In this guide, we’re looking at the best tenor ukuleles in 2020. The tenor size is the second largest, and the biggest with standard ukulele tuning, so it is popular among players of all sizes including those with larger hands. A tenor ukulele can be comfortable to play and give plenty of projection. Our list of the best tenor ukuleles on the market can provide options with many different designs and at different price points, with something to suit every budget.
Here are the best tenor ukuleles 2020:
- Cordoba 15TM
- Martin 1T IZ
- Kala MK-T
- Lanikai CDST-T
- Kala KA-STG
- Lanikai ACST-CET
- Cordoba 28T
- Kala Mandy Harvey Starter Kit
1. Cordoba 15TM
The best value tenor uke for the money
If you are looking for a model of ukulele that does a good job for beginners and intermediate players alike, all at a reasonable price, the Cordoba 15TM could be a great option for you. Cordoba is a good brand, which has a strong influence from Spanish guitars. The 15TM is a decent sized model for bigger hands, too, it’s great if you are transitioning from playing the guitar.
The mahogany design gives it a comfortable feel as well as good projection and a really rich and complex tone. This uke plays like a lot of the models that cost twice as much. All components are good, the ivoroid body and fingerboard binding show that there is much quality on offer with the binding and build of the uke. It also has brilliant Aquila strings.
Image credit: Cordoba
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Though it might not be the uke of choice for every professional out there, it is certainly a great ukulele for use if you are looking to get an affordable product that feels like the real deal. It’s comfy and easy to play, and coming in at under $100 it is hard to argue against the value on offer here.
2. Martin 1T IZ
A high-end tenor uke for pro musicians
If you are looking to buy a ukulele or an acoustic guitar, the brand name Martin is bound to come up. This high-end manufacturer has been making ukuleles and guitars for over 100 years and the 1T IZ is a great example of what they can offer. This is the sort of instrument that is aimed at the real pros, and the build quality and components back this up.
It’s worth mentioning that the 1T IZ is a tribute to Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian pioneer of music who was an incredible uke player. The materials include Hawaiian koa, East Indian rosewood and an ‘IZ’ inlay as a tribute. Only the best materials are used, and the koa gives a traditional Hawaiian feel and tone.
The rosewood fingerboard makes this easy to play, but like many other models on the market, this relies on the mahogany for its richness and tonal projection.
Image credit: Martin
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If you want a clear tone, loud projection, and a silky smooth playability, this could well be the option for you, plus, the ‘Martin’ badge is bound to impress musicians everywhere. This is the best tenor ukulele for professionals in our opinion.
3. Kala MK-T
The best budget option
You can’t go far in the search for a ukulele without coming across a Kala product, they are truly everywhere as this is one of the biggest manufacturers of ukes out there. They cater for all budgets, and the MK-T is a fantastic model for beginners or for those who want the best budget ukulele that still has the scale of a tenor model.
In spite of being one of the budget choices, it has a mahogany body which projects nicely and is up there with some of the intermediate models rather than cheaper, beginner ukuleles. It has a fairly good quality walnut fingerboard, easy to play with large hands, and the satin finish gives a level of protection, too.
Image credit: Kala
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If you are looking for a great tenor ukulele under $100 then Kala has you covered. They manufacture a lot of different sizes and makes of uke and can always be relied on for decent quality even at the budget price point.
4. Lanikai CDST-T
The best tenor ukulele for chords
If you are looking for the best tenor ukulele under $300, or you are in the market for the top tenor ukulele for playing chords, this could be a fantastic option for you. Not only is it relatively affordable (at least for those who are pretty serious about playing ukulele), but it is also a great model for chords. The extra-wide neck with a comfortable C shape design allows you to move between chord positions easily.
If you are transitioning from guitar, the larger scale of the CDST-T is bound to be a great option for you, but it isn’t just the wide neck that is beneficial for players. It has a solid cedar top with mahogany wood providing a bright tone with plenty of projection. Quality NuBone XB nut and saddles are great additions with a pro feel.
There is also maple binding, and the whole instrument feels like it is well thought out and designed, rather than just cobbled together.
Image credit: Lanikai
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If you’re a bigger ukulele player and you want something with a pro feel to it that doesn’t cost the earth then this could be worth considering. The quality for a model under $300 is impressive.
