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The 10 ABSOLUTE Best Electric Ukuleles

In Buyer's Guide, Guides for Ukulele Players by Jake LLeave a Comment

Last updated on October 30th, 2020 at 10:00 pm

I love everything about the ukulele, being one of the most fun instruments to own and play. It’s such a welcoming instrument that anyone can pick up and learn. Ukuleles deliver a nice tone that’s sweet and soft to the ears. Growing up in Hawaii, I was exposed early on to this instrument that I quickly fell in love with. Being part of a ukulele class/group gave me opportunities to perform around the island, both with acoustic and electric ukuleles.

If you’re looking for a ukulele that maintains a nice traditional sound or offers something entirely different, this article is definitely for you! We’ve put together a list of our recommendations for the 10 absolute best electric ukuleles currently available.

1. Cordoba 20TM-CE 

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The first electric ukulele we want to talk about is the Cordoba 20TM-CE. One of the Cordoba’s best selling ukuleles, the 20TM-CE is a lightweight tenor ukulele that produces a sweet, rich sound. Its bell-like tone is nice and bright, something that would be expected from a tenor ukulele at this price range. A perfect ukulele to perform with on stage and is a great fit for ukulele players of any skill level.

High-Quality Build and Sound

It has a solid mahogany top, back, and sides with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, all with a natural satin-matte finish. The mahogany build gives a warm even tone that is well balanced in the lows and highs. The craftsmanship on this ukulele is top tier with Cordoba’s traditional approach in building acoustic instruments. Everything feels solid and high-quality without anything feeling cheaply made.

The pickup works well and to top it all off, Cordoba equipped this ukulele with Aquila Nylgut strings. You will find that it is surprisingly easy to get some sustain from the notes you play with this uke, something that is usually challenging with smaller instruments. The gig bag that comes with this ukulele bundle looks and feels high-quality, keeping your electric ukulele safe while you travel.

Heavy Body

Something to keep in mind is that because of all of the electronics on this ukulele (battery and wiring), it’s a little body-heavy. This means it might not be the most balanced ukulele in terms of weight. It may feel heavier when playing, but just remember its because of all the electronics that are set-up with this ukulele.

Overall, the 20TM-CR tenor electric ukulele is a great choice for players who appreciate the craftsmanship of their acoustic instruments. Again, it’s a perfect ukulele for both beginners and professionals, a versatile instrument that packs a nice sound.

2. Luna Tattoo Electric Ukulele (Bundle)  

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The Luna Tattoo Concert Mahogany electric ukulele is another great option that brings a nice Hawaii vibe with its island design.

Traditional Hawaiian Influenced Design

A ukulele with a design from traditional Hawaiian body ornamentation and majority built with mahogany wood that has a Satin natural finish. The black tattooed design is nice on the brown surface for the ukulele representing geometric patterns, shapes, and symbols. All of these tattooed designs are inspired by the natural island world.

Full Sound (When Plugged in and Unplugged)

This ukulele’s onboard preamp that clearly amplifies the sound of the instrument when plugged into an amplifier. The sound that is produced by this uke is nice and clear, resonating a pure tone that’s full, both when plugged in or unplugged. Tuning is good on this ukulele, however, keep in mind that people have been having mixed experiences with their ukuleles coming out of tune frequently. You usually need to work on stretching the new strings out when you first get your ukulele. Once they’ve been broken in, they should do a better job at staying tuned.

If the ukulele itself doesn’t capture your attention, it’s nice to say that this wonderful uke comes packed with a nice budget-friendly bundle. The bundle comes with the ukulele, a gig bag, a clip-on tuner, and even a polishing cloth. Overall, great value for any player looking to purchase an electric ukulele, especially if it’s their first uke.

3. Enya EUC-M6 

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The EUC-M6 Electric Concert ukulele is a beautiful instrument that has an incredible sound.

Beautiful High-Quality Design

Many have found that their Enya ukuleles are built to be high-quality with a solid mahogany top, back, and sides. To add to its aesthetic appeal, the ukulele has a high gloss finish that helps with wear and corrosion resistance. The inlays on the fingerboard do an excellent job at complimenting this gorgeous instrument as well.

Rich and Bright Sound (Easy to Play)

This ukulele’s pick up brings out a richer and brighter sound that can fill up an entire space. It’s also easy to play thanks to its smooth fretboard and a well-set action, making it easier to put together chords and pressing down the strings. The EUC-M6 also does an excellent job staying in tuned when compared to other ukuleles thanks to its gold agate die-cast tuning.

