Duke Of Uke

Lovely shop, great advice from staff (plus they are quite a laugh too).
This little store has all kinds of ukes, the cheap ones start at around £20 - perfect if you're not so sure about the whole thing. A uke is quite a good instrument to have at home. It's tiny, it's fun, and everyone will want to try it. They have really fun ones too, I bought a watermelon shaped one for my friend's birthday and she loved it!
Of course they've also got various music sheets, for all levels, and will help you choose what to get (these guys sure know their ukes) or even how to get started if you ask.

A shop dedicated solely to ukuleles is a very special thing indeed. It is one of those specialty stores that is admirable in its dedication to an obscure product. I have seen some things in this store that I have never seen before in my life. One of them is a banjolele. If you haven't already guessed what that is, it's a cross between a ukulele and a banjo. Amazing.

The store also sells banjos, books, and various bits and pieces including guitar strings and plectrums. There is also a recording studio and rehearsal rooms down stairs that you can hire out.

The Duke of Uke also has nights where bands come and play in store. It is a really cool place to see a band, as it is incredibly intimate.

Lovely little shop on Hanbury Street. I discovered it at the London Ukulele Festival close by on Brick Lane. No doubt it will do a roaring trade at this year's Fest. Recommended for friendly service and advice. If you are going to the Fest, take in this great little store at the same time... I know I will.

Duke of Uke sells ukuleles. I know, random, but these people are serious. I thought I would be able to buy a kitsch mini-guitar for cheap that I could play to all my friends at dinner parties while I'm completely inebriated. But no, that fantasy was shot down super quick when I saw the price of these little babies. Every ukulele in here ranges from between £100 and £350. If you're a musician who plays professional gigs for hula shows then you'll love this shop. If you're a completely tone deaf nerd who likes mini versions of instruments and you want something cute to put on your fireplace mantel this is not the store for you.

How much of a fan can I be of a music shop that sells an instrument that I can't play? Suffice to say, the Duke of Uke rates high enough on my yelp-o-meter merely for its name, and the faith in life its gives me to think that a ukelele and banjo stockists can survive anywhere in central London. The one purchase I made in here was of a very basic 'uke' for a guitar-mad friend. The staff were helpful in advising me what type to choose. Plus they recommended a book of simple tunes to learn on! So if you like weird string instruments, that scene from Deliverance or just plain randomness, you should definitely give it a shot.

A friendly place to find yourself a strum-able instrument. A wee store, on a little street which connects bricklane to spitalfields market.


And this, one of the last shopping days of Christmas, had the little place packed. I think there were 6 of us! sadly only one shop assistant, but when it was finally my turn, she was very friendly and helpful, even tuning my instrument for me before I departed.


The shop is good for beginners through to expert level musicians, with sheet music and a whole range of instruments. They offer ukulele lessons too.


These folks travel the festival circuit too, as I saw their shop doing a roaring trade at The End of the Road. Ukes start at 25-30 quid, going up to 600.