Picking the best tenor ukulele that fits in your hands and sounds great can be hard. There are plenty of tenor ukes out there, but not all of them are right for you. We’ll help you find something that not only looks awesome but also helps you play and sound awesome.
Tenor ukuleles are slightly bigger than concert ukes and typically have a scale length of 17 inches. This is great for people who don’t want a small uke and can handle something with a slightly longer fretboard. Tenors are still tuned the same as sopranos and concerts, so if you have ever played one of those, you’ll feel right at home. I love playing my tenor and really enjoy the deeper tone than the smaller ukes.
That being said, let’s check out some of the top-rated tenor ukuleles and compare their specs, features, and pros, so you can pick the right one for you.
Compare the Top Tenor Ukuleles in 2020 Below
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Tenor Ukuleles in 2020 Below
- 2 What We Recommend
Here’s a list of the best tenor ukes on the market today that are super fun to play and sound great!
- Fender Montecito Tenor Ukulele
- Cordoba 20TM-CE Acoustic-Electric Tenor Ukulele
- Kala KA-SSTU-TE Travel Tenor Ukulele
- Kala Learn to Play Ukulele Tenor Starter Kit
- Alvarez RU26T Regent Series Ukulele
- Cordoba 32T Tenor Ukulele with Case
Fender Montecito Tenor Ukulele
Specs, features, and benefits
Fender Montecito model is tenor-sized ukulele, which is designed very beautifully and is fit for both beginners and expert players.
It is made of Koa wood, more precise the top, back, and sides are made of Koa, while the fingerboard, rosette and bound top and bound back are made of abalone, which makes this ukulele very durable and a bit heavier than ukuleles made of mahogany.
It features four lined Tele headstock and tuners, which are designed in vintage style, which makes this ukulele look very traditional and that is something that some people might enjoy very much. Apart from that, it has a no-tie bridge, to allow strings to be changed very easily and nut and saddle made of bone, to help it deliver very high-quality intonation.
Pros and Highlights
- Great design – almost complete Koa build makes this ukulele very durable and pretty;
- High-quality strings – it has a set of Aquila strings, which are very durable and perhaps the best strings for ukulele.
- Value for money – if you compare the quality it offers and the price, you get to see that this ukulele is well-worth the money you pay.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It’s a bit heavy – since it is made of Koa, it is a bit heavy, weighs 6 pounds, which makes it not ideal for traveling.
Bottom line
All in all, Fender Montecito Tenor ukulele is a great instrument with very solid design, which makes it a bit heavier than usual ukuleles, but also very durable. It delivers great tones, which, along with everything else, makes it a great choice to get.
Cordoba 20TM-CE Acoustic-Electric Tenor Ukulele
Specs, features, and benefits
Cordoba 20TM-CE model is very nicely crafted ukulele, whose top, back and sides are made of mahogany, while bridge and fingerboard are made of rosewood. It has a very nice, natural satin finish, which makes it very pretty and very light, which is very useful if you tend to travel a lot.
It is considered both an acoustic and electric instrument, which makes it a good choice for both traditional and modern music lovers.
With 2Band EQ, which makes very soft cutaways and, and premium quality Aquila Nylgut Tenor strings, which are considered to be amongst the best strings for ukuleles, it is capable of delivering top quality sound.
Pros and Highlights
- Beautiful traditional design – parts made of mahogany and rosewood makes this ukulele look beautiful and traditional;
- High-quality strings, capable of delivering great tones;
- Very lightweight, useful if you travel a lot.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Mid-quality tuners – which is the usual thing for Cordoba ukuleles;
- Price – its price might be considered as a bit too high, especially for the new ukulele.
Bottom line
Despite being criticized for its tuners, Cordoba 20TM-CE is an excellent choice for beginners and experts alike, because it is very light, which is useful for people who travel a lot and it is capable of delivering high-quality sounds nonetheless.
Kala KA-SSTU-TE Travel Tenor Ukulele
Specs, features, and benefits
Kala KA-SSTU-TE model is very traditional, but also very beautiful ukulele. Its top is made of solid spruce, while back and sides, as well as neck, are made of the finest mahogany. Fingerboard and bridge are made of rosewood.
There are 18 nickel frets, made of silver, which adds some special flavor to the looks. It comes with binding and rosette.
What makes this ukulele perfect for beginners is that position is marked on the top and on the side of the fingerboard. Apart from that, it is very light, with a weight of only 1.04 pounds, which makes it perfect for people who travel a lot.
