Types of Ukulele
- Lloyd Crowley
- Sep 18
- 4 min read
Such is the influence of people like Tiny Tim and George Formby that when people think of the ukulele, they tend to think of two things - either the small soprano or the banjo uke. However there is much more to the ukulele world than these two. When I hosted my ukulele exhibition at Jackson Square recently, people couldn't believe there were so many different types of ukulele (or that I actually owned that many!). Read on and be amazed!
Note: Scale length is the length from the nut to the bridge. These values aren't set in stone, and can vary quite a bit!
Soprano
Scale length: 13 inches Frets: 12-15
This is the smallest mainstream size of ukulele, played by people such as Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Cliff Edwards (known as Ukulele Ike), Roy Smeck and many more. Soprano ukuleles are now being used in classrooms to teach music instead of recorders (thank goodness!) so you may already be familiar with its size.
Concert
Scale length: 15 inches Frets: 15-20
This is the next size up, with slightly more room on the frets. Tuning-wise, it is exactly the same as the soprano, but due to the slightly larger body often sounds louder and fuller. Notable players include Grace Vanderwaal.
Tenor
Scale length: 17 inches Frets: 17-20
A further size up from the concert is the tenor, offering yet more volume thanks to its bigger body. The tuning is once again the same, but I prefer to use a low G to give a wider range and richer sound. The tenor ukulele is the size you'll see me playing most often, but is also favoured by notable players such as Jake Shimabukuro and James Hill, who often uses a low G.
Baritone
Scale length: 20 inches Frets: 19
Invented in the 1940s, the baritone is tuned differently from a standard ukulele, being D-G-B-E - the same as the last 4 strings of a guitar. It is also in linear tuning (strings in order of pitch) as opposed to a standard ukulele that uses re-entrant tuning (the first string is higher than the next).
Bass
Scale length: 21 inches Frets: 16-20
The bass ukulele is tuned the same as a bass guitar - E-D-G-B. They use polyurethane or steel strings, and have a body similar in size to a baritone. Unplugged, they are quiet instruments with a little resonance, but plugged into an amp they have a fantastic deep, rich sound. Even Paul Simon's bassist, Bakithi Kumalo, plays a Kala U-Bass!
Sopranino
Scale length: 11 inches Frets: 12
This ukulele is tuned an octave higher than your standard uke, and is more of a novelty than anything else. Don't knock it though - the iUke still has an impressive volume and clear sound, and is good for a surprise! It's quite impractical, particularly if you have big fingers, but is great fun!
Banjo ukulele
Scale length: 15 inches Frets: 15-20
This is what George Formby is holding in many of his pictures - a cross between a banjo and ukulele! They were originally created in the 1920s with large resonators to give a large sound that could be heard in music halls before the days of amplification. They are available in soprano, concert or tenor sizes but are most often found in concert size.
5, 6 or 8 String
Scale length: varies Frets: varies
As with banjo ukuleles, these are available in a range of sizes. 5 string ukuleles usually have 2 G strings in octaves for a bit more of a bottom end. The 6 string ukulele will have two C and A strings, again tuned in octaves for a fuller sound. The 8 string ukulele has 2 of each string, with G and C in octaves.
Harp ukulele
Scale length: 17 inches Frets: 15-20
The harp ukulele followed on from the popularity of the harp guitar, and was invented in around 1910. As with other ukes, these can come in a variety of sizes. In terms of the unfretted strings, there will be anywhere from 2-6 of these, and they can be tuned to whatever notes you need to play your songs.
Other types of ukulele
There are many, many weird and wonderful ukuleles out there if you know where to look! They aren't always practical, but do always look pretty good! Take a look at the gallery below to see some photos of the other ukuleles in my collection, including an Ortega Double Neck Ukulele, Yamaha Guitalele, Singing Treholipee and more!
Did you know there were so many types of ukulele? Neither did I when I started playing! Outside of the standard Soprano, Concert, Tenor, Baritone and Bass, you won't see the other types too often. It is always fun to try a new uke though - I would always encourage you to pick one up and have a strum if you see something you haven't played before. You never know, you might just fall in love with it!
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