Best Tenor Ukulele for 2023 [Our Reviews and Comparisons]
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Tenor ukuleles are not just a great first instrument for beginners but are also a good alternative for budding musicians who find guitars too complicated to learn.
If you’re a beginner and are looking for a ukulele that suits your needs, then a tenor ukulele is an option that you should seriously consider. Being just a little bigger than a concert ukulele, the tenor has a fuller sound that appeals even to performers.
The greater number of frets help the player reach higher notes on the fretboard. There are different shapes and sizes for ukuleles. Picking the right one can become difficult.
We’re here to make the process of choosing a ukulele easy. We’ve carefully picked 5 best tenor ukuleles in terms of their playability and construction. So dive into our list to find an ideal one for you.
Related Article: Best Soprano Ukulele for 2020
Table of Contents
Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
1. Donner DUT-3 |
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Buy on Amazon |
2. Kala KA-15T |
|
Buy on Amazon |
3. Cordoba 30T |
|
Buy on Amazon |
4. Martin T1K |
|
Buy on Amazon |
5. Oscar Schmidt OU28T |
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Buy on Amazon |
Our Best Tenor Ukuleles Reviews and Comparisons
1. Donner DUT-3
- ♫Mahogany Craftsmanship：Tenor ukulele with mahogany back and side.Highly polished smooth Aquila ukulele strings with elevated resistance to wear under tension. Feature for printed exquisite clouds design on fingerboard and sun pattern around soundhole.
- ♫Warm Rich Sound：Mahogany ukulele body and neck bring you much richer, brighter and warmer sound; High density bone nut and saddle combine with 4 advanced Aquila carbon nylon strings to gain clear and nice resonance and more sustain from Mahogany body.
- Free Video Lesson：Get started with Donner ukulele and professional free ONLINE VIDEO uku lessons for beginners. Easy to understand and get started. Donner ukulele bundle kit is great ukelele set for children, adults, beginners or professionals to play for fun or interest.
- ♫Easy to Tune：Donner patented chrome-plated guitar style tuners increase accuracy and keep ukulele always in tune. Digital clip-on tuner is easy to tune and play.
- ♫A Comprehensive Set：Tenor ukelele, gig bag, tuner, extra Aquila nylon strings, 4 picks and cleaning cloth. Meet all needs of both beginners and professionals. High quality padded gig bag features 2 padded shoulder straps and exterior large pocket for easy comfortable carry and well protection for Ukalalee. Best gift choice for Birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, Children’s Day, etc.
Product Highlights
Donner DUT-3 is sold in three sizes. The 26-inch version is the best for its rich tenor sound. While its sound doesn’t quite compare with products that cost 3 or 4 times as much, it’s a decent value for money with a lot of great features.
This ukulele is great for beginners because it’s low on cost and high on features.
Features
This tenor ukulele’s back and sides are made of mahogany and the face is made of spruce. This one has a sound that is richer and brighter. Its rosewood fingerboard and bridge offer a feeling of comfort.
Donner patented chrome-plated guitar style tuners keep your ukulele in tune. It also features a special fingerboard design with clouds and the Sun logo.
Along with the instrument, you also get a ukulele case, ukulele belt, nylon string of carbon and electronic clip-on tuner.
What We Like About Product Name
For a budding musician, this ukulele is an option to seriously consider. It won’t last a lifetime but it is good to sharpen your skills as a ukulelist.
Some users felt that the sound of this tenor ukulele was richer than a soprano version. People with big fingers might find this easier to use.
What We Don’t Like About Product Name
There have been complaints that after a few sessions of practice, the bridge of this ukulele came off for many users.
PROS
- Great for beginners
- Richer sound when compared to the soprano
- Easier to use for people with big fingers
CONS
- Bridge not durable enough
2. Kala KA-15T
- Satin Mahogany Tenor Ukulele
- Top, Back, Sides, and Neck: Mahogany
- Satin Finish, Walnut Fingerboard
- GraphTech NuBone Nut and Saddle
- Aquila Super Nylgut Strings
Product Highlights
This bundle of Austin Bazaar has everything you need to start playing. The gig bag will keep your instrument free of dust and avoid scratching.
The included DVD is great for players who are just starting.
Tenor ukuleles are slightly larger than concert ukuleles and provide a few more inches of arm space.
Features
This model has geared tuning pegs which help the ukulele stay in tune for a long time. It comes with an easy-to-use digital tuner. Also, it is made from mahogany wood with a walnut fingerboard and it comes with a gig bag.
In addition, the KA-15T includes high-quality Aquila Nylgut Superstrings.
What We Like About Product Name
Customer reviews were excellent, and playing this exquisite ukulele of mahogany sounds like playing an instrument three or four times more expensive than it already is. Since Kala has provided such amazing features in a ukulele that is not heavily priced, we believe this is one of the best tenor ukuleles on our list.
What We Don’t Like About Product Name
Because of the decorative finish, some consumers mentioned hearing buzzing and other noise around the tuning pegs.
PROS
- Great for beginners
- Geared tuning pegs
- Great quality mahogany wood
CONS
- Buzzing around tuning pegs
3. Cordoba 30T
- All-solid mahogany top, back and sides
- Handmade with Spanish heel neck joint and fan bracing, with a wider fingerboard for easy playability
- Rosewood bridge, binding, and fingerboard with abalone rosette
- Hand-rubbed PU finish, All Cordoba ukuleles come with Aquila Nylgut strings.
