Small, bright-sounding, and beautiful are the words I’d use to describe an average soprano ukulele. This particular type of ukulele is the most popular for a very good reason, or better said, for quite a few.
Aside from being small and easy to both carry from place to place and store, soprano ukuleles are also excellent for home practice because they’re pretty quiet. Furthermore, their size and weight are excellent for children, teens, and people with smaller hands.
Quick Look: Best Soprano Ukuleles
★ #1 Best Soprano Ukulele Overall: Kala Makala MK-S Soprano Ukulele ★
- Best Cheap Soprano Ukulele: Donner DUS-10B Soprano Ukulele
- Best Soprano Ukulele Under $1,000: Famous Kiwaya FS-5G Soprano
- Best Soprano Ukulele Under $500: Lanikai ACSTS Soprano Ukulele
Now, given that the current market is absolutely flooded with soprano ukuleles, there are just as many great models as there are decent or downright poor-quality ones. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the best soprano ukuleles in 2021, so without any further ado, let’s see which ukuleles are a cut above the rest in this field.
What Is a Soprano Ukulele?
With the exception of the pineapple ukulele size, which arguably doesn’t belong to the family of traditional ukuleles, soprano is the smallest and lightest ukulele type.
It’s small and light enough to be comfortably used without a strap, and it’s substantially quieter than tenor ukuleles and baritone ukuleles.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Soprano Ukulele
When compared to other ukulele types, models in the soprano category have much more in common with each other than ukuleles in other groups. The deviation in terms of size between different models is rarely above two inches, their tone is very bright by default, and the biggest actual difference is the price tag.
Size
The length of an average soprano ukulele is around 21 inches, with a 13-inch scale length. Dimensions-wise, they’re basically smaller versions of concert ukuleles. In fact, some of the larger sopranos are sized the same as some of the smallest concerts.
The Overall Tone & Sound
The tiny body of a soprano ukulele creates fast, sharp overtones, and it’s the quietest ukulele type. However, its hugely portable design makes it an excellent choice for traveling musicians.
Price
Even though sopranos are just a tad smaller than concerts and tenors, the price of an average soprano ukulele is considerably smaller, being somewhere between $35 and $40.
I’ve seen decent quality bundles below $50, while some of the most expensive boutique models are barely above $500.
10 Best Soprano Ukuleles
The market of soprano ukuleles is huge and very diverse. Given that the bulk of these models are entry-level beginner bundles, intermediate-level players and professionals may need a bit more time to find an adequate model.
As a seasoned musician, I don’t want my fellow colleagues to waste hours and hours searching for a quality instrument. That’s why I’ve made this list of the top 10 best soprano ukuleles for your convenience, so let’s take a quick look at the market’s very finest:
Kala Makala MK-S Soprano Maho
gany Ukulele
- Size: 6 inches by 7 inches by 2.37 inches
- Weight: 1 pound
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele overall
Let’s open up the review with the Kala Makala MK-S. This is one of the best-rounded sopranos I’ve had the pleasure of playing, and it can accommodate any playing style, genre, or player because it’s small, light, and remarkably playable.
It’s made of high-quality mahogany, and it’s pre-strung with decently sturdy nylon strings. Its only drawback is the lack of ukulele accessories, but it compensates for that with an approachable price tag.
✅ Decently affordable
✅ Small and lightweight
✅ Pre-strung with sturdy nylon strings
✅ Excellent playability
❌ Quieter than average
❌ No accessories
Why I Recommend It
I recommend MK-S to experienced players who are looking for a dependable workhorse, but at the same time I also recommend it to beginners who are looking for a great-sounding, highly playable instrument.
Donner DUS-10B Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit
- Size: 65 inches by 8.27 inches by 2.95 inches
- Weight: 76 pounds
- What’s included: Gig bag, clip-on tuner, strap, polishing cloth, replacement strings, picks
- Material & finish: Canadian maple construction, spray-painted finish
- Best for: best cheap soprano ukulele
While I normally advise against buying cheap ukuleles, the situation is slightly different when we’re talking about soprano ukuleles. Not only are sopranos more affordable than other ukulele types, but stiff competition due to their high availability makes their prices lower than tenors, concerts, and baritones.
