Hola Music Soprano Ukulele for Beginners
A blue Hola Music 21-inch soprano ukulele unbox and setup, from the out-of-tune strings to the three picks and free lessons.
Reviewed by
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
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When I was testing this Hola Music soprano ukulele for beginners, the first thing I did was tighten a string. That’s the starting point for a $40 beginner uke: it ships loose, looks deceptively toy-like, and then, once you tune it, it actually holds together and sounds like a real instrument. If you’re deciding whether a cheap starter kit is worth it before committing, here’s exactly what you get. You can grab the same setup here on Amazon if you want to follow along.
Quick Verdict
It came out of the box out of tune, and I had to tighten a string before I’d even set it down. That’s normal for a beginner uke like this blue Hola Music soprano, and once you tune it, it’s a really nice, firm little build at a super light 1.5 lbs.
Buy if you:
Skip if you:
- Won’t buy or use a tuner, because it does not arrive playable and one string was already dropping
- Expect a stage-ready concert or tenor instrument, this is a small 21-inch soprano
- Want premium tonewoods, this is a budget beginner build
| Size | 21 in soprano |
|---|---|
| Weight | ~1.5 lbs |
| Frets | 12 |
| Includes | Gig bag, strap, 3 picks, spare strings, fingerboard sticker, cloth |
| Bonus | 2 months free online lessons |
Getting Started With Your Soprano Ukulele for Beginners
One thing worth clearing up before the unbox: soprano ukuleles are not kid guitars. The 21-inch body is compact, not childish, and the 1.5-lb weight means adults can play standing up for an hour without their arm giving out. That matters for who this is actually built for.
What Pulls Out of the Box
The ukulele comes wrapped in a styrofoam-type padding, and you don’t have to keep the box. There’s a cool little bag it slides into, and that bag has loops on the back so you can wear it like a backpack, in essence. That’s a nice touch for a starter kit, because carrying it around is half the fun of a small instrument.
Inside there’s a little package with picks. I had to fight it open a second, come on, come on, but it comes with three really nice picks, and they’re different. Different sizes. 1.2 mm, 71 mm, and 96, so that thickest one is the 96. You also get a nice little strap to put on the ukulele itself, though I’ll admit I wasn’t certain where you’d attach that strap right at that moment. It comes with it regardless.
On paper the full kit adds up to more than most beginners expect for the money. Here’s the rundown of what you’re getting.
The First Strum, and the Tuning Reality
When you get it right out of the box, it’s not going to be in tune. I could tell right away that one string was off. So like for this one, I needed to tighten that one string before it sounded right. That’s not a knock on Hola specifically, that’s just what happens with a shipped ukulele, the strings settle and drift. But it’s the thing a beginner needs to hear before they get frustrated on day one.
Which means you’re probably going to need a tuner, or at least know that one string is going down and needs bringing back up. Once you learn how to tune them, though, these are fun little units for adults or kids. I obviously do not know how to play it, I’ll be the first to say that, but you can learn really easy. Really nice quality, nice firm build to it, and super lightweight in the hands.
It Arrives Out of Tune, and That’s a Learning Curve
The one bit of friction is the tuning, and it’s worth being upfront about. You can’t just hand this to a kid and expect music. One string was already drifting when I pulled it out, and I had to tighten it before anything sounded right. If you’ve never tuned a stringed instrument, that first hour can feel like a wall.
The good news is the fix is cheap and the kit points you at help. A clip-on tuner is a few dollars, and the free 2 months of online lessons come on a card in the box, you go to the website and register. You’re probably going to need them, and there’s no shame in that. It just means “playable in five minutes” isn’t the expectation. “Playable after you learn to tune it” is.
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Hola Music Soprano Ukulele
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Who This Little Uke Is Actually For
The real target buyer is someone who has never touched a stringed instrument and isn’t sure they’ll stick with it. A kid getting this as a birthday gift, or an adult who keeps saying they want to “learn something”, both can be playing a recognizable chord within a week of tuning it. The 21-inch soprano body is small enough that it doesn’t feel intimidating to pick up, and light enough at 1.5 lbs that it doesn’t get put down.
