The Hola! Music brand is a small family owned business started in 2011 that manufactures guitars, ukuleles, and musical instrument accessories. Today ukes are so big that it’s easy to get lost in all the noise. Small makers like Hola stand out by creating rather unique looking ukes. If you happen to wonder, are Hola ukuleles good? Well the answer is about the same with all the well-known and even less established brands. Yes, they make decent lower end ukulele models, and with that comes potential issues. Like all brands laminated instruments are going to be the cheapest to purchase, it is up to you to make sure you get a worthwhile uke. When buying at super low costs you have to expect some potential problems. And if you are such a beginner that you can’t discern between playability problems, then you have to be very careful when purchasing cheaper models like Hola ukuleles.
Like other brands Hola uses laminated woods: mahogany, spruce, spalted maple, rosewood, zebrawood, and similar woods used in all ukes. There is also a solid mahogany model to choose from and will likely be the best Hola ukulele. They really don’t have that many models to choose from. They seem to stick to the most commonly played sizes and styles, which clearly suits such a small company. Most ukulele makers have models in soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone size. At Hola they only make sopranos, concerts, tenors, and a lefty model. So if you need a baritone you will have to look elsewhere.
Deluxe Hola Ukulele Bundle | Concert sizes come in spalted maple, mahogany, and even koa Bundle includes padded gig bag, Aquila strings, strap and picks | Buy on Amazon Our Review |
Hola HM-121MG Bundle | Mahogany soprano in a variety of colors Included bundle of nice gig bag, strap, picks, and Aquila strings | Buy on Amazon Our Review |
We have done some Hola ukulele reviews in past articles, so the ones below aren’t necessarily the best, just different models that may suit your needs. As always, they have many of the same features as other companies so the key to buying is if you happen to prefer the Hola models. As long as you buy from an online store that has a good return policy you won’t have to worry about getting stuck with a poorly made instrument. Just be sure check your Hola ukulele as soon as it arrives.
Deluxe Hola Ukulele Bundle
The deluxe Hola series are concert sized ukes that come in a variety of woods and colors. They can be made from mahogany, spalted maple, koa, zebrawood, and nato. Essentially the same basic laminate woods used by other manufacturers. Depending on which style of concert you get it also comes with a bundle of accessories; a padded gig bag (which looks nicer than most gig bags), Aquila strings, a strap, and picks. This is really a great series for first time players as they are affordable but not too cheap. Plus you get to choose from colors like purple, brown, green, blue, and of course regular wood grain satin finishes. They also have some models with Hawaiian tattoo ornamentations similar to the Luna company. If you are just starting out, you can easily find an Hola ukulele in this series to make you happy!
User Reviews
“These seem to be the best Hola ukes available for new students, so I decided to get the concert with the ebony body. It is a wonderful sounding instrument and totally worth the price I paid. Hopefully Hola starts making some intermediate and advanced ukes, and I will definitely upgrade!”
Marsha
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“When deciding to buy a uke it can be so overwhelming with such a plethora of brands. The one thing that caught my eye with Hola ukes is their lack of really bad reviews. It seems that customers have a low chance of finding a lemon and that was enough to get my money. I couldn’t be happier, whether for yourself or a gift these instruments are great for the price.”
Mark
Hola HM-121MG Bundle
This Hola soprano ukulele is at the very bottom of acceptable price ranges. Any lower and you will likely not have a playable instrument. It is made of laminated mahogany, with a nato neck, and a walnut fingerboard. This series of soprano ukes can be bought in natural wood finish, purple, green, brown, red, and even a zebrawood model that looks a lot pricier than it is. This Hola soprano ukulele also comes with a bundle of goodies like a very nice looking padded gig bag, a colorful strap, picks, and Aquila strings. This particular uke would likely make a great gift for kids as it so colorful and eye catching. Just be careful as a new and younger player won’t be able to tell if they have a quality instrument. And at such low prices you have a better chance at having some serious defects.
User Reviews
“As a teacher I have bought ukes of many sizes from all the major builders, and while Hola ukes aren’t the best out there, the cheaper models don’t have many problems. If you are really dealing with a tight budget the soprano model will give you the least grief.”
Michael
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“These are the best ukes to buy for kids. They are colorful, have fun designs, and just look like they should cost a little more. I can play it and get a decent sound, so I know my kid won’t have any troubles. And if it gets damaged or broken, you are not out that much money”
anonymous
As mentioned, the Hola company is on par with all the other ukulele companies. Places like Kala, Lanikai, Luna, Cordoba, and more all have similar cheap laminated models to choose from. Unlike the other companies Hola doesn’t really have many models, they stick to the most common sizes and styles that sell. Despite the lack of models they do provide quite the assortment of colors, designs, and woods to choose from. If you read a lot of Hola ukulele reviews, you will see the design and color choices are the most liked features.
Of course when you have a super low budget you will have to take the risk of getting one with major defects. However Hola doesn’t seem to have a ton of negative reviews so they must do a better quality control check than other brands. Often if a company will just take a little extra time to check quality before sending it out, they will have a lot of happier customers in the long run. Just make sure after ordering your Hola ukulele to give it an inspection and make sure it will be an instrument you can play. So if the colors and styles of Hola grab your attention, give them a try. If you are buying a gift for a kid or young teen than perhaps the colorful sopranos above will end up being your best bet. Just don’t take too long to decide otherwise that’s all the fewer days you will have to play your new ukulele! ?