Donner DUS-10B is made of sturdy Canadian maple. It’s fairly light, and more importantly, the bundle consists of a variety of useful ukulele accessories, such as a durable gig bag, replacement strings, a clip-on tuner, some picks, and a strap.
✅ Versatile bundle
✅ Sturdy maple construction
✅ Surprisingly good sound for a cheap uke
✅ Excellent affordability
❌ Consider using the replacement strings straight out of the box
❌ Poor-quality spray-painted finish
Why I Recommend It
Donner’s DUS-10B is a cheap soprano made of Canadian maple, which are two things that rarely fit in the same sentence as far as sopranos are concerned. It sounds great, and the box is packed with a variety of cool accessories, although I’m not a huge fan of the spray-painted finish.
Famous Kiwa
ya FS-5G Soprano Ukulele
- Size: 5 inches by 7.99 inches by 3.15 inches
- Weight: 37 pounds
- What’s included: Gig bag, strap
- Material & finish: Koa construction, natural finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele under $1,000
The Famous Kiwaya FS-5G is a soprano gig bundle consisting of a sturdy bag and a comfortable strap. The FS-5G ukulele itself is made of quality koa and has wide, polished frets and a beautiful sounding body. It remains in tune for extended periods, and it’s much sturdier than most soprano ukuleles.
✅ Sturdy koa construction
✅ Beautiful bright tone
✅ Tremendous playability
✅ Stays in tune for extended periods of time
❌ Pricey
❌ No binding
Why I Recommend It
I recommend FS-5G to musicians who don’t want to settle for anything short of quality. This ukulele is very well-built, it sounds great, and it comes with dependable accessories.
Lanikai ACSTS Soprano Ukulele
- Size: 5 inches by 7.7 inches by 4.53 inches
- Weight: 33 pounds
- What’s included: Standalone ukulele
- Material & finish: Acacia construction, grained finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele under $500
Lanikai ACSTS is easily one of the most durable, best-sounding mid-range ukuleles I’ve ever laid my hands on. It’s a reliable workhorse that boasts superior intonation, excellent playability, great action, and to top it all, it even looks the part.
✅ Marvelous aesthetics
✅ Unique and highly versatile tone
✅ Superb sustain
✅ Top-quality hardware
❌ No accessories
❌ Expensive
Why I Recommend It
I warmly recommend ACSTS to any musician who can spend a couple of extra dollars on a quality instrument. Even though it isn’t supplied with any uke accessories, its performance is astounding and its tone beautiful and exquisite.
Diamond Head DU-106 Rainbow Soprano Ukulele
- Size: 21 inches by 7 inches by 2.25 inches
- Weight: 1 pound
- What’s included: Gig bag
- Material & finish: Maple construction, painted finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele for kids
Diamond Head DU-106 is everything a soprano ukulele should be. It’s small, super light, and beautiful. It’s made of decently durable maple, it’s relatively quiet, and its petite fretboard makes it perfect for teens and kids.
✅ Great for beginners
✅ High playability
✅ Affordable
✅ Beautiful aesthetics
❌ Basic accessories
❌ Relatively quiet
Why I Recommend It
While the DU-106 Rainbow Soprano uke may not be the go-to instrument for a touring musician, it’s an excellent choice as a gift for youngsters and teens. It’s small, light, and quiet, and it looks truly magnificent.
Pomaikai Soprano Ukulele
- Size: 21 inches by 7 inches by 2 inches
- Weight: 35 inches
- What’s included: Gig bag
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele for beginners
The Pomaikai soprano ukulele is made of good-sounding mahogany. It’s outfitted with sturdy hardware and reliable tuners. It comes with a lightweight gig bag and is pre-strung with quality nylon strings. One of its strongest points is affordability, although it doesn’t particularly excel in sonic fields of performance.
✅ Fairly cheap
✅ Sturdier than most entry-level ukuleles
✅ Lightweight gig bag
✅ Good intonation
❌ Minimal sustain
❌ High action
Why I Recommend It
Pomaikai’s soprano ukulele is a perfect choice for music students and beginners. Its unremarkable tone is compensated for with exceptional affordability and good intonation.