Enya equipped this ukulele with high-quality D’Addario strings that help provide a stable and durable sound. It also comes with a surprisingly good gig bag that’s nicely padded to ensure your ukulele is safely stored. It even stops the tuning pegs from being nudged while you travel with it.

Overall, the EUC-M6 electric ukulele from Enya is a great choice, especially for players who are looking for a nice aesthetic uke that produces an amazing sound.

4. Luna High Tide Koa Electric Ukulele 

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Another great ukulele from Luna, their High Tide Koa electric ukuleles are capable of producing a wonderful sound.

Beautifully Crafted With Tropical Hardwoods

They’re beautifully crafted by tropical hardwoods, featuring a deep koa body with a Satin finish that helps produce a fuller and deeper sound. The soundhole is framed by an abalone ring while the fretboard is complimented with nice inlays of abalone rising waves. This ukulele is absolutely gorgeous, and it feels high-quality too.

Comfortable to Play

It’s comfortable to play thanks to the cutaway design, offering easier access to the higher frets. The mahogany neck, walnut bridge, and fretboard of this ukulele add sustain and clarity to this instrument’s tone. You will find that this uke comes equipped with Aquila Nygut strings, however, there are many players who have found that there are other strings that complement this ukulele’s sound better.

Change Strings for Better Sound

It still produces a very nice sound with the Aquila strings, but if you’re looking for a warmer and brighter sound from this uke, definitely consider changing strings. The open-style tuners on this uke help keep in precise tuning for longer. This uke also sounds really good when plugged into an amplifier with its onboard preamp.

Overall, a great choice for anyone looking to buy an electric ukulele. It’s a very good sounding ukulele with impressive craftsmanship. It definitely stands out among other ukuleles in the same price range and is a favorite for many players.

5. Vorson FSUK-1 S-Style Electric Ukulele

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Next up on our list is a very cool electric ukulele that’s definitely worth checking out!

Classic Electric Guitar Design

The Vorson FSUK-1 electric ukulele combines traditional ukulele features with classic electric guitar design. It has the classic double-cutaway electric guitar shape, with 3 different color options that include Black, Flame Maple, and Quilt maple. Both the body and the neck is made of candlenut wood while the fingerboard is made of rosewood.

With 19 frets in total, players find the neck to have a comfortable feel, making it easier to play for both ukulele players and guitar players. The neck has a fully adjustable truss rod that ensures that you won’t have to worry about it bowing or buzzing. This ukulele’s electric guitar styled bridge is also fully adjustable, allowing users to tweak this ukulele for maximum playability.

You will also find that this electric ukulele has a pair of single-coil pickups and a 3-way pickup selector. Combined with the volume and tone controls of this ukulele, you can get a wide variety of sounds from the Vorson FSUK-1. It all comes with a nice gig bag to keep it safe for when you travel with it.

Overall, the Vorson FSUK-1 is a fun electric ukulele that gives you the best of both worlds at an affordable price. It looks good, sounds awesome, and is so fun to play that you might have a hard time putting it down.

6. Ibanez UEW15E 4-String Ukulele

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The Ibanez UEW15E electric ukulele is a great choice for ukulele players of any skill level.

Distinct Ibanez Design

This electric/acoustic ukulele is built to be high-quality both in design and sound. The UEW15E’s inspiration for its body’s design comes from their distinctive EW guitar series. It has the single-cutaway that makes it easier to play to access upper frets.

This concert ukulele is made from flamed mahogany all around. It has a C-shaped mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard going up to 19 frets. The UEW15E also features all Ibanez-designed electronics which include a piezo pickup and an Ibanez UK300-T preamp. You’ll have a master volume control with bass and treble sliders. It also has a built-in tuner that is very effective in tuning your ukulele.  The ukulele also does a good job at maintaining a stable tuning. Topping all of this off is the Aquila black strings that come set with this ukulele.

Well-Rounded Sound

Being made entirely of mahogany allows this uke to produce a well-rounded sound that’s rich in tone and has good warmth. This ukulele projects its sound nicely. It also sounds good when plugged in, however, nothing too fancy. The sound is balanced when plugged in and you’ll have good versatility with the 2-band EQ.

Overall, this electric ukulele from Ibanez is a great sounding uke that’s user-friendly all around. Definitely worth checking out.

