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So, you’re hunting around for a ukulele. But you’re not going to be satisfied with any ordinary stick with strings. You’re looking for something with a little more class… something sleek and eye-catching.
Then may I recommend a black ukulele? There’s nothing wrong with natural finishes (or other types of finishes) of course, but black instruments are classic, and they can boost your esthetics, especially when paired with the right costume.
In this guide, we’ll be looking at the best black ukuleles for that standout look you want to show off at your next jam, gig, or house party!
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Lanikai QM-BKCEC Quilted Maple Black Satin Tenor Acoustic-Electric Ukulele
Let’s start off with this unique gem. The Lanikai QM-BKCEC quilted maple acoustic-electric tenor ukulele is a thing of beauty. And while it’s not purely black, it would be a shame to cover such amazing wood grain with a pitch-black finish. From a design standpoint, it truly is a marvel.
This stunning model comes with a quilted maple top, back and sides, a satin finish, deluxe Grover open back tuners, NuBone XB nut and saddle, wide nut and neck profile, chrome strap buttons, cutaway, and a Fishman Kula preamp and tuner.
These are premium features. Maybe not top of the line, but still luxurious overall, making it a great instrument for practice, jamming, recording, and live performance (if you can afford it).
Overall, the uke has a bright tone with a nice look and quality performance to match.
Item weight: 4 lbs.
Package dimensions: 35 x 14 x 4 inches
LAVA U Carbon Fiber Ukulele With Effects Tenor Travel Ukulele
If this is your first introduction to LAVA MUSIC instruments, then prepare to be amazed (maybe not “blown away,” but certainly intrigued).
The LAVA U carbon fiber ukulele features a unique body design, and it’s made of carbon fiber composite besides. Which immediately tells you that it’s going to play and sound a little different than other ukes.
Its distinctive design allows you to play with effects (reverb, delay, chorus), even without plugging into an amp or sound system. The instrument even comes with a one-of-a-kind space case.
This instrument might not be for everyone. But for the type of player that wants to experience the latest innovation and advancements in uke technology, it’s a great option.
We find this to be a quality instrument with attention to detail. The sound effects are great, and its tone is good to decent (depends on what you like).
The price point is not going to be for everyone though.
Item weight: 9.38 lbs.
Package dimensions: 31.25 x 13.75 x 7.88 inches
Enya Tenor Ukulele 26-Inch Carbon Fiber Acousticplus Cutaway Travel Ukulele
The Enya Acousticplus tenor ukulele is another fascinating travel uke option with a caron fiber composite body. Not purely “black,” its color is closer to dark grey. But look at it – how could we resist including it in this guide!?
Its body mimics that of a mini Les Paul, and like the LAVA U uke (which it’s likely imitating), it comes with built-in effects like reverb, chorus, and delay. The fact that it’s built of carbon fiber composite means it’s quite resilient to the elements, making it ideal for beginners in general and travel more specifically.
If sleek is what you’re looking for, then this is the very definition of sleek, because the Enya uke photographs very well.
For those who like the idea of the LAVA U, but don’t quite have the budget, and still want a nice sounding travel uke, the Enya is worth a look.
Item weight: 5.64 lbs.
Package dimensions: 27.17 x 9.25 x 2.36 inches
Fender Fullerton Telecaster Ukulele
The Fender Fullerton Telecaster ukulele is certainly a unique option, and in case you’re wondering, they also have a Stratocaster model too, for those times you want to unleash your inner rock god.
This is a simply but uniquely designed uke, with a Tele style body. The top is made of spruce, and its design makes it quite lightweight (though it’s body-heavy, which some might find uncomfortable).
You also get a 4-in-line Tele headstock, Fender-designed preamp system, no-tie bridge, and nickel hardware.
Overall, this is kind of a different uke, and it’s not for everyone. It has a pleasant, whimsical sound, and its design is fun, but it might be a bit thin sounding and body-heavy for some.
Item weight: 2 lbs.
