When shopping for my first ukulele (mainly because I just wanted to have one in the studio), I knew I was definitely going to look at the Harley Benton line up. I've had several of their basses, and was never disappointed.
And sure enough, Harley Benton comes through again with the Kahuna CLU-305.
First of all, the overall build quality and finish on this instrument are amazing. Disregarding the price, it looks and feels like a real guitar, not some flimsy toy. The grain of the wood is beautiful, the neck feels smooth, and the bridge and tuning pegs are solid.
I don't have that much ukelele experience to compare, but I like the sound. I recorded some riffs with an SM57 into my Focusrite, and it sounds like a uke, of course, but it has depth and body. I'm pleasantly surprised.
For a beginner to intermediate player, I'd definitely recommend the Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-305.