7. Lohanu Spalted Maple Ukulele

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From the popular ukulele brand, Lohanu, comes a beautiful spalted maple glossy ukulele that has a fantastic sound. The laminate gives this instrument a nice shine that will definitely catch people’s attention. A high-quality instrument that does not feel cheap at all.

Resonating Sound (Plugged in and Unplugged)

This ukulele produces a rich and bright sound that resonates nicely both when plugged in and unplugged. The sound from this uke projects outward more, rather than resonating inside the body like other Lohanu models. Tuning is also really good on this ukulele, made of metal instead of plastic. Its arched back helps give a fuller sound with a longer sustain. The pickup works well with the ukulele while also being accompanied by a 3 band EQ with a built-in tuner.

The body of this ukulele has a unique curved edge that allows your arm to rest over it. This makes it much more comfortable and easier to strum. You can also easily attach a strap to this ukulele since it already comes installed with 2 strap pins.

Overall, this glossy uke from Lohanu is a wonderful instrument that any ukulele player would love playing. It’s great sound and unique design definitely makes the ukulele stand out from other options in the same price range.

8. Epiphone Les Paul Electric Ukulele

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Another interesting option to look at, an electric ukulele that is designed to have the iconic look of the Epiphone Les Paul with two color options of either Vintage Sunburst or Cherry Sunburst. The entire instrument shines beautifully with a flawless lacquered finish. It’s has a very durable and overall high-quality design since the entire instrument is made of heavy-wood. We also appreciate that the frets are actual metal and not molded into the fingerboard like cheaper ukuleles.

Could Use Some Adjustments

The sound is alright, something you’d expect from a ukulele right out of the box. However, if you upgrade to a better set of strings, you can truly bring out the best sound this ukulele has to offer. Some players have also found that the action is pretty high, making it a little more difficult to play. If you want, you can file down the bridge bottom, but you will have to remove the current strings. Of course, you can always store the removed strings as emergency spares. It also comes with a nice gig bag to keep your instrument safe.

The electronics on this uke produce a clear sound, however, there is no volume control and no batteries required for a preamp. All you have to do is connect this ukulele directly to an amplifier and control everything directly on the amp.

In terms of control, the only thing we didn’t like about it is the lack of volume/tone controls. You can definitely work around it, but it would be nice to have, especially for players who are primarily looking for an electric ukulele. While that might sound limiting in terms of amplifying the sound of this ukulele, it’s still an awesome uke that really resonates. We still recommend that you check this ukulele out because it comes at such a great value.

9. Ellen Electric Ukulele Beginner Kit

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If you’re looking for a nice electric ukulele that comes with a package that includes everything a beginner would need, then definitely check out this bundle. It’s a great beginner ukulele that performs well both for electric and acoustic play.

This traditional 23″ ukulele has electronics built right into it, including a 3-band EQ, giving you more versatility in the sound you’re trying to achieve. It also has a built-in chromatic tuner to help keep all of your strings tuned for play. This uke comes built with a combination of mahogany and rosewood, helping it produce a nice tone that’s warm and full. The cross inlays that are embedded in the fretboard are a nice touch. complimenting well with the black finish and white edges.

You will find that this bundle comes with a ukulele amp and the cables needed, a padded electric ukulele case, a strap, spare nylon electric ukulele strings, and some ukulele picks.

Overall, a nice electric ukulele bundle that’s perfect for any beginner who’s looking for their first instrument.

10. Caramel CS419 (Budget Option)

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The last electric ukulele we want to recommend is this solid mahogany uke from Caramel. It’s a great budget option for those who are looking to save money on their new ukulele. The CS419 ukulele is an excellent instrument that does surprisingly well for its price. It’s a solid uke that comes jam-packed with a full set of accessories.

The top and back are both made of solid mahogany while the sides are laminated mahogany. All of this with a nice Satin/Open-pore finish. Its sound is nice and clear with no buzzing on the strings. It also does a relatively good job at sustaining notes longer. The sound quality is nice and mellow both when plugged in and unplugged. It has a 3 Bands EQ with a built-in tuner.

This package comes with 5 sets of additional nylon strings, a padded gig bag, some picks, a cleaning cloth, ukulele wall hanger, a capo, and even a strap with the needed pegs.

Overall, a full package for those who looking to get the most value for their money, while also not breaking the bank. We definitely recommend this to ukulele players who are just getting started.

Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it, our list of recommendations for the 10 absolute best electric ukuleles that are currently available. We tried our best to diversify our list to offer something any type of ukulele player. Make sure to continue to work hard on your craft so you can constantly improve your ukulele skills.

Aloha!

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