Package dimensions: 26.8 x 10 x 4.2 inches
Luna Artist Vintage Distressed Concert Ukulele Bundle
Now, we admit that the Luna Artist Vintage concert uke isn’t pitch black. It has bit of a “burst” design, with a gradient from dark brown in the center to black in the outer edges. Even so, we couldn’t exactly leave this one alone.
The concert size uke is a standard, and it comes with a case, tuner, Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD, and polishing cloth. So, for those hunting for bundles and good deals, it makes for an attractive option. The single ply cream binding and pearl moon phase inlays are super nice too.
Though it’s not the most expensive instrument on this list, it’s still a quality uke with solid attention to detail. An excellent choice for intermediate players.
Item weight: 4.04 lbs.
Package dimensions: 26.5 x 11 x 5.5 inches
Fender Venice Soprano Ukulele
For those who like the idea of a Fender uke, but want something a little smaller, the Fender Venice soprano uke might just be the ticket.
This is really a simple instrument, nothing overly fancy. It comes with a basswood body, no-tie bridge, and 4-in-line painted Tele headstock. That headstock is probably the most distinctive part about it.
This ukulele has a nice sound, and it’s nicely balanced too. Sometimes, Fender products arrive with defects, so that’s something to watch out for (get a refund or exchange the product if possible).
Item weight: 1.75 lbs.
Package dimensions: 23.3 x 8.8 x 3.6 inches
BIGFISH Concert 23-Inch Ukulele Starter/Beginner Bundle
The BIGFISH concert ukulele bundle is a good budget option, and it comes with quite a few extras.
By no means is this a top shelf ukulele, and it is a little closer to a toy uke, but its design is quite interesting.
It features a maple body, polished finish, and it comes with a case, strap, digital tuner with battery, capo, three picks, cleaning cloth, stand, and Aquila strings. All this makes for a decent gift!
If your expectations aren’t too high, this is a relatively well-made instrument with good performance.
Item weight: 3.74 lbs.
Package dimensions: 27.25 x 10.5 x 4.25 inches
Icegrey 23-Inch Nylon Strings Ukulele
The Icegrey 23-inch ukulele is another excellent choice for kids, and surprisingly, even at this price point, its design is remarkable. This is a lightweight, beginner friendly uke, and while it might not be anything special, it certainly gets the job done.
Item weight: Unknown
Package dimensions: Unknown
Luna Vintage Mahogany Soprano Ukulele, Black Satin
It occurs to us that the Luna Vintage mahogany soprano ukulele is excellent value for the money.
With a black satin finish and mahogany body, it features a solid tone, and the triangle inlays are a nice touch too.
For the price, this is a quality ukulele. Some reviewers said they had issues with performance, including tuning, but you can only expect so much from a budget instrument.
Item weight: 1.14 lbs.
Package dimensions: 27 x 10 x 6 inches
WINZZ Concert Ukulele Vintage Hawaiian
We’ve got a couple of budget options left, and then we’re going to move onto the next section.
The WINZZ concert ukulele has a nice, stormy look to it, and while it’s an “off brand” ukulele if there ever was one, we simply couldn’t resist.
The bundle comes with one-month online lessons, gig bag, clip-on digital tuner, strap, extra Aquila strings, fingerboard stickers, and a cleaning cloth.
This uke is surprisingly good for what it is, but it should not be considered anything other than a beginner instrument.
Item weight: 2.64 lbs.
Package dimensions: 24 x 8.1 x 2.8 inches
VIVICTORY Soprano Ukulele 21-Inch Mahogany
The VIVICTORY soprano ukulele comes with a mahogany construction, 15 brass frets, die-cast tuners, arched back design, as well as a starter kit that includes a tuner, gig bag, strap, and picks.
Again, this uke is excellent value for the money, and it is well made. No major issues with this instrument!
Item weight: 2.44 lbs.
Package dimensions: 22.6 x 3.15 x 8.2 inches
What Should I Look For In A Black Ukulele?