At about 1.5 lbs with a 21-inch soprano body, it’s small enough to grab off the couch and noodle with while the TV’s on. The backpack-loop bag makes it a decent travel or dorm instrument. And as a birthday or holiday gift, the fact that it ships with the bag, strap, picks and free lessons means the person opening it isn’t stuck buying more stuff before they can start.
A Beginner Uke Kit vs. Just a Bare Ukulele
A bare soprano ukulele at this price point is usually just that, the instrument, nothing else. Factor in a gig bag (~$15), a strap (~$8), a set of picks (~$5), and any kind of lesson access, and you’ve already spent more than the cost gap between this kit and buying piecemeal. The bundle wins on day-one convenience, not because the individual accessories are exceptional, but because they’re there and they work.
Where a bare uke can win: if you already own a tuner, a case and picks, and you just want the instrument, a bundle’s extras don’t help you. And a step up to a concert or tenor size gives you a bigger, fuller tone if you know you’re past the “is this a phase” stage. But for a true first-timer, the all-in-one kit removes the excuses, and that’s worth a lot.
Advice Before You Hit Buy
Buy a clip-on tuner in the same order. It’s the one thing this kit doesn’t hand you, and it’s the difference between fun and frustration in that first week. Don’t skip it thinking you’ll tune by ear, you won’t, not on day one.
Register the free lessons early. The card’s in the box, and 2 months goes fast, so start the clock when you’re ready to actually practice, not the day it arrives. Keep the strap even if you’re not sure where it goes at first, I wasn’t either, but once you’re standing and playing you’ll want it. And keep those spare strings somewhere you’ll find them, because a beginner will snap one eventually.
Pros
- Nice, firm build quality and super lightweight at ~1.5 lbs
- Bag with backpack loops so you can wear it and carry it easily
- Three picks in different thicknesses (1.2 mm, 71 mm, 96) plus a strap
- 2 months of free online lessons included with a card in the box
- Works for adults, not just kids, despite the “kid guitar” reputation
Cons
- Arrives out of tune with at least one string already drifting
- You’ll need a tuner it doesn’t come with
- Strap placement isn’t obvious out of the box
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ukulele come with a tuner?
No, a tuner isn’t in the box. You get the uke, a gig bag, a strap, three picks, spare strings, a fingerboard sticker and a cloth, but you’ll want to buy a cheap clip-on tuner separately since it arrives out of tune.
How long until a beginner can play a song?
Plan on a little patience the first week. Once you tune it and learn a few chords through the free 2-month lessons, simple songs come fast, but the tuning step is the real starting line, not just picking it up.
Is this ukulele just for kids?
No, it’s for adults too. A lot of people think ukuleles are kid guitars, but they’re not, and anybody can learn to play one and have fun with it. The 21-inch soprano size is just compact, not childish.
What are the free lessons and how do I get them?
There’s a card in the box that sends you to the website to register for 2 months of free online lessons. Start them when you’re ready to practice regularly, since the clock runs whether you use them or not.
How heavy and how big is it?
It’s a 21-inch soprano ukulele weighing around 1.5 lbs, so it’s small and super lightweight. That makes it easy to grab off the couch, and the included bag has backpack loops for carrying it around.
Do the nylon strings hurt your fingers?
Soft nylon ukulele strings are much gentler than steel guitar strings, so beginner fingertips hold up better. You may still feel a little tenderness in the first few practice sessions, which fades as you build up.
Where does the strap attach?
The strap goes on the ukulele body, though the attachment point isn’t obvious at first glance. If your uke doesn’t have strap buttons, a simple hook-style ukulele strap ties around the headstock, so check yours before assuming.
Is a soprano the right size to start on?
Yes, soprano is the classic beginner size and the most compact. If you have large hands or want a fuller tone later, a concert or tenor is a natural next step, but soprano is a fine, cheap place to find out if you like playing.
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Get it now
Hola Music Soprano Ukulele
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place — these are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ Hola Music 21-inch Soprano Ukulele — check price on Amazon →
🛍️ Hola Music Ukulele Picks Set — check price on Amazon →
🛍️ Hola Music Ukulele Strap — check price on Amazon →
🛍️ Hola Music Ukulele Carrying Bag — check price on Amazon →
About the reviewer
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
