Photo by Avi NaimPineapple ukuleles are cute, and they offer greater resonance than standard-shaped ukes. Here’s how you find the best pineapple ukulele you can find.
When you’re feeling down, nothing beats playing the best pineapple ukulele to keep your spirits up.
A ukulele is always fun to play, and the sound is always upbeat and vibrant. That’s especially true with the pineapple variant, as it sounds louder.
Bring it along to the beach, or just play it in your backyard. You’ll turn your frown upside down!
Contents
Top 6 Pineapple Ukulele: Comparison Chart
| Image | Name | Features | View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Kala KA-WTML Watermelon-Style Soprano Ukulele |
| Check Price |
 | Kala MK-P Makala Pineapple |
| Check Price |
 | Sawtooth ST-UKE-MPS-KIT-2 |
| Check Price |
 | Enya Pineapple Soprano Ukulele |
| Check Price |
 | Luna Tribal Mahogany Soprano Pineapple Ukulele |
| Check Price |
 | Luna Tattoo Mahogany Soprano Pineapple Ukulele |
| Check Price |
Best Picks of Pineapple Ukulele
#1: Kala KA-WTML Watermelon-Style Soprano Ukulele
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- 12 silver nickel frets
- Mahogany body and neck
- Fret position marks at 5th, 7th, and 10th frets on neck and top of fingerboard
- Traditional white binding
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Now this one looks cute. Despite its pineapple shape, its body looks like what you see when you cut a watermelon in half.
There’s also a pineapple variant, along with a kiwi version.
Kids would get a kick out of its looks. Even you might feel like you’re on a beach somewhere, even if you’re just playing out on your lawn.
It’s also great as a decorative item in your living room or music room. Hang it on your wall, and it makes the room feel a lot more casual and relaxing.
Physical Dimensions
This comes with 12 frets, with a scale length of 13⅝ inches. The body is 9⅜ inches long, and the whole thing is 20⅞ inches in length.
Sound
This comes with a set of nylon strings, which you need to break in for a week or so. After that, it shouldn’t require too much retuning.
The body is made with laminated mahogany, but its sound is nice and certainly unique. For newbies, it’s just right as it is certainly crisp and bright.
Cost
This isn’t super-cheap, but it’s not very expensive either. Serious musicians may have more expensive ukes with real wood, but this is great for practice and for some songs.
All in all, this is a nice beginner’s ukulele that looks unique and sounds nice enough.
- Looks cute
- Suited for kids and beginners
- Serious musicians can use this for practice
- Sounds good enough for newbies
- Affordable
- Doesn’t sound as nice compared to ukes with real wood
- May not keep its tuning for long
#2: Kala MK-P Makala Pineapple
- Agathis body
- Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
- Mahogany neck
- Satin finish
- Geared tuners
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Kala calls this the best entry-level ukulele in the market, and it’s hard to argue with them. This one isn’t about how cute it looks, though it looks impressive.
It looks like a proper musical instrument. More importantly, it sounds terrific.
Even if you’re a serious musician, use this for practice or for travel. This certainly isn’t a toy, and just about every Kala pineapple ukulele review attests to this.
Body
This comes with an Agathis body, a rosewood fingerboard, and a mahogany neck. The bridge is made of graphite.
That means this doesn’t come with so much plastic, unlike the other toy ukes in this price range. All that wood gives you a proper sound.
It sounds more expensive than it costs, which is saying something.
Strings
It comes with Aquila nylon strings, which sound nice enough for practice even for serious musicians. The spacing and the fret height is well-suited for most people.
You do need to tune them first, and that means you need to get an app or a clip-on tuner. If you’re a newbie, this can take a while.
Then you also need time to break in the strings. That means it can take a week, while you play it 3 hours a day.
Dimensions
This comes with the usual pineapple measurements, along with 12 frets. It’s compact and easy to play and bring along anywhere.
It’s somewhat lightweight too. Those who are used to guitars may be astonished at just how lightweight this is—some compare its weight to a box of tissues.
- Extremely affordable
- Perfect for travelling
- Sounds better than other entry-level ukes
- May not be cute enough for kids
- Doesn’t come with any accessories (not even a case)
#3: Sawtooth ST-UKE-MPS-KIT-2
- Mahogany Top with Mahogany Back, Sides and Neck
- Beautiful Laser Etched Rosette, 15 Frets, Natural Satin Finish
- Rosewood Bridge and Fingerboard with Dot Inlays
- Geared Tuning Keys, Strung with Aquila Strings
- Includes Quick Start Instruction Guide with Chords
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This time we went with a kit for newbies, so that you can get some accessories. The kit includes a soft gig case, a tripod stand for when you’re not playing it, a manual with basic uke chords, and a clip-on tuner.
