gear for musicians, including high-quality guitars, drums, basses, effect pedals, and ukuleles.
Vangoa
Even though Vangoa pales in comparison to some of the heavy hitters on the list (like Kala and Luna, for example), this is one of the brands I warmly recommend to newbies and beginner ukulele players.
They produce solid-quality beginner ukuleles and offer unparalleled affordability. Most of their ukuleles come in bundles, so picking one up is a good way to gear up on essential accessories as well.
See more: Best Concert Ukuleles Buyer’s Guide
Things to Consider When Choosing a Soprano Ukulele
If you have little experience with soprano ukuleles, you’re probably wondering what it is that makes a ukulele good for your particular needs.
If that’s the case, let me touch on some of the aspects of a quality starter ukulele so you can pick a model with a bit more insight.
Level of Experience
Depending on your experience with stringed instruments, you’ll have a couple of options at your disposal. Sopraninos, for example, are even smaller than soprano ukuleles; they’re lighter and offer easier approachability, so they would be my first choice if I never held an instrument in my life.
Classic soprano ukuleles are great for beginners who’ve strummed a few chords at some point. Getting familiar with the petite fretboard shouldn’t be too much of an issue, especially since the design of a traditional soprano is much closer to regular soprano than to that of a concert ukulele.
Beginner Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
Playability is the most important aspect of an ukulele meant for immediate beginners. This is basically defined by the size of the frets, the firmness of the neck, and the size of the ukulele itself.
Unfinished fingerboards with clearly visible inlays are what I recommend. At the same time, try searching for an ukulele with a decent action (neither too high nor too low).
Intermediate Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
If you’ve played some other instruments before, you should pay more attention to hardware and tonewoods. These features slightly affect the playability of a ukulele, although the nuances are so small that immediate beginners oftentimes aren’t capable of spotting them.
Pro Soprano Ukuleles for Beginners
A “keeper” is what I call a beginner instrument that has all the qualities required for it to remain in my hands even as I progress as a player. In such a case, finding a professional instrument that has a lot in common with beginner models is what I recommend.
This involves a bit of a heftier price tag, a dramatically tighter sound, and also superior playability and, most importantly, a level of sturdiness that can withstand several years of extensive playing.
Wood
One of the main differences between professional ukuleles and beginner models is in the type of tonewoods. While you’ll normally see exquisite woods such as ebony and abalone on boutique models, beginner sopranos are generally made of mahogany, spruce, and relatively cheap koa.
These tonewoods offer decent sound quality, but they’re typically inferior as far as durability is concerned.
Finish
Most beginner soprano ukuleles feature relatively cheap varnishes or are unfinished. If you spot a cheap ukulele in a color different from that of its most dominant tonewood, the odds are that it was spray painted simply to look better.
More expensive finishes include multiple layers of special, lightweight paint. The varnish affects beginner ukuleles minimally, so there’s no reason to pay too much attention to it. You’ll notice the differences as your ears develop – by then you’ll probably have a better ukulele in your hands.
The Overall Tone & Sound
Soprano ukuleles sound a lot chirpier than other ukulele types (especially baritones and tenors). However, knowing that beginner ukuleles are often made from cheap tonewoods, you shouldn’t expect too much in terms of sonic quality.
If you value sound above playability and durability, my recommendation is to go with standalone soprano ukuleles rather than bundles.
What’s in a Soprano Ukulele Box?
A beginner soprano ukulele bundle offers excellent value – most newbies are not even aware of the accessories, let alone why they need them.
Here are some of the items you’ll normally see in a soprano ukulele bundle:
Gig Bag
A gig bag is one of the most common soprano ukulele accessories. Oftentimes they’re cheap and flimsy, but it still beats not having one at all. More expensive packages feature internal padding.
Replacement Strings
Another fairly common ukulele accessory. The brand that manufactured the ukulele typically places their own strings inside the box.
See more: Best Soprano Ukulele Strings Buyer’s Guide
Tuner
Cheap clip-on tuners are commonplace in soprano ukulele packs. Even though their accuracy is questionable, tuners are far more valuable than gig bags and replacement strings combined.
Picks
Ukuleles are traditionally played fingerstyle, so picks are not as common as tuners, bags, and strings. Even so, this accessory offers extra value to people who are switching over from acoustic guitars to ukuleles.
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In Conclusion
If you’ve researched the market a bit, you may have found that it isn’t exactly brimming with soprano ukulele for beginner models. Tenors, baritones and concert ukuleles are far more common, but even so, I’ve managed to find several gems.
I hope you found a beginner soprano ukulele among the ten I reviewed, and I wish you steady progress and an enjoyable playing experience.