Cordoba 28S Hawaiian Koa Soprano Ukulele
- Size: 21 inches by 7.13 inches by 2.75 inches
- Weight: 14 ounces
- What’s included: Gig bag
- Material & finish: Koa construction, matte finish
- Best for: Best intermediate soprano ukulele
The Cordoba 28S Hawaiian Koa is one of the most popular ukulele brands for a reason, and 28S Soprano is a true representative of the brand’s quality. This ukulele is made of Hawaiian koa wood, and it boasts superb playability, tone, and durability.
✅ Excellent tone
✅ Durable koa construction
✅ Remains in tune for extended periods
✅ Pre-strung with Aquila Nylgut strings
❌ Pricey
❌ Includes only a gig bag
Why I Recommend It
If you’re looking for a traditional Hawaiian ukulele, look no further than Cordoba 28S. This gorgeous instrument sounds as great as it looks, and even though it’s slightly pricier than average, it’s well worth the buck.
Flight NUS380 Amber Ukulele
- Size: 23 inches by 9.25 inches by 4 inches
- Weight: 5 pounds
- What’s included: Gig bag
- Material & finish: Sapele wood construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best-sounding soprano ukulele
Flight NUS380 is best known for their boutique ukuleles, and I was positively surprised when I saw the price tag of NUS380. This sapele-made ukulele is one of the best-sounding ukuleles currently available, but it excels in other fields too, such as intonation, sturdiness, and most importantly, reliability.
✅ Beautiful look
✅ Thoroughly padded gig bag accessory
✅ One of the best-sounding soprano ukuleles
✅ Perfect intonation
❌ Slightly more expensive than average
❌ Heavy for a soprano ukulele
Why I Recommend It
I recommend Flight’s NUS380 for its nearly unparalleled sound quality. It’s amazing how something so small can have such a big, full-bodied tone. If you value sonic performance over aesthetic flair and tidbits of extra value through accessories most people already have, I warmly recommend giving NUS380 a go.
Vangoa Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit
- Size: 4 inches by 10 inches by 4.4 inches
- Weight: 84 pounds
- What’s included: Gig bag, capo, replacement strings, picks, clip-on tuner, strap
- Material & finish: Mahogany construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best soprano ukulele bundle
The Vangoa soprano ukulele beginner kit consists of a good-sounding soprano uke and a rich selection of practical accessories, including a capo, a set of replacement strings, three picks, a sturdy gig bag, and a highly accurate clip-on tuner.
✅ Great sound quality
✅ Reliable pickups
✅ Versatile selection of accessories
✅ Decently affordable
❌ Slightly heavier than average
❌ Requires an amp for the pickups to work
Why I Recommend It
When I was starting out as a musician, I had no idea which accessories I needed for my uke. Luckily, I stumbled across Vangoa’s Soprano Beginner Kit, which came outfitted with all the fundamental equipment a newbie needs.
Luna Honu Tribal Turtle Spruce Soprano Ukulele Bundle
- Size: 24 inches by 11 inches by 4 inches
- Weight: 5 pounds
- What’s included: Gig bag, clip-on tuner, Austin Bazaar’s instructional DVD, polishing cloth
- Material & finish: Spruce construction, gloss finish
- Best for: Best value soprano ukulele
Let’s wrap it up with Luna Honu Tribal Turtle soprano ukulele bundle. The Tribal Turtle ukulele features a slightly extended scale length and unique fret inlays. It boasts superb sonic performance for the buck and a selection of great uke accessories.
✅ Excellent accessories
✅ Remarkable sound
✅ Extended scale length
✅ Sturdy spruce construction
❌ Pricey
❌ Just a tad heavier than average
Why I Recommend It
I recommend Luna’s Tribal Turtle soprano uke to anyone looking for a great-sounding, durable, and road-worthy soprano ukulele. It’s great for gigging musicians, session players, beginners, and intermediate players alike, which is the reason why I think it offers such a massive value for the buck.
Soprano Ukulele Aesthetics & Build
Soprano ukuleles are different from other ukulele types in terms of size and weight. They’re made of the same tonewoods, and the same goes for finish types.
In case you’re not too familiar with the basics of ukulele aesthetics and build, keep these factors in mind:
Wood
The tonewoods govern the sonic characteristics of soprano ukuleles. Mahogany and maple sopranos are the most common, followed by sapele and acacia-made models, and finally koa, which is the traditional ukulele tonewood.