But the real standout here is the pineapple soprano uke.
Mahogany on All Sides
This comes with mahogany wood for the top, back and the sides. Even the neck is mahogany, while the fretboard is rosewood.
The wood combination gives you that midrange tone that’s warm, mellow, and rich. With its 15 frets, you certainly have lots of tonal highs and lows to play with.
Aesthetics
This looks great (not kiddie-cute), with its natural satin finish. It looks like a real musical instrument.
This also comes with a laser-etched rosette, which highlights the natural beauty of the mahogany. At the same time, it’s not too big so that it doesn’t detract from the satin natural finish.
Playability
The strings are mostly in tune when we got it, so it didn’t take a lot of time to tune. The clip-on tuner certainly helped.
After breaking this in within a week, we liked its tuning stability. The geared tuning keys worked well in keeping it in tune.
- Comes with lots of accessories
- Uses mahogany for a terrific mellow sound
- Looks elegant
- Uses popular Aquila Super Nylgut Strings
- 15 frets
- A hard case would’ve been nicer
- No DVD lessons
#4: Enya Pineapple Soprano Ukulele
- ♫ Great quality and durability guaranteed with HPL KOA materials. Just grab and play wherever you like without worrying about temperature and humidity.
- ♫Unique BT Neck Junction ,Premium sound & Comfortable holding. Designed to optimize playing experience.
- ♫ [Stable Voice] Mahogany neck and advanced fluorocarbon strings ensure the quality of voice.
- ♫ Acoustic Mahogany Soprano Ukulele with Richlite fingerboard, high-end tuning pegs, matte finish, and Enya carbon strings – Tuned G C E A
- ♫ Free accessory package includes EVERYTHING you may need! (case, strap, extra string set, capo, sand shaker, picks, polish cloth)
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Enya brand is actually new, as it was founded in Texas by musician Haiming Hu in 2011. The brand’s goal is to provide affordable ukes without compromising the quality.
You can certainly get that focus on offering value for money with this kit, as it has almost everything. The kit includes a case, 2 picks, strap, tuner, capo, an extra set of strings, and even a sand finger shaker.
While this doesn’t have the DVD lessons, that’s not a big deal since you can easily find YouTube ukulele lessons. Besides, who has a DVD player these days?
As for the ukulele itself, you have the EUP-X1 model here.
Construction
The top, back, and sides here are made with high-pressure laminate Koa. The famed Martin brand uses HPL for many of its guitars, so you can’t really complain.
You also have mahogany for the neck and Richlite for the fingerboard. As for the strings, they’re made with advanced fluorocarbon.
Looks
This looks nice and elegant. Actually, it looks it’s enticing you to play it.
The mahogany look for the body doesn’t make it look like a mere toy. At the same time, the use of the HPL makes it more impervious to temperature and humidity concerns.
Still, you get a case with the purchase. That way, you protect it from direct sunlight and dust.
Sound
Many say that this sound virtually the same as the sound of real wood. The resonance and the sustain won’t fail to impress.
At this price point, you’ll have a difficult time finding one that sounds better. Only a very serious musician will notice how its sound differs from a uke made with real solid Koa.
The fretboard is even slightly curved from side to side. This makes it easier for you to play barre chords.
- Comes with plenty of accessories
- Elegant look
- Sounds almost as good as real wood
- Slightly curved fretboard
- Fitted with strap buttons
- May be a bit hard to restring for some people
- No DVD lessons
#5: Luna Tribal Mahogany Soprano Pineapple Ukulele
- A great uke for beginners and pros alike
- A beautiful "pineapple" motif rendered in a stunning design combined with quality construction and great value
- Features a Mahogany body, set neck, walnut fretboard and pearl dot inlays
- Luna's "Tribal" line of mahogany ukuleles combine the best of traditional profiles and wood selection with Hawaiian aesthetics
- This Tribal Uke takes its design from traditional Pacific carvings
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Now if you really want to get a pineapple uke for its looks, try this one. The “tribal” design looks like it was made several hundred years ago, even if the uke itself appeared only in the early 1900s.
But this uke isn’t all about the sound, either. The mahogany tone is just fantastic.
All in all, this doesn’t look or sound like a sub-$100 musical instrument. Many consider this the best pineapple ukulele for the money for newbies.
Materials
This uses mahogany (the real wood) for the top, body, and neck. This comes with walnut for the fretboard and bridge.