Since you’ve chosen to go with a black ukulele, you’ve already narrowed your options considerably.
The surprising and fun thing about black ukuleles, though, is that there are a lot of interesting choices, especially in terms of design.
Your first instinct might be to choose based on how an instrument looks, but that’s not everything. There are other factors that would be good to keep in mind, to ensure the best experience possible.
So, in this section, we’ll consider a few criteria that should help you determine which uke to buy:
- Tone and playability
- Body size
- Price point
Let’s get into it!
Tone & Playability
We often talk about tone and playability as two separate things, but in this case, we feel it appropriate to talk about them as a package deal.
Why? Because if you’re choosing a black ukulele specifically, it automatically makes your tone and playability options a little more limited than if you were doing a broader search.
Tone basically means the sound of the uke. Is it deep, rich, warm, bright, punchy, or otherwise? These terms don’t mean a whole lot when it comes right down to it – it’s just a matter of how you perceive the tone (how it sounds to your ears) and whether you like it.
For professional use, there’s no denying tone makes a big difference. It can give you more confidence and when you’re playing live or recording in the studios, you can convey a greater sense of professionalism overall.
Good tone is nice for beginners and intermediate players too. But it can end up being a secondary consideration, simply because beginners can’t always tell apart how a toy ukulele sounds different from a premium one!
Playability is key for all players. It still is a matter of personal preference, but generally low action, a comfortable neck, the overall balance of the instrument – all these factors and others can contribute to playability.
Short of playing a uke for yourself, it can be hard to know how it feels. If you can go to a music store and try a few out, that’s ideal. But you can still check out demos and reviews for more info.
Body Size
The most common sizes of ukuleles are as follows, from smallest to largest:
- Soprano
- Concert
- Tenor
- Baritone
- Bass
The three sizes included in this guide are soprano, concert, and tenor, which are standard.
My preference would be a tenor over the other two, simply because it’s a little bigger and has more body to it, but soprano can be great for absolute beginners, and there’s nothing wrong with a quality concert uke either.
Basically, it’s just something you should be aware of as you’re choosing an instrument.
Price Point
With ukuleles ranging from about $60 all the way up to about $400, there is obviously a broad base of options to choose from in this guide. You get what you pay for, for the most part, but sometimes you can overpay, and sometimes you can underpay (no one complains about underpaying though!).
We’d suggest shopping based on a budget, as that will help you determine the ideal choice for you.
And at all costs, avoid going into debt. Either buy cheaper or save up if necessary.
What Are The Best Black Ukulele Brands?
Here are several great brands to support and keep an eye on!
Lanikai Ukuleles
Lanikai Ukuleles makes professional ukuleles of all sizes and works with a variety of artists, like Julia Michaels, Sara Kays, Brittany Glenn, and others.
LAVA MUSIC
LAVA MUSIC is dedicated to the craft of unique guitar and ukulele instruments with a distinct look and feature set.
Their products have been developed with the stage in mind and come with a built-in preamp and effects like delay, reverb, and chorus.
So far as innovative manufacturers are concerned, all eyes are on LAVA MUSIC.
Luna Guitars
Luna Guitars makes all kinds of acoustic instruments, including ukuleles, acoustic guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, accessories and more. They also work with a variety of artists like Emma Stevens, Kyle Biss, and Natalia Lugo.
Fender
Fender is best known for their electric guitars and amplifiers, but they have been making a bigger push towards acoustic and acoustic-electric hybrid instruments as of late, so it only makes sense that they’d be interested in creating a presence among ukulele players too.
So far as ukes are concerned, we think they’re “one to watch,” but their price-to-product ratio is quite reasonable given their reputation. Could be worth giving them a go!
Top Black Ukuleles, Final Thoughts
I’m sure you’re excited to find the perfect black ukulele, so we’re going to leave you to it!
Enjoy the shopping process, because looking over the products and comparing the various options available is really the fun part.
Thanks for reading and have fun.