Finish
Aside from tonewoods, what makes any ukulele look beautiful is the type of finish. Gloss finishes are easy on the eyes and remarkable, while satin and matte finishes are more commonly seen on mid-range and boutique models.
Color
The color of any ukulele plays a minor and oftentimes downright insignificant role when it comes to sonic performance. With that in mind, you can freely choose a ukulele in whatever color you want, but I recommend avoiding spray-painted models if you want to get the most from your ukulele’s sound.
What’s in the Soprano Ukulele Box?
Ukulele bundles are supplied with valuable, practical accessories, such as tuners, gig bags, a polishing cloth, straps, picks, and such. Here’s a quick look of some of the most common things you’ll encounter in soprano ukulele boxes:
Gig Bag
You’ll need a gig bag or preferably a hard-shell case to properly store your soprano ukulele. The former is a typical part of a soprano ukulele box while hard-shell cases are sometimes included in boutique bundles.
Clip-on Tuner
Another essential piece of a soprano ukulele box, tuners are valuable accessories that allow you to easily tune your ukulele, regardless of how noisy your environment is. They’re especially handy for gigging musicians.
Strap
Soprano ukuleles are light enough to be played without a strap. Nevertheless, most ukulele boxes are supplied with this feature.
Replacement Strings
The strings on any instrument tend to sit there for quite a while, losing their durability and sonic qualities in the process. That’s where replacement strings come in. This is one of the most common soprano ukulele accessories.
See more: Best Soprano Ukulele Strings Buyer’s Guide
Extras
More versatile ukulele bundles are supplied with slightly less common features, such as capos, instructional DVDs, how-to pamphlets, and picks.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Even though I’ve covered the most important aspects of a soprano ukulele’s performance, there are still quite a few words to be said about sopranos. Here I’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding their performance and value:
How Much Do Soprano Ukuleles Cost?
In comparison to other ukulele categories, sopranos are by far the cheapest. Entry level soprano ukuleles normally cost below $50, mid-range soprano ukuleles can be found for approximately $100 or less, while boutique models cost well above $200-250.
However, the vast majority of sopranos are budget models. The average cost of a soprano ukulele is around $60-70.
Where Are the Best Soprano Ukuleles Made?
Given the fact that ukuleles were invented in Hawaii and that some of the most popular brands are in the surrounding areas, the best soprano ukuleles are obviously made in the United States of America.
What Is the Best Sounding Soprano Ukulele?
In my opinion, one of the best-sounding soprano ukuleles is the Flight NUS380. Even though it’s much cheaper than most boutique models, its sapele tonewood construction appeals to my tastes the most.
Where to Buy Soprano Ukuleles
There are many ways to go when it comes to shopping for a soprano ukulele. You can visit your local music shops or shop online, and I warmly recommend the latter. Let’s have a quick recap of the benefits of each:
Amazon
Personally, I think shopping for soprano ukuleles on Amazon has the most merit. The sheer fact that there are hundreds of models from various brands and companies is amazing, and to top it all, reliable dealers offer warranties and similar guarantees, making your purchases safer and more secure.
Online Music Retailers
Amazon sometimes runs out of stock, and if you’ve set your eyes on a particular model that’s become unavailable, you may want to check Sweetwater or Guitar Center. You can expect similar prices, but different models. Quality-wise, both of these retailers are on par with Amazon.
Your Local Music Store
If you didn’t manage to find a soprano ukulele that you like online, all that’s left to do is take a trip to local music shops. Even though they’re typically more expensive, local music stores are worth a shot because you can personally test the instrument prior to buying it.
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In Conclusion
Picking the right soprano ukulele may prove to be a bit challenging simply due to the fact that there are so many models to choose from. I’ve covered everything you should know about these ukuleles in the buying guide, so I wanted to leave you with a few extra tips.
Soprano ukuleles are normally tiny, but not all models are of the same size. If you want a more playable instrument, I recommend slightly larger models, such as Lanikai’s ACSTS, for example.
Sound-wise, soprano ukuleles are fairly quiet, which makes them perfect for home practice. However, there are models that can be loud enough for gigs, especially semi-acoustic models such as Vangoa’s soprano ukulele.
That’s it for today. Feel free to share your thoughts on my review of the best soprano ukuleles in the section below.