All these make for a nice sound, and certainly nicer than what its price point indicates. Plenty of people have remarked that it sounds very much like more expensive ukuleles.
The Aquila nylon strings are here, so you’ll need about a week to break them in. after that, you won’t have to retune this too often.
Design
The look is amazing, with the black design showing a stylized tribal face against a brown background.
You get the usual dimensions (compact, in other words) and 12 frets.
- Affordable
- Fantastically unique design
- Uses real wood
- Sounds nice
- Takes a while to break in the strings
- No accessories
#6: Luna Tattoo Mahogany Soprano Pineapple Ukulele
- 21" Soprano Size
- Select Mahogany
- Polynesian Tattoo Laser-Etched Design
- 12 frets
- Rosewood Fingerboard
Last update on 2023-06-09 / Affiliate links (#ad) / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This comes with the accessories you need, so you won’t have to get them separately. You get the padded gig bag with zippered compartments, an extra set of strings, a clip-on tuner, and a polishing cloth.
This is a bit different from the earlier Luna tribal uke, but it’s a good choice as well.
Differences with the Other Tribal Uke
This also comes with a mahogany top, but the fretboard is rosewood instead of walnut. You also have a chrome bridge.
The sound is still very similar, and it’s still fun to play. Also, you get that same tribal design on the body.
Obviously, the main difference here is that you won’t have to buy the accessories on your own. If you’re a newbie, you can just tune the strings and you’re good to go.
- Comes with accessories
- Mahogany top
- Fun tribal design
- Same great sound
- No DVD lessons or even chord chart
- A hard case would have been better
What is a Ukulele?
The ukulele is a Hawaiian musical instrument that looks like a very small guitar. It’s just that it has 4 strings instead of 6.
When you listen to it, it somehow makes you think of the beach and tropical settings. In other words, it’s very Hawaiian.
However, the ukulele was born of two Portuguese musical instruments. These are the cavaquinho and the braguinha (sometimes called the “machete”).
History of the Ukulele
The history of the uke actually started not in Hawaii but in Portugal. About 25,000 Portuguese emigrants left Madeira headed for a better life in Hawaii back in 1879.
Of course, many of them took several cultural keepsakes with them. These included their musical instruments, especially the braguinha.
The new immigrants to Hawaii took to playing their instruments for fun and social gatherings. They represented what they left back home in Portugal.
The people of Hawaii naturally fell in love with the music the new immigrants brought with them, and even the Hawaiian royal family loved the music.
The immigrants soon opened their open woodworking shops, where they made musical instruments (along with furniture) for both immigrants and locals.
It didn’t take long for a Hawaiian version of the Portuguese musical instruments came about. It probably took less than 20 years for the first ukulele to appear.
Then the Americans came in the early years of the 1900s, and the ukulele became even more famous. Soon, the ukulele became the unofficial musical instrument for surfers!
It’s still played today, not just by children but serious musicians as well.
Different Types of Ukulele
Ukuleles can be categorized by several ways.
By Price
Ukuleles can cost more than $1,000 while you can find some that only cost only $20. Basically, the higher quality of construction will determine the price.
- In general, the more expensive ukuleles use premium wood such as mahogany or acacia Koa. These “ukes” look good and sound terrific.
- The more affordable models make do with plywood, laminate wood, or even plastic. They don’t sound as good compared to the premium models, but newbies often appreciate their sound well enough.
By Frets
You can also just count the frets, which in turn affect the overall tone of the ukulele.
- Soprano ukulele. 12 to 15 frets
- Ukulele concert. 15 to 18 frets
- Tenor ukulele. 17 to 19 frets
- Baritone ukulele. 18 to 21 frets
The most popular is the soprano, which is why we focused on the best soprano ukulele on our list.
Standard or Pineapple
Ukuleles can also be group depending on the shape of the uke body. Like the bigger guitar, the standard uke has a “Coca-Cola” body shape with a slimmer middle part.
On the other hand, the body shape of the pineapple resembles the chunky shape of the (what else) pineapple.
They tend to sound the same, but the pineapple shaped ukulele tends to sound fuller and more resonant. That’s because the body of the pineapple uke holds more air for resonance, and the bigger front and back panels offer more vibration.
Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Pineapple Ukulele
How, exactly, do you find the top pineapple ukulele among so many possible choices? You can’t just go and find a ukulele, check that it has a pineapple body, and then call it a day.
Instead, you may want to read the product specs more closely. You should also read customer pineapple ukulele reviews, to get a fair idea if people are satisfied with their ukulele.
