Types of Ukuleles: The four string ukulele instrument is one of the easiests instruments to play; you just need to know a few chords to play a good number of songs. Ukuleles can come in various lengths and are categorized in various types. Here we take a look at the various types of ukes.
Introduction
The traditional wooden acoustic ukulele is a popular instrument, but if you’re planning to learn to play the instrument, it’s good to know about the various types of ukes that are available to musicians.
The various “types of ukuleles” also differ in sizes, so, while they are tuned the same way – G-C-E-A, because of their different scale length, the sound produced also varies.
In general, if all things remain equal, a larger size produces more volume and bass compared to a smaller sized instrument. This is why many players, after learning to play on a soprano uke move on to a concert or tenor ukulele.
Types of Ukuleles
- Soprano: This is the smallest of them all, and almost everybody starts on this one.
- Concert: Slightly larger body & neck compared to the Soprano and has a heavier tone.
- Tenor: Has a fuller tone, and is larger compared to a Concert Uke; available in 4, 6 or 8 strings.
- Baritone: Deep tone and among the largest of all ukuleles, almost like a guitar and can be tuned to a guitar.
- Bass Ukes: Though the above ones are more common, you now get models that can actually sound like a bass guitar.
- Electric Ukulele: These need an amplifier to be audible.
Related: Check out the complete Ukulele guide.
Soprano Ukuleles
You may probably be aware that there are various types of Ukulele, but the soprano ukulele happens to be the most popular ukulele around the world. Soprano ukes are also the smallest in size, in the uke family.
These are the most common type, and also the smallest. These are popular for its bright sound that is so commonly associated with ukuleles. And because these are small, it’s also a perfect companion when traveling.
The pitch produced by the Soprano Uke is the highest (because of the smaller size) and its neck is the shortest. Most soprano ukes come with four strings only, and is usually tuned to the G-C-E-A arrangement.
Soprano Ukuleles are quite common in schools, and you can also see them used by performers on stages across the country.
- Length: Around 21″
- Tuning: GCEA, ADF#B
- Number of frets: 12-15
Advantages of Playing the Soprano Ukes
- These are compact, lightweight, and very portable. Children find it very easy to travel with these (for music lessons)
- Design and chord position makes it perfect for beginners of all ages
- Because these are quite popular music instruments, a wide variety of styles and prices are available
- Sound from this ukulele is clearly audible, even in noisy environments
But then, these also have a few limitations.
- People with larger hands/fingers may take time to get used to the smaller size. If you have large fingers, you may have trouble playing this ukulele because the frets are closer to each other
- Like most instruments, the first time you change the strings, they may feel a little stiff and difficult to adapt, but it sorts out as you play it more.
- The strings also have lesser tension, so you could accidentally bend a string (on the cheaper models) and make it out of tune
- You may need to replace the plain strings that come along with a new purchase
In spite of these downsides (which are mostly minor), these are quite popular because they are affordable and sound crisp.
Best Soprano Ukuleles
Soprano Ukuleles for beginners and professionals are available from a range of brands, including Tanglewood, Gear4music and Stagg. These could be made of wood or a combination of wood & part plastic, and compared to the other types of ukuleles these are also usually the cheapest.
There are many guitarists who would like to buy a uke, and are not sure whether to go in for tenor or a soprano. The fact is that you may start on any, as over time, you could end up buying both. However, a soprano sounds jangly and has a lot more bite.
Here are some of the bestselling Soprano Ukuleles available on the market:
- Hola! HM-21: Inexpensive and suited for beginners who want to start playing the Ukulele. Despite the low price its not a toy but a nice playing uke. Available in various colours. Buy on Amazon
- Kala KA-15S: Better sound quality and great playability, available at a reasonable price. It’s a terrific uke for beginners or for four-string strumming professionals. The fretwork is very good, considering the price range. Buy on Amazon
- Cordoba 15SM: The Cordoba 15SM features mahogany top, back and sides, and has an elegant, old-world appearance. It’s completely handmade, and an exceptional ukulele for enthusiasts. Buy on Amazon
Concert Ukuleles
Also referred to as the “alto”, a concert ukulele is slightly bigger in size compared to a soprano; this popular type can be used by beginners, intermediate and professional ukulele players.
This type is known for its Hawaiian look and sound; almost every experienced player owns one of these.
- Length: around 23″
- Tuning: GCEA (re-entrant), GCEA (linear)
- Number of frets: 15-20
If you’ve larger hands, you might prefer playing the concert uke compared to a soprano (which is smaller). Because its built larger, the concert ukulele also produces a richer sound than the soprano.
Experienced Uke players consider koa the definitive wood for the ukulele, so it’s worth a listen if you’re looking for authentic “Hawaiian” sound.
Those who wish to use the uke for big performances should consider getting an electro-acoustic version.
Tuning a Concert Ukulele
It’s commonly tuned in standard, similar to the soprano uke, although some players opt to tune their G down an octave (linear tuning). Another good thing is that the strings don’t go out of tune so easily, because they are longer.
Because these are longer than sopranos, there’s more tension on the strings. That means you can’t easily bend the strings out of tune, as you press them down against the frets.
Because these are longer, the frets are a bit more spaced on a concert ukulele compared to the other type such as the soprano, making it more comfortable to play.
So if you have large fingers, you’ll find this much easier to play.
There can be up to 20 frets on this ukulele, which means you can also play higher notes on the fretboard.
Best Concert Ukuleles
Kala, Luna, Cordoba, Lanikai are some of the popular brands that make a wide variety of string instruments, including concert ukuleles.
