Octopus has been providing high quality beginner ukuleles for almost a decade, and the Academy series carries this tradition forward.
It is a core part of the Octopus brand philosophy that an instrument should encourage and inspire the player. This is especially important for a first instrument which can make the difference between a lifelong passion and a passing fad gathering dust.

The crackle ukulele has a striking design bound to turn heads, with a "crackle" effect that provides a unique finish to each ukulele. This design comes in a selection of beautiful colours, meaning this ukulele not only sounds great but looks great too!

Explore the depths of your inner musician with the most popular instrument of the moment, and trust Octopus to deliver a standard of instrument which belies the modest price point.

Creating the crackle...

You’ve seen this crackle effect on countless works of art (including the Mona Lisa), but you’ve never seen it on a ukulele! Created using a technique called craquelure, the idea is for the top layer of paint to dry faster than the bottom layer so it shrinks and ‘cracks’ in the process. This typically takes several decades but using an innovative technique we get it done in less than an hour.

A great feature of this process is that no two Crackle ukes will look the same, so your ukulele will be unique to you. Not just visually stunning, this effect is also textured and provides a satisfying feel under the fingers.

Get Cracking!

Be moved to song by the approachable elegance of the Octopus Crackle series. Your first few chords are printed on the box, which will get you serenading in no time!

Size and range

The soprano (or standard) is the most widely used size of ukulele, measuring 21in (53cm) in total. It has twelve frets and a total range between C4 and A5.

Build quality

These Octopus ukuleles are built to be enjoyed for a lifetime. The classical guitar style bridge is accurately bonded directly to the body for excellent sound production and reliability.
The tuning pegs are geared like a guitar meaning the strings are easier to tighten and will hold their pitch for longer. The side walls of the body are fully lined for stability, sound projection and high-quality appearance. Every edge and all the frets have been smoothed and finished to a standard higher than many more expensive instruments.

Aquila Nylgut® strings

Each ukulele comes fitted with Aquila Nylgut® strings as standard, the best in the world for intonation and tone. Produced exclusively in Italy, the Aquila factory produces approximately 300,000 ukulele strings every day – that’s enough to re-string 75,000 Octopus ukuleles!

Free carry case

When not in use, your Octopus can protect itself from spills and splashes by hiding in your handy gig bag which acts as a carrying case, supplied free with every instrument.

Our Octopus Academy ukulele range

• Octopus Academy soprano ukulele - crackle finishes
• Octopus Academy soprano ukulele - block and burst finishes
• Octopus Academy soprano ukulele - colour strings
• Octopus Academy electro-acoustic soprano ukulele
• Octopus Academy concert ukulele
• Octopus Academy tenor ukulele
• Octopus Academy soprano ukulele classroom packs of 12
• Octopus Academy soprano ukulele classroom packs of 12 - mixed colours