When you read these product descriptions and customer reviews, you should pay particular attention to the following factors:
Cost
Like with any consumer item, you will have to pay attention to how much the ukulele will cost. You can’t just go with the cheap ones that cost $20, since they will most likely leave you utterly unimpressed.
Even if you have a limited budget, start with a price range of around $100. The ukuleles in this price range will offer a sound that’s good enough for beginners without too many headaches.
If you’re a serious musician, then you’ll have to go with premium-quality ukes. Unfortunately, these will cost you a lot more.
Package Deal
Does it come with accessories? This may interest you if you’re a newbie, since you won’t have to buy these accessories separately.
These things can be very informative, since you may not be aware of what accessories you need. Some may even come with a DVD with lessons so you can learn to play the uke quickly.
Other accessories you might need can include a clip-on tuner, a cleaning cloth, extra strings, and a nice bag.
Some may offer straps, but check if the uke it comes with has preset holes for the strap.
Body Material
The more expensive ukuleles will use real wood for the uke body. That way, the sound is much better.
You can go with laminated wood for a newbie’s uke, though the sound may not be as good. Check that the body material is durable, at least.
Also, fun decorative colors are great, especially for young ukulele players. You can also hang them out on your wall for use as a decorative item.
Brand
In many cases, you’d want to go with a known brand so you have a fair idea of its quality. Most of the more famous brands offer good-quality ukes to protect their brand image.
Check out our section of known ukulele brands, as these brands are known to offer good value for your money. You may want to avoid Johnnie-come-lately brands, as these don’t have any reputation to protect.
Type
Do you want a soprano ukulele? This is the most popular type, as it offers the tone that you’re probably familiar with.
But there are other types as well, such as the tenor or baritone ukuleles. As their name implies, they offer lower tones and more frets.
Playability
The main concern for most people will be the ukulele’s tuning. It should be easy to tune, and it should keep its tune for a while.
What you don’t want is a ukulele that loses its tuning easily. Some cheap ukes can even go out of tune right after a single strum!
Electronics
If you’re a serious musician, then you might want an “electric” ukulele instead. You can then connect it to an amplifier for performances, and it’s easier to record your playing.
Top Pineapple Ukulele Brands
There are plenty of these ukulele brands around, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Among the best ukulele brands include (in alphabetical order):
- ADM
- Diamond Head
- Enya
- Hola!
- Kala
- Kamaka
- Kanilea
- Lanikai
- Lohanu
- Luna
- Mahalo
- Ohana
- Oscar Schmidt
- Pono
- Sawtooth
Tips for Using and Maintaining Ukulele
Here are some helpful tips that can help you learn to play and take care of your new ukulele.
- The fingernails on your fretting hand should be cut short. That way, you’re able to do your chords the right way.
- On the other hand, you may want to grow your fingernails a bit long on your strumming and picking fingers.
- If possible, go with a hard case. That’s especially true if you have an expensive ukulele you want to protect from bumps and falls to the floor.
- Clean the body and strings as you would with a guitar.
- Keep the uke in a place with proper humidity and temperature levels.
- Don’t leave this under the sun (even if it’s in the case).
- Don’t drop it! That means you need to maintain a proper grip on it.
- Be very careful when using a capo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “ukulele” mean in Hawaiian?
It means “jumping flea”. The name fits for a tiny instrument with a cheerful and vibrant sound.
Are there even any famous musicians who play the ukulele?
Sure there are, as Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, George Harrison, and Joni Mitchell have all played this instrument. You must have heard these names before, since they’re all legendary musicians.
Among current-day music artists, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Bruno Mars have played the uke in their concerts.
Any songs I can listen to that use the ukulele?
The classic song you must listen to is the beloved single “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. Head on over to YouTube to listen to it.
If you’re a fan of pop music, then you must have listened to “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. That song has the uke too.
If you’re a fan of alternative rock, then you know Eddie Vedder who’s the vocalist for Pearl Jam. He has a song called “Longing to Belong”, which features the ukulele.
Final Verdict
Each one here is a splendid choice and may be the best pineapple ukulele for you. But if you ask us and you’re a newbie, we think you should go with the Sawtooth ST-UKE-MPS-KIT-2.
You even get a chord chart, a case, and a tripod stand. This is a complete package, so for newbies you’re saved the trouble of getting them separately.
But the real price here is the uke itself. It’s just that good, probably because it uses real mahogany.
Try this, and even as you get better at playing the ukulele, you’ll still want to keep this. Even if you’re a serious musician, this works for practice and for travel, and for teaching your kids to love the ukulele.