- Kala KA-MK-C Makala: The Kala MK-C Makala Concert Ukulele is great for a beginner who wants to start learning to play the ukulele. Decent looks, inexpensive and nice sound. Buy on Amazon | Buy on zZounds. It also comes with several useful accessories. You should also consider buying the Kala Concert Ukulele Case.
- Cordoba Concert Ukulele: Being a Cordoba, the build quality of this concert ukulele is excellent and also stays in tune for a long time. Buy on Amazon | Buy on zZounds
Tenor Ukuleles
The tenor ukulele is a little larger in size, compared to the concert uke, and is preferred by players for its fuller and deeper tone, which differs slightly from the standard “ukulele sound.
- Length: Around 26″
- Tuning: GCEA (re-entrant), GCEA (linear), DGBE
- Number of frets: 15+
- You can use it for solo playing or for simple strums
- The sound can range from mellow sunset evenings to sharp fun island tunes
Though there are various reasons to get the other types, but many find the sound of the tenor much better, compared to say the Soprano. As far as the tuning is concerned a tenor is usually tuned the same way as a soprano, but you could also tune it lower like a baritone ukulele.
You get tenor ukuleles that can be plugged into an amp for more volume. This is perfect for professional players, performing in larger venues. Having the option to plug in has its benefits, but is not always necessary, so consider what works best for you.
Best Tenor Ukuleles
Here are some of the bestselling Tenor Ukuleles, a great combination of pricing, quality and performance:
Lanikai LU-21T Tenor Ukulele
This handcrafted ukulele is made with Nato wood (Eastern Mahogany) on its top back and sides, paired with Rosewood fingerboard for a mellow tone with an enhanced midrange that is usually missing in instruments at this price point. It comes stocked with die-cast tuning machines geared 14/1 for easy tuning.
Kala Makala MK-T Tenor Ukulele – Satin Finish
Even though it’s inexpensive, the sound and playability of this Makala is quite fantastic. It looks good too, is easy on the wallet. It comes with 26-3/4 Overall body length, 17 Tenor Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle).
Kala KA-SSTU-T Tenor Travel Ukulele
A fantastic travel Ukulele with an ultra-thin body and a surprisingly full sound. You can easily stuff it in your backpack, suitcase or briefcase! Comes with a solid spruce top, and includes a Kala logo gig bag.
It looks good to you and sounds good to your ears. Sit down, strum your favorite chords, and enjoy the beautiful music on your tenor uke.
Baritone Ukuleles
A baritone sounds like a deep, bassy sound and so these are going to be tuned lower. The baritone ukulele is also the biggest of all the ukes.
Here are the main features of a baritone ukulele:
- Length: Around 30″+
- Tuning: DGBE (this is similar to what you have on a guitar, makes the transition easier for guitar players)
- Number of frets: 19+
Bigger size means more wood is used, which makes these uke’s more expensive. Mahalo, Lanikai, Oscar Schmidt are some of the popular brands that make these ukes.
These are usually tuned down lower to DGBE, which is similar to the tuning of the bottom four strings on a guitar.
That is why you get that deeper sound from these instruments.
How to Play It?
If you want to use it for strumming, ideally sopranos are the best. You may use these to strum but you won’t get the crisp & bright sound that you usually expect from a strumming instrument. Blues players and fingerpickers prefer to use Baritone ukes; in fact if you prefer a deep and full sound, go for these.
Best Baritone Ukuleles
Here are some of the bestselling Baritone Ukuleles, for both beginners and ukulele enthusiasts alike. These are reasonably priced and a great way to get started on the ukulele.
Kala KA-B Mahogany Baritone Ukulele: Features a traditional mahogany body with traditional white binding. It uses quality geared tuners that stay in tune for longer. Has great tones and is very portable. Buy on Amazon.
Oscar Schmidt OU57 Spalted Mango Baritone Ukulele
The Oscar Schmidt OU57 Baritone Ukulele is made of Spalted Mango for superior resonance and has that classical look. Hand-crafted for years of playing enjoyment. Great tuners and great looks. Buy on Amazon
Bass Ukuleles
Compared to a traditional ukulele, the bass ukulele is a fairly new instrument. Initially, when this instrument was launched, the prices were high (due to limited production capabilities), but as more companies (including kala) started making this instrument, the prices became more reasonable. Road Toad, in collaboration with Kala, produced a much more affordable range of Kala Bass Ukelele. These were also made by taking the standard baritone Kala ukulele, and customizing it to handle the much thicker strings (polyurethane strings) needed to produce the bass sound.
Bass ukes have a natural tone that can be used for other styles of music as well. It is also recommended that you get a bass amp when buying these. Due to their small size, bass ukes are just about audible without an amp. You can use it to play at home without any amplification, but with the amps, these sound great and have an amazing bottom end.
There are many who prefer these (instead of the regular basses) because of their compact and lightweight build. And many also prefer its sound; it sounds more like an upright double bass.
In order to generate the big/bass sound, these ukes use high-density synthetic strings, and most of them also use a built-in preamp (more of a necessity).
It’s common for experienced musicians to own several ukes, including the bass one.
Oscar Schmidt Comfort: Awesome bass uke from a great brand. The tone is a lot closer to upright bass, and it’s a lot easier to transport. Tuning is not as easy as steel strings, you get a better tone. Buy on Amazon.
Specialty Concert Ukuleles
You also get specialty concert ukuleles, such as the metal resonator; these are built with a metal resonator. These are louder than a standard acoustic ukulele, and the sound is unique. Other cool variations include Luna’s “banjolele” (part ukulele and part banjo), ukes with dual sound ports – one facing you and one facing the audience.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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