5. Kala KA-STG
The best tenor uke under $200
If you are looking for the best tenor ukuleles and have a $200 budget then it might well be the Kala brand that gives you the best choice once again. The design of the KA-STG has a simple elegance to it. Not an over the top design or anything to complicated or confusing, but it does have a great sound and that Kala reliability, which you may come to expect from one of the biggest manufacturers on the market.
The Kala has a great projection to it, which the manufacturers attribute to the solid spruce top. There is no denying that this is one of the louder tenor ukes. Like a lot of other products on this list, it utilizes mahogany for the sides and for the back of this instrument.
This is a step up from many of the beginner ukuleles on the market and is a very popular tenor ukulele for those making the step up. It has nicer appointments than some of the little, affordable models out there. It has Aquila Nylgut strings which are industry-standard, sealed tuners and beautiful binding.
Image credit: Kala
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If you are looking for a tenor ukulele that isn’t going to break the bank, but aren’t quite ready to go for a handmade model, this is a great bridge between.
6. Lanikai ACST-CET
The best acoustic-electric tenor ukulele
Another option from Lanikai, one of the more prolific makers of ukes, and a brand with a strong history with the instruments. This time we’re looking at the best acoustic-electric tenor ukulele. If you are looking for the best tenor ukulele under $500 and you want the electronics included then the ACST-CET is a fantastic choice.
It has the best of both worlds, if you are looking for the best sounding tenor ukulele then you don’t have to worry about this model losing it’s acoustic qualities, just because it includes a preamp and output for connecting to an amplifier or PA system.
This tenor ukulele has an acacia body. As you might expect for an electric model, it is great for solos and has a cutaway design, so that you can access all of the frets easily. The tenor design combined with the acacia wood means a fairly mellow tone but one that projects pretty well.
Image credit: Lanikai
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Generally, many people who are looking to get an acoustic-electric model have some idea of what they want. In the case of this model, it is a good ‘all-rounder’ which can suit players of all styles and preferences. The solid acacia combines with the brilliant preamp for a mellow but clear tone.
7. Cordoba 28T
The best koa tenor ukulele
A lot of ukulele players love the tone of a koa wood. For this reason, we’ve included a model specifically for the koa lovers, the Cordoba 28T, which is a fantastic ukulele under $300, so for those in the market for affordability as well as quality this could be worth considering.
One of the reasons why koa is popular is the fact that it is the original tonewood most ukes were made with in Hawaii, so you can rely on the 28T for a traditional sound even with the larger tenor design.
The koa body is complemented by a pau ferro fingerboard. This gives a bright attack to the sound and combines well with the koa wood for a bright tone. You could easily mistake this for a smaller model of uke. The abalone rosette looks great, too. Like some of the other tenor ukes on the list, it has a C-shaped neck, made of mahogany. This makes it more comfortable to play chords.
Image credit: Cordoba
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A lot of people are dead-set on koa. If this is the case with you, then the Cordoba model might provide you with a koa wood option that doesn’t cost too much money and gives a bright and traditional sound that a lot of the tenor models don’t give due to their larger size.
8. Kala Mandy Harvey Starter Kit
A great option for beginners
It’s Kala again. The manufacturers with one of the biggest ranges of ukes have an option that we are delighted to recommend, the Mandy Harvey starter kit is the best tenor ukulele for beginners as it provides you with all you need to get started.
The uke itself is pretty good quality, but the main benefit of this is the fact that it has such a great set of accessories and all you need to get playing the ukulele.
The body is made out of mahogany, as is the neck. There’s a walnut fingerboard, and the model is a tribute to self-taught deaf musician Mandy Harvey. One cool addition is that you get access to lessons with Harvey herself when you buy this ukulele. As well as lessons, it has a gig bag, chromatic tuner and Kala app that you can access.
Image credit: Kala
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This is a popular tenor ukulele among beginners just looking to get started or those who want a full package rather than just buying a uke and all the accessories separately, you can save money this way. A perfect choice if you want the best tenor ukulele for beginners.
Conclusion
The model you are going to opt for usually comes down to the features that are most important to you as well as your budget. We’ve provided a list of the best tenor ukuleles and full reviews so that you can choose which is the most suitable for your own requirements and where you are on your ukulele journey.
Ben is a writer, musician and former studio engineer from the UK with qualifications including music technology. A self-confessed audiophile, Ben can also play multiple instruments.
Ben has worked in recording studios in the East of England, and written about all aspects of music equipment and the music business, as well as production and engineering.