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Pros:
- Great tonewood
- Padded, sturdy gig bag
- No tuning issues
Cons:
- Not the best starter kit
You probably have been through a couple of dozen ukulele bundle deals. If you have not, then you will be. And though there are a lot of good bargain options, the problem arises – which one of these bundles that look very much like each other, should I choose? Well, although I cannot really give you a straightforward answer, I can give you a couple of suggestions and the AKLOT Concert Ukulele Solid Mahogany Beginner Starter Kit is one of them. This is one of the few ukulele bundles that does not completely focus on entry-level players. The intricate construction and nuanced sound of this concert uke will be too many intermediate players’ liking, as well.
Build
This concert-sized ukulele combines full, rich sound with comfort. The solid mahogany top along with the mahogany back and sides are responsible for a balanced, sweet tone. The Okoume reinforced neck is good quality with a profile that allows for easy playing even for kids. You can really see that this uke has intricate, polished construction once you hold it in your hands and see how smooth are the neck and rounded edges. All of this is completed with the natural matte finish which makes this ukulele look like it is much more expensive.
Hardware & Bundle
While you might be really excited about the accessories that come in the bundle, we should talk a bit about hardware first. After all, if the hardware on the uke is no good what is the point of the accessories? First of all, you get copper gear tuners and real bone nuts and saddle. The tuners are good quality, they last longer. AND seeing a real bone in the description of an affordable, bundle uke was kind of a shock.
Although they are great for the tone and sound of the instrument, they are usually expensive. That is why even the higher-priced instruments do not have them. The action on this model is pretty low which, for me personally is not a problem but some might not really enjoy it. The bundle includes a sturdy, padded gig bag, tuner, straps, picks, cleaning cloth, and an extra set of strings. On top of that, if you are a beginner you might find the quick start guide useful although I would say that there is nothing on that you cannot easily find after two-second Google or Youtube search.
AKLOT Ukulele Sound
When it comes to the sound of Aklot offers the sweet, full sound of a concert ukulele along with a balanced tone. I think the sound is where the good construction and nice choice of tonewood really play in. It would probably be impossible to reach the nuanced tonality that this model has without those factors. Another thing that makes this model stand out among its “rivals” is that it does not have tuning issues (because it seems like this price range ukuleles are plagued with that problem). Of course, there is some tuning involved in the beginner but nothing that would make you uncomfortable, and with time, after the “settling in” period, you will enjoy this instrument even more.
Conclusion
There is a reason why the Aklot ukulele is on our list of the best beginner ukuleles. It is beautifully built with the best choice of tonewood, the tone is pretty nuanced and balanced. Apart from that, you get a huge set of accessories which are mostly good. I doubt there are a lot of instruments in this price range that can beat this deal.
Click here to view more from Best Ukulele for Beginners.
I bought an Aklot tenor about a year ago. I have been playing guitars for years, but am new to ukuleles. Never really took them seriously till recently. I have checked out some high end ukuleles,
And true enough, the sustain and volume may have been better, but not enough to justify the cost. It is a very nice ukulele. Especially for what you pay for one. What I hate about the Aklot, is having to put it down at dinner time. I plan to buy a Vtab tenor ukulele in the very near future. As good as I expect the Vtab to be, the humble little Aklot will remain my favorite.
I purchased an Aklot concert uke on the back of doing a fair amount of research. Lots of positive reviews out there and as a total beginner to playing any instrument did not want to spend loads in case I didn’t take to it but at the same time was mindful of not buying the cheaper end ‘toys’ which could give poor sound, tuning etc and me dropping this hobby before I’d begun. Given that many reviews suggest this uke is for the beginners- intermediate level player, it was ideal for my needs. It did not disappoint, since receiving this beautiful instrument I have found it easy t tune and the smooth washes and frets make it easy to play. I chose the concert size and love the warm sound and have use the internet to learn from. The accessories are an added bins; tuner is accurate and compact, cleaning cloth and bag handy albeit a little flimsy, picks and instruction book not used. A spare set of strings will be handy in the future and is strung a little different to most Ikea I’ve seen where the knots are hidden inside the sound hole which personally I prefer as it is neater looking. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase and would highly recommend this uke.