UKULELE BRANDS

My collection of links to ukulele brands of note for those learning how to play the ukulele. If you see one missing, just get in touch!

aNueNue - Taiwan based far eastern manufacturer with a fast grown reputation for making good quality instruments.
Website - http://www.anuenue-uke.com/

Applause - ukes made by the guitar manufacturer Ovation, with similar stylings including the plastic bowl back.
Website - http://www.ovationguitars.com/applause/product/ukelele_uae148_4_5_m

Aria - budget instruments from the US based guitar maker, but ukes made in far east.
Website - http://www.ariausa.com/guitars/au120.html

Ashbury - budget UK maker (assembled in the far east) but considered to be reasonable quality starter ukes.

Ashton - super budget ukes at the bottom end of the market - famed for gaudy colours and patterns such as the union jack uke.

Barnes and Mullins - Old brand name now featuring a range of far eastern quality beginners ukes.
Website - http://www.bandm.co.uk/productSummary.aspx?GUID=147f346e-d699-4bc9-a2c8-da30d203d1ed

Baton Rouge - A range of ukes made by an independent maker in Germany
Website - http://www.batonrougeguitars.com/index.php?id=87&L=1

Bean Sprout Banjos - excellent quality handmade banjos and ukulele banjos from USA
Website - http://www.thebeansprout.com/Beansprout/Welcome.html

Beltona - high quality resonator ukuleles.
Website - http://www.beltona.net/ukulelespecs.htm

Boat Paddle - high quality American made ukes with distinctive body shape.
Website - http://www.boatpaddleukuleles.com/

Bruko - German maker of quirky looking handmade solid instruments for an amazing price.
Website - http://www.brueko.de/en/

Bushman - US based company importing ukes from the far east - considered to be decent quality solid ukes but customer services have been questioned by many.
Website - http://www.bushmanmusic.com/

DL Cary - Custom Ukulele Luthier, accessories and luthier supplies
Website - http://www.dlccustomluthier.com/index.html

Clearwater - UK based company importing far eastern ukes of mid level quality and price, including their eye catching Vita shape uke.
Website - http://www.clearwaterinstruments.com/index2.php?uid=4

Collings - Extremely high quality ukes from the extremely high quality guitar manufacturer. Sublime.
Website - http://www.collingsguitars.com/ukuleles.html

Cordoba - Portuguese based classical guitar company who make a range of mid priced ukes.
Website - http://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/ukuleles

Cursley Ukuleles - Hand made to order in the UK by Darryl Cursley
Website - http://cursleyukuleles.blogspot.com/

Da Silva Ukuleles - Top end, handcrafted US instruments
Website - http://ukemaker.com/

DeVine Guitars - Ultra high end ukes - stock and beautifully handmade instruments.
Website - http://www.devineguitars.com/

Digging Stick Ukuleles - hand made to order in Minnesota by Jeff Burger
Website - http://www.onlyuke.com/index.html

Eddy Finn - good quality ukes from quirky US maker - famed for the shark fin sound hole.
Website - http://www.eddyfinnukes.com/index.php

Eleuke - well priced and huge fun electric ukuleles.
Website - http://www.eleuke.com/

Epiphone - ukes from the far eastern offshoot of Gibson Guitars, including the  Les Paul shaped uke.
Website - http://www.epiphone.com/News-Features/News/2011/The-Epiphone-Les-Paul-Acoustic-Electric-Ukulele-Ou.aspx

Fender - Yes, that Fender - they make ukes too, with the traditional fender shaped headstocks!
Website -http://www.fender.com/products/index.php?section=acoustics&bodyShape=Ukulele

Flea / Fluke - made by Jim Beloff and the Magic Fluke Company in the USA, these are different looking plastic backed ukes which are renowned for their tone and setup.
Website -http://www.magicfluke.com/

Glyph - custom, hand made ukes of high quality, from Maryland USA
Website - http://www.glyphukulele.com/

G-String - a Hawaiian 'K Brand' manufactuer - top of the line ukes from the Islands. If they are ok for James Hill...
Website - http://www.gstringukuleles.com/

Greg Bennett (Samick) - at the better end of the beginner ukes, nicely made and finished by this US based guitar maker.
Website - http://www.gregbennettguitars.com/acousticportal_ukuele.html

Gretsch - new line of ukes from this guitar maker with real vintage - sadly not made in the US factory, but still well regarded.
Website - http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/rootscollection

Honu - a relatively new brand made by the Big Island Ukulele Co. Made and assembled in the far east, these ukes are made to demanding standards and finished and checked in Hawaii.
Website - http://www.bigislandukulele.com/

Pete Howlett Ukulele - ukes of real distinction, handmade in Wales from finest woods.
Website - http://petehowlettukulele.co.uk/

Islander - 'budget' brand of the Kanile'a uke company in Hawaii - made in far east to their high standards - highly regarded new uke brand.
Website - http://www.islanderukulele.com/page1.aspx

Island Ukulele - handrafted in Hawaii by Raymond Rapozo
Website -http://www.ukuleledirect.com/

Kala - everybody knows the Kala brand - massive range of far eastern made ukes, with everything from the budget models to some rather nice mid priced ukes.
Website - http://www.kalaukulele.com/default.asp

Kamaka - Considered to be the oldest ukulele maker in the world, one of the KBrand uke makers in Hawaii making top of the line instruments for the likes of Jake Shimabukuro.
Website - http://www.kamakahawaii.com/

Kamoa - relatively new Hawaiian ukulele maker - favoured by Pierce Brosnan!
Website - http://kamoaukulelecompany.com/

Kanile'a - another top of the line K Brand uke maker from Hawaii by Joe Souza - superb quality. I play one!
Website - http://www.kanileaukulele.com/

