Many ukulele makers stick to very basic wood grain colors and designs, if you want something a little more unique than the usual try Luna ukuleles. According to their website the Luna Tattoo concert ukulele is one of the most popular ukes in the world. Luna ukuleles are a part of Luna Guitars as the company makes both instruments. Luna Guitars have only been in business since 2005 but treating their instruments as artwork has clearly helped them breakout and also created many happy customers. As usual any instrument maker that manufactures multiple items will have a lot of woods on hand. Some of the woods Luna uses are mahogany, acacia, ash, spalted maple, spruce, zebrawood, and many more. In some ukes the wood is laminated and of course the higher end models and the best Luna ukuleles are solid wood and more expensive.
It is really not the wood varieties that attract a buyer to Luna, it is their designs, art, and colors that really stand out. Luna makes ukes in all sizes including the basic soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. However Luna also sells 6 strings, lefty’s, bass, and banjo ukuleles. (Banjo ukes used to be more popular years ago, Peter Sellers played a banjolele). For those who wonder, are Luna ukuleles good? Well if you like a large variety of models, colors, and designs, then yes, they are great. Having such a big selection to choose from will keep new and even existing customers coming back.
We have mentioned a few Luna reviews in previous articles (Best Ukes Under $100, Best Ukes Under $200, 10 Best Ukes), so these below are not necessarily the best Luna ukuleles. They are simply more options that you may like to look into. They have so many designs like bamboo, coral, distressed, waves, traditional Hawaiian ornamentation, and many tribal tattoo etchings. Take a look at these Luna’s below and if they are of interest than perhaps check their site out to see what a variety they have.
| Luna Tattoo Pineapple | Laminated mahogany in soprano and pineapple style Gig bag and basic instruction booklet | Buy on Amazon Our Review |
| Luna Honu | Laminated mahogany in soprano, concert, and tenor Gig bag, tuner, Austin Bazaar DVD, and polishing cloth | Buy on Amazon Our Review |
| Luna Great Wave | Laminated mahogany soprano and concert Great Wave design with gig bag | Buy on Amazon Our Review |
Luna Tattoo Pineapple Ukulele
The popular Luna Tattoo is made of laminated mahogany on the top, back, and sides and it has a walnut fingerboard. This particular model also has some accessories like a gig bag, tuner, instructional booklet. On almost any Luna ukulele review the Tattoo should be included, as it really is that popular. Luna has taken a basic lower budget model and made customers want it by adding lots of Hawaiian things like the pineapple shape and tattoo designs. Other than the artwork the ukes are nothing that magical or special. They fall in line with other budget models, yet they do get that flare at Luna. As mentioned, the main selling or not selling point of the Luna is the colors and designs. Clearly if it is the most sold ukulele in the world than it has made a lot of customers happy!
User Reviews
“I love this ukulele! It stays in tune, sounds wonderful, and just simply brightens up my day! After looking around at many different brands and reviews I realized Luna kept getting my attention and I’m glad it did. The Tattoo is THE perfect starter uke!”
Martha R.
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“It was much lighter than I expected when I first got it, usually I equate weight with price in music. It also had some troubles staying in tune at first. But I would still recommend it. At such a low price point the Luna Tattoo soprano mahogany ukulele sounds amazing.”
Thomas B.
Luna Honu Ukulele
The Luna Honu is one of their popular series along with a bundle of extras and accessories. The added bundle has everything you need to get started like tuners, a soft gig bag, Austin Bazaar instructional DVD, and a polishing cloth. The ukulele sizes available in the Honu series are soprano, concert, and tenor. They are made with laminated mahogany and a rosewood fretboard (with a little nato wood used in the concert size, thus the lower price than the soprano) and they all have a satin finish. So far this all seems basic and plain but the word Honu means turtle, so each of these ukuleles have turtle designs around the sound hole. It’s a nice little design that’s not too flashy yet still gives the Honu a unique look.
There is also another “size” to buy in the Honu line and that is turtle size. These are in the same series as above but instead the turtle is small like a soprano and it has a spruce top. A small ukulele with spruce for a soundboard is definitely a unique instrument.
User Reviews
“Some of the construction isn’t the greatest, like a few edges were sharp. It was clearly mass produced in a factory. Otherwise it is just as suitable as any other ukulele I have played. More geared for the student who is looking to mix music and art.”
James
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“After reading many reviews I saw the Honu and it just hit me that I wanted that design. It’s clearly not the best Luna Ukulele out there but it is perfect for beginners especially for folks like me who love turtles!”
Melvin Johnson
Luna Great Wave Ukulele
Another popular design of their instruments is the Luna Great Wave ukulele. The body material is the same as most low end models, laminated mahogany with a walnut fingerboard. The concert size is a cutaway that allows you to have access to the higher frets. The only perk or accessory that comes with it is a gig bag. Once again nothing special, like most other ukes, until we add the great wave graphic. Imagine most of the soundboard being taken over by a huge ocean wave. As mentioned, the Luna Great Wave ukulele comes in soprano, concert, and even soprano pineapple sized. This will clearly be the kind of uke that is purchased based on design. The artwork will be the number one deal maker or breaker.
User Reviews
“I bought the Luna great wave concert ukuleleas a gift for my daughter. I figured if she didn’t play it much the artwork would at least make a nice wall piece! Well I was completely wrong; it sounds great and she plays it all the time. I wish I would have spent more for her now. These make excellent gifts.”
Bradley
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“I love the great wave uke I ordered! Yes, the build isn’t the greatest and the graphics were a little off near the bottom. However the sound is so great I didn’t want to return it. It’s a great buy for a first time ukulele player.”
Shanon
Of course there are many more Luna models to choose from, whether a lower budget or the best Luna ukuleles. Not only do they have the tattoo and wave designs mentioned already, they also have blue, purple, white, and even a Van Gogh starry night inspired uke. Luna is one of the best places to go for variety, and not just for designs and artwork. They have quite the array of fun and different instruments like the 6 string or the banjo ukulele. A banjo uke has the same tuning as regular GCEA so it’s not much of a change if you want to try something crazy and order one!
If these Luna designs get your attention than don’t hesitate to buy one. Of course these are also excellent gifts especially for kids and teens. Just be sure to follow all the ukulele buying rules, make sure you have a great return policy and give it a close inspection when you get it. With lower end models you will always have a greater chance of defects, so we need to make sure nothing is wrong if we commit to keeping it. Start out on something affordable like a Luna Tattoo concert ukulele and if it turns out to be a great instrument, well then you can start saving up and eventually buy a solid wood model that is beautiful and sings. Just don’t wait much longer to order a ukulele, the sooner you get one the sooner you can properly get addicted to them!
