Ohana's a good brand. Can't go wrong there. I see this one's a concert. I haven't played one but this looks like a real beauty.
Be mindful that concerts are slightly larger than sopranos. Some prefer this.
Kala's a reliable brand too though make sure this is a solid top. Some Kalas are laminate. They're decent laminates, mind you, but still, make sure you know what you're buying and pay accordingly. Don't spend more for a laminate than a solid top (with the exception perhaps of a Kiwaya). I've got a Kala tenor solid spruce top and like it. I'm not crazy about guitar-type tuners on smaller sized ukes though, but that's just personal preference.
Of the handful of ukes I have in this range, my Hamano H100 has the sweetest sound strung with Aquila strings. It's a reproduction of an old Martin, but I don't find it very exciting to look at. It's super light and solid mahogany. I'd have to replace it if it were lost.
Since, it's a Christmas present, you might not let him to try them out first and compare, but these are all reliable brands suited to any player IMO. I prefer the traditional tuners on the Ohana and Hamano, but your boyfriend is a guitarist and may prefer the guitar-type tuners. They're a bit easier to fine tune as well.
Hope this helps.
2nd edit: this is entirely subjective, but that Ohana is a real beauty and I'd be tempted to buy it myself.
Last edited on Thu Dec 18th, 2008 02:17 pm by sano
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