Last Updated: September 6, 2018.

Some of the best Ukuleles out there have some absolutely incredible designs on them, making them stand out quite a bit from most other instruments.

This makes finding the right Ukulele just that much more fun, In this article I’ve put together some of the most unique designs I could find out there that are on Ukuleles.

I’ve been a musician for over 15 years now, and because of this it is very easy for me to spot an instrument that is poorly constructed. In this list there are many brands that I know and trust well, and some that I haven’t had a chance to play so I simply can’t say wether or not they’re any good. Because of this I would definitely check reviews for each of these before making any purchase. I did not include any Ukulele in this article that I think is poorly constructed, but it is always a good idea when buying any instrument to make as informed a decision as you can.

(Top Ten) Jaw-Dropping Ukuleles:

#1) Tribal Ukulele Design by Luna

This absolutely incredible design by Luna seems to be based off Hawaiin Tribal designs (Technically Polynesian). I’m a big fan of Luna instruments, and this one is my favorite of their Ukuleles since it’s based off traditional designs that actual Hawaiians would tattoo on each other.

Luna has a version of this ukulele that’s “Pineapple shaped” meaning that the body is literally an oval like a pineapple with the top portion being smaller than the bottom.

Pineapple shaped Ukuleles tend to also have more warmth and resonance than your typical Ukulele, which is a plus if you like that design style.

Fun Fact: The Ukulele was technically created in Hawaii, however they took the instrument idea originally from Portuguese immigrants who played an instrument called a Machete.

#2) Ocean Ukulele Design by Luna

Another Great Design by Luna (There will be a lot of Luna Guitars in this article, they’re a great band and put out way more designs than their competition), This Ukulele is much more beautiful in person than the pictures show which is a shame.

Like any Luna, this has a sweet bright tone, personally I don’t like that the headstock is blue, I’d rather it match the sky. Not sure why, but it’s not a big deal of course.

#3) Kangaroo Ukulele

Simplicity can sometimes be better right? I debated putting this one into this list, but I was just so drawn to how nice it looked with that simple design around the sound hole.

This one is also ridiculously cheap as well, and even comes with accessories which is a pretty big plus.

Last I checked the accessories included a softcover case a tuner, and an instructional dvd, which would make it a great gift for a beginning player.

#4) Sun and Clouds Design by Donner

Really creative design of the clouds falling down the fretboard into the sun, this Donner definitely catches that happy feel good vibe of Hawaiian culture.

Another pretty inexpensive piece, some people have had some minor issues with these. Like all instruments check the reviews before you buy.

Donner in my opinion is an underrated brand, after playing these and doing some research online it seems like they are very serious about their build quality which is a big deal for me. All the materials used are standard for a good Ukulele, and there are definitely some out there that are the double the cost that aren’t receiving as much care as these are. Will be interesting to see if these become more popular. Reviews on these show a lot of people feel the same.

#5) Alternative Hawaiian Design by Luna

Another interesting design by Luna, this is an interesting twist on Hawaiian tribal designs. The fretboard inlays add a nice touch as well.

My favorite thing about this is that the actual graphic is not overwhelming, I’m not a very big fan of Ukuleles that have graphics all over the front. Subtle is better, however if that’s not your thing this next Ukulele might be something you’ll like.

#6) Ukadelic by KALA

Kala is one of the best brands you can get out there when it comes to Ukuleles. This particular Ukulele is no exception, the build quality is great and the tone is exceptional.

Interestingly however, some people did have problems with the action being to high on the Ukulele. An issue that I haven’t seen people have before when it comes to Kala instruments.

This instrument in particular is actually waterproof, and is made out of different materials than your standard Kala instrument.

Definitely worth checking out, if you like the idea of a waterproof Ukulele I’d also look up the Waterman Ukulele which is clear and comes in a ton of different colors. Pretty great idea for those who like to play by the beach or anywhere outdoors.

#7) Starry Night by Luna

Even though the full graphic designs aren’t my favorite, the Starry Night by Luna is an exception. Of course the original design by Van Gogh is a masterpiece and they are simply paying for the rights to have this on their Ukulele.

I really like the placement and how they only sectioned off a part of the whole painting on there, however it could be very cool to have placed the moon right where the sound hole is.

Luna is pretty genius for having these put on their ukuleles, I’m sure this one will be a hit.

Note: I played this in a store in St. Louis and was blown away by how great this guy sounded. If I was more into full graphics I’d have this for sure.

#8) Kala Shark Design

This design is honestly pretty simple, and comes in many different colors. Honestly I really like it in this matte banana yellow. Needless to say this is an incredible piece since it’s a Kala, it has a very unique appeal because of the color options.

The color options that come with this design are all bright matte colors, which is pretty unique and gives it character.

Also, if you do read the reviews. You might get a kick out of some of the people who gave it bad reviews, there’s quite a few that were upset that it “didn’t stay in tune” (because of new strings, which will happen on any instrument) and some that were upset because there were some chips in the paint (of course they’ll replace your instrument if it is chipping so why be upset?) anyways…..I was pretty amused.

Looking for more Ukuleles? Don’t worry, Amazon has literally thousands of listings with incredible designs just as good (some you might think are better than my choices) as these.

Tips to making your Ukulele look Unique:

Buying a Ukulele that already has a cool design on it is simply not your only option.

In fact, you can spruce up your old one by trying a few of these Tips…

Tip #1) Use inlay stickers (good ones) on your Ukulele

Look online for some of these, they can be dirt cheap and good ones will stay on your Ukulele for a long time and not peel. I was a bit skeptical of these at first, but I have some on a guitar I own that I do some really excessive bending on that hasn’t peeled off in almost two years now.

Tip #2) Get creative and pull out a sharpie!

Yes, I know somebody out there might throw a fit that I’m saying to draw on your instrument….but it is YOUR instrument, and what you choose to do with it is entirely up to you. There are some incredible designs out there from people doing art on their personal gear.

Tip #3) Have someone do a commissioned piece for you

This is probably the best way to do this, just have somebody draw what you’d like for you. Plenty of artists out there would love to do this type of art as a commission piece. It’s interesting and new and this way you’ll have something that’s 100% what you want since you’ll be able to work directly with the artist on this.

Conclusion:

Wether this is your first Ukulele or your last (hopefully not!) there are tons of choices out there for different designs. Everything from full blown out graphics to simple etched designs, having your own unique instrument is easier than ever before.

I mentioned in this article the thousands of different Ukuleles on Amazon, and I should probably mention one other resource Etsy. They are probably the number one place to get a design that will be completely unique to you and you alone, and you can even have some people on there do special pieces.

Why didn’t I include Etsy designs in this article?

Unfortunately, I decided not to since I wasn’t 100% positive that it wouldn’t offend some artists. Even though I link to all of the companies products in my blurbs above, I wasn’t sure if Etsy artist would feel ok with me doing the same with them. I’ll be messaging a couple in the future to see if I can get their approval however, there are some on there that do some seriously amazing work.

I also didn’t want to disappoint anyone who reads this article and decides to click on a link to their Ukulele only to find that particular instrument has been either discontinued or sold.

You can find great Ukulele stuff on Etsy, so I definitely recommend checking them out.

Thanks for reading! Leave a comment below if there’s anything you’d like to add, all feedback is appreciated.