Another very useful thing is that this model is both acoustic and electric, which gives you the option to make the tones you want without having to limit yourself.
Pros and Highlights
- Beautiful design – every detail is carefully considered to fit perfectly with the rest of them;
- Very light, which makes it perfect for constant traveling.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Strings take a bit of time to stretch.
Bottom line
All in all, Kala KA-SSTU-TE model is very good ukulele, capable of delivering high-quality tones and since it is very light and has marked positions, it is very useful for beginners and people who travel a lot or have distant gigs.
Kala Learn to Play Ukulele Tenor Starter Kit
Specs, features, and benefits
Kala is known for making some of the best ukuleles for beginners. They didn’t disappoint here as well, by offering the Makala Classic line ukulele, which is considered to be one of the best starter ukuleles on the market.
It is made of mahogany with very beautiful, satin finish, which makes this ukulele look very traditional. It is capable of delivering very high-quality sounds with the premium Aquila Nylgut strings included.
This ukulele is of the largest ukulele size and it uses the highest four guitar strings, which makes it perfect for people who intend to transition from or to guitar.
Apart from all that, this package comes with free online lessons, tuner application and a booklet, which is very useful for beginners.
Pros and Highlights
- Value for money – with all extras included, this package contains almost everything beginners need at very affordable price.
- Beautiful design – from the base to neck and fingerboard, everything looks neat and nice;
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It can be a bit tricky to set up everything the way you want it to be;
- Video lessons are a 4-day trial period.
Bottom line
Kala starter kit is a very good choice for everyone who is just starting to learn how to play the ukulele because in this package you get very good starter ukulele, video lessons and a booklet at very affordable price.
Alvarez RU26T Regent Series Ukulele
Specs, features, and benefits
Alvarez RU26T Regent Series is very good ukulele with spruce top and gloss finish, whose back and sides are made of mahogany. Its fingerboard is made of rosewood. It also features fan bracing, which, along with everything else, makes it look very beautiful.
It features chrome back tuners, which are closed, with real bone nut and saddle, which gives it a very nice look and makes it capable of delivering very high-quality tones.
This series has a very classic look and its ukuleles are considered to be some of the best ukuleles for beginners, especially because it is designed that way to be very comfortable in hands, which is important for everyone who is starting to learn how to play the ukulele.
Pros and Highlights
- Very beautiful design – the traditional look can cause a bit of nostalgic feeling, but it is also very good and comfortable;
- Excellent sound
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Price – for a starter ukulele, the price could be a bit high.
Bottom line
All things considered, Alvarez RU26T Regent Series ukulele is an excellent choice for everyone who is about to start learning how to play the ukulele, because it’s traditional design makes it very comfortable and easy to play, while, at the same time, it is capable of producing very high-quality sounds.
Cordoba 32T Tenor Ukulele with Case
Specs, features, and benefits
Cordoba 32T model is tenor sized ukulele made of solid material. Its top is made of solid Sitka spruce, while back and sides are made of solid Indian rosewood. Bridge, binding, and fingerboard are made of rosewood as well, while rosette is abalone.
It has a bit wider fingerboard, so the playability is a bit easier, while it also features Spanish heel neck joint and fan bracing.
All this makes Cordoba 32T a bit heavier than other tenor ukuleles, which makes it a bit harder to carry on your travels, but on the other hand, it makes it more durable as well.
With it, you will get tenor polyfoam case, to make it a bit easier to carry around and keep it a bit safer from breaking.
Pros and Highlights
- Very well-crafted – beautiful design and solid material makes this ukulele very durable and capable of enduring a bit more than usual lighter ukuleles;
- Delivers great tones – D’Addario Nyltech strings and chrome Grover tuners make sure the sound is always good.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- A bit heavier – due to its solid material, it is a bit heavier to carry around, which doesn’t make it number one choice for traveling players.
Bottom line
Cordoba 32T is an excellent tenor sized ukulele, made of solid material, which means it is not meant for people who travel a lot, but it adds more in different areas. The sound is very clean and that is why this ukulele is considered to be an excellent choice amongst the mid-range price ukuleles.
What We Recommend
Out of all 6 ukuleles we had presented here, we chose one as our recommendation and that is Kala Tenor Starter Kit because it offers ukulele of very good quality and additional free items, which makes it very useful, especially for beginners. And all that at a very affordable price.