Kepasa - beautiful ukes, hand crafted by Kevin Crossett in Vermont, USA
Website - http://kepasaukulele.com/

Kiwaya - Japanese brand making superbly thin and loud ukes in the style of Martin - top quality.
Website - http://takumiukulele.com/kiwayaukuleles.html

Ko'olau - K Brand Hawaiian ukulele maker of impeccable quality. Played by the likes of Lyle Ritz.
Website - http://www.koolauukulele.com/

Ko'olana - 'budget' line from Hawaiian maker Ko'aloha - but still great quality. Assembled in the far east and finished in Hawaii.
Website - http://www.koaloha.com/products/koalana-ukulele/concert-koa/

Ko'aloha - Top of the line ukes from this K Brand Hawaiian maker with distinctive sound hole and headstock shapes. I play one!
Website - http://www.koaloha.com/

Laka - new brand from the Vintage guitar manufacturer - cheap and cheerful.
Website - http://www.jhs.co.uk/New%20Products/lakaukes.html

Lanikai - beginners ukulele brand of renown, particularly their LU21 model which is very popular with schools.
Website - http://www.lanikaiukes.com/

Lehua - Traditional looking wooden ukuleles from Portugal
Website - http://www.lehuaukulele.com

Lichty - handmade custom ukes in beautiful styles from US luthier Jay Lichty.
Website - http://lichtyguitars.com/

LoPrinzi - Extremely high quality hand made ukes from guitar luthier Augusto LoPrinzi.
Website - http://www.augustinoloprinzi.com/

LuLu - Quality looking ukes and customs from CT, USA
Website - http://www.luluukuleles.com

Luna - new far eastern beginners brand who seem to focus more on looks than anything else, but I do hear good reports about sound and build quality.
Website - http://www.lunaguitars.com/acousticproduct/ukuleleseries.php

Mahalo - who HASN'T played a Mahalo - bright, and very cheap. There may be some good ones in their more expensive lines, but I've played too many bad ones to be prepared to test that theory.
Website - http://www.mahalo-ukulele.com

Mainland - great value mid level instruments, made in the far east and finished by hand in the USA - my first 'proper' uke!
Website - http://www.mainlandukuleles.com/

Makala - budget brand from Kala that proves that cheap as chips can actually work. I regularly recommend a well setup Makala Dolphin to new players on a tight budget.
Website - http://www.kalabrand.com/Kala_Makala.asp

Marshall Stapleton - English Guitar maker with a nice line in unique looking handmade fine ukes.
Website - http://www.wix.com/marshallstapleton/guitars#!about

Martin - high end ukes from the king of acoustic guitars. Also make nice strings!
Website - http://www.martinguitar.com/ukuleles/index.html

Mele - high quality ukes factory made in Hawaii and played by the likes of Warren Buffett and Dave Matthews.
Website - http://meleukulele.com/

Moore Bettah Ukuleles - Stunning original ukes, handcrafted in Hawaii
Website - http://www.moorebettahukes.com/

Mya Moe - superb quality ukes, made to order to your own specification, and specialising in stunning wood quality.
Website - http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/

Nalu Ukulele - solid ukes specced in the USA, built in China - mid priced and great looking
Website - http://www.nalu-ukulele.com

National - resonator ukes from the daddy of resonator guitars.
Website - http://www.nationalguitars.com/

Ohana - as ubiquitous as Kala - another good quality far eastern made uke with a massive range of styles and shapes.
Website - http://www.ohana-music.com/

Ortega - mid priced good quality ukes.
Website - http://ortegaguitars.com/en/products/ukuleles/

Oscar Schmidt - range of beginner to mid level ukes from the US guitar maker Washburn.
Website - http://www.oscarschmidt.com/products/ukes/

Pegheds - Not a ukulele, but excellent quality tuning pegs for ukes
Website - http://www.pegheds.net

Po Mahina - beautiful handmade ukes from Hawaii
Website - http://www.konaweb.com/mahina/ukulele.html

Pono - 'budget' line from the Hawaiian maker Ko'olau - costs reduced by assembling in far east and finishing in Hawaii - great quality and looks.
Website - http://www.koolauukulele.com/pono.html

Pukanala / Puka - Relatively new brand from the far east with a range from beginner ukes to higher end solid models.
Website - http://www.tomandwill.com/searchnonpub.asp?b=Pukana-La&p=0

Quex - British ukes handmade by Ukulian
Website - http://ukulian.com

Riptide - ukes from the Boulder Creek Guitar Co, famous for odd placement of sound holes, and use of sound ports on the sides.
Website - http://www.bouldercreekguitars.com/uk_index.html

Risa - German brand famous for their headless (and bodiless) stick electric ukulele, but now also make traditional acoustic ukes

Shimo Guitars - handcrafted guitars and ukes from Japan
Website - http://www.shimoguitars.com/

Stagg - UK based distributor of cheap end far eastern ukuleles. I can never get past the name myself..
Website - http://www.staggmusic.com/en/products/guitars/traditional_stringed_instruments/ukuleles.html

Tangi - top of the line handcrafted ukes from Hawaii.
Website - http://tangiukulele.com/

Tanglewood - good quality beginner ukes from the UK guitar maker.
Website - http://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/products/banjomanduke.html

Tin Guitar - handmade ukes made to order by UK Luthier Rob Collins.
Website - http://www.tinguitar.com/

Tom and Will - British makers of instrument bags and accessories, including ukulele gear
Website - http://www.tomandwill.com

Uluru - relatively new brand of quality instruments made in Taiwan based on Australian luthier designs.
Website - http://www.uluruukulele.com/