- Includes Cordoba tenor polyfoam case
Product Highlights
Designed from the viewpoint of a classical guitar maker, the Cordoba 30T uses the “Spanish Heel.” Instead of connecting the body and neck of the ukulele with a conventional dovetail joint, it has an integrated neck joint that makes a smaller, more robust ukulele.
Features
The 30T also features a wider, deeper body and a wider fingerboard, making it easier for people with bigger hands to play. The 30T is sure to turn heads with its looks and tone, featuring a strong mahogany construction and a stunning abalone rosette.
What We Like About Product Name
Users seem to love this ukulele for its sound – a very high-quality soprano ukulele. It’s a very pretty instrument, both physically and audibly. If you want a light sounding, focused instrument, this is a good one to get.
What We Don’t Like About Product Name
The saddle-bridge is poorly assembled and negatively affects the sound of the instrument.
PROS
- Wider fingerboard making it easy to play
- High-quality sound
- Classic mahogany construction
CONS
- Poorly assembled saddle-bridge
4. Martin T1K
- PROFESSIONAL SOUND: The top, back, and sides of Martin’s T1K ukuleles are constructed from solid, Hawaiian koa wood. Hawaiian koa allows the ukulele to deliver a crisp, clear sound. The tenor body style complements the solid wood construction by providing soft and pleasing tones, allowing the musician to enjoy the captivating melody.
- SUPERIOR APPEARANCE: The Martin T1K tenor uke is expertly handmade and boasts a solid Hawaiian koa top, back, and sides. Each instrument is finished with a satin lacquer. It has an applied dovetail neck joint, non-scalloped brace, standard taper neck, and nickel open gear tuners, making it look as captivating as it sounds.
- PREMIUM HANDMADE UKULELE: Handmade from the highest-quality wood, each Martin ukulele is built to stand up to late-night jams, long studio sessions, outdoor playing, and plenty of strumming or picking. Each wooden ukulele is designed from high-quality materials and delivers unique designs, professional sounds, and enjoyable playing.
- ENHANCED PLAYABILITY: In addition to Martin’s iconic tone, known worldwide, our acoustic ukuleles deliver enhanced playability that makes playing a pleasure, no matter your experience or skill level. Whether you’re playing traditional Hawaiian music, rock, country, folk, or bluegrass, these ukuleles deliver a natural playing experience that you will love.
- MARTIN UKULELES & GUITARS: Martin’s superior ukulele, guitar, and string products remain the choice of musicians around the world for their unrivaled quality, craftsmanship, and tone. Still handmade. Still the standard. Martin instruments are the real deal—not an imitation.
Product Highlights
Strong koa bodies of Martin T1K ukuleles are a major selling point. Koa is a beautiful wood that grows only in Hawaii and has been used for decades as a traditional ukulele tonewood.
Generally speaking, solid wood creates a warmer richer sound than laminated wood typically found in less expensive ukuleles.
Features
T1K has top quality workmanship using only the finest wood. It has a lovely rich tone which lets the high frequencies really ring out.
Finished with exceptional satin lacquer, the ukulele features a dovetail neck joint. In addition, it comes with a gig bag and high-quality tuners that provide smooth and accurate tuning.
What We Like About Product Name
Martin T1K is an attractive ukulele with tight and clean craftsmanship and excellent attention to detail. These ukes have an overall sense of quality that comes through when you have an opportunity to see and play one.
What We Don’t Like About Product Name
Some users were not satisfied with its intonation.
PROS
- Koa tonewood emits rich sound
- High-quality tuners
- Satin lacquer finish makes it high on aesthetics
CONS
- Intonation is not highly pleasing
5. Oscar Schmidt OU28T
- Fine Mahogany top, back and sides
- Alternative/engineered/Tech wood Fingerboard and Bridge
- signature "aloha" on head stock
- Pearl Dot fret Inlays
- NuBone nut and saddle
Product Highlights
This is a ukulele of 8 strings! That means that where every string is located on a regular uke, you have two strings close together on this uke. Being tuned in different octaves gives it a much thicker sound and is popular with chord players.
Features
This ukulele has a thick and rich sound from the extra strings, covering more octaves. There is a lovely resonance from the mahogany body.
You can choose between rosewood and engineered wood for the fretboard. Overall, the model offers exceptional craftsmanship for the price.
What We Like About Product Name
Users definitely felt the difference between this 8 string uke compared to the standard 4 string. This uke really makes it fun to play and is larger than a soprano model so the neck is easy on the hands.
What We Don’t Like About Product Name
On the downside, for beginners, the uke can be tricky to play and tune. It is not sold with any accessories. Also, the bridge may struggle with the tension of the strings over time.
PROS
- 8 strings for a richer sound
- Great resonance due to mahogany tonewood
- Larger than a soprano so easier to use
CONS
- Problems may arise with the bridge
- Not for beginners
Final Verdict
Kala KA-15T is our personal favorite on this list and we believe it is the best tenor ukulele. With a digital tuner and tuning pegs, this ukulele can be a perfect music companion for beginners.
It does not disappoint even in terms of its quality as it is made of quality mahogany tonewood. The gig bag completes the kit and makes it an ideal buying choice.
This being said, we’ve also mentioned other options and you can choose any one of them, keeping in mind the factors that matter the most to you.
So select one and start strumming!
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