Are you a beginner looking for a quality ukulele? Are you an advanced player looking to upgrade your instrument? Or even a teacher looking for the perfect uke to use in your classroom?
Ukuleles are available in different sizes, woods, materials, fit, and finish which adds to the tone, feel, and aesthetic. It is no surprise that many ukulele players have more than one instrument. Let’s explore how you might add to your collection!
Most people, children to adults, have learned how to play on the soprano ukulele. The soprano uke is the smallest size but is also considered the “standard” model. There are a lot of great starting instruments, and many are priced well under the $100 range. Check out my blog on our most popular soprano models for beginners and classrooms.
With so many different ukulele options it can be overwhelming to pick your next ukulele. Why should you spend more on an instrument? What are you getting out of the extra cost? This article will give you pointers on what to look for so you can have an instrument that will help you sound your best, fill your growing needs, and keep you motivated.
Your next ukulele should reflect your personality, such as its size, fit, tone, and look. Some things to consider when upgrading are size, tone, wood, finish, look, electric/acoustic, and price.
Size
Now that you have experience producing a good tone you can explore getting the most out of you strum by playing on a larger sized instrument. Even though they are tuned the same, the larger concert and tenor sized bodies will have a deeper and more resonant sound than soprano. Most soprano instruments have only 12 frets as beginners focus on the basic first-position chords, while concert and tenor ukes usually have 15-17 frets to extend your scale range.
The necks on larger instruments will be slightly wider, along with the body of the instrument, and might be more comfortable for finger placement along the full length of the fretboard.
Tone
Loud, bright, mellow, warm. Which tone is right for you? This is about personal preference and is about what kind of sound you are looking for. Many factors can influence this tone from size and woods used to materials and finish. We will cover details for each of these factors below!
Wood
Many ukuleles on the market are constructed of laminated woods because of the ease of mass production, lower production cost, and affordable consumer pricing. A variety of solid woods are used for ukuleles depending on availability, many species of trees are prized for their tonal properties and are protected by limited harvesting regulations. Solid wood instruments are generally produced by experienced luthiers, have greater attention to detail, and can be strikingly beautiful much like heirloom furniture. Solid wood instruments can mature with age and “open up” and improve over time and the more they are played. These factors can raise the price of your ukulele, but could have the fit, sound, and aesthetic you’re looking for!
Laminated wood instruments have a cross-grain pattern making them more stable and less likely to crack. In many cases, a laminate instrument may be the best option because of its price and durability. Many laminate wood instruments can have a full and balanced tone, like their solid wood counterparts, due to advanced technology in manufacturing and quality control.
Solid woods do not necessarily make an instrument “better,” as it depends on how you use the ukulele, where you play, how it is stored, and what your budget is. Durability may be a necessity if you like to play outside, are a little rough on your instruments, or if your ukulele will get a lot of use.
Instruments crafted from solid wood require more care because the finer, straight grain of the wood may be prone to splitting or cracking if subjected to drastic changes in temperature and humidity. It is highly recommended to use a humidifier when storing solid wood instruments in drier, hotter climates such as the On-Stage GA250 Ukulele Humidifier.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, there are tonal characteristics associated with different varieties of wood; here are some of the most common used in ukulele production:
- Mahogany – Traditional wood for ukuleles, consistent, darker grain. Warm, balanced mid-range tone.
- Koa – Native to Hawaii, traditional wood for ukuleles, slightly richer, more amber color with variants of wood flame and curl (grain). Well-balanced, warm mid-range with good projection.
- Spruce – Used in many acoustic guitar tops, brighter, more projection and presence, especially in the higher tonal range, usually matched with mahogany or rosewood back and sides to round out the lower register for a full, balanced tone with wide tonal range. Uniform, yellow straight grain.
- Cedar – Full projection with a warmer timbre to it than spruce. Reddish hue with uniform, straight grain.
Finish
An open pore, natural or satin finish will have a more natural look and may allow the wood to resonate or “breathe” more freely creating a warmer tone. A gloss finish will add a bit of rigidity to the soundboard and create a brighter tone with more projection. The gloss finish will also provide a protective layer that can add more protection and be cleaned more frequently. These characteristics work together to accentuate the tonal properties of the different kinds of wood. It should be noted that any open pore finish, including most fretboards and bridges, should not be saturated with liquids or cleaning agents as it may damage the wood.
Look
Many musicians look at instruments solely as a tool of the trade, as long as they produce an appropriate sound then they are happy. However – I like to think of instruments as “functional art,” they should create a beautiful sound while looking equally beautiful on display. So, let your personality and quirky interests shine — choose a ukulele that appeals to your aural and aural palette!
Electric/Acoustic
Will you be playing gigs with it? Will you use it to teach? Electric or simply acoustic models?
If you need to amplify your ukulele, consider that most acoustic instruments can sound good using a microphone in front of it for a natural acoustic sound. This will require you to stay at a constant distance from the mic to maintain a consistent volume. Purchasing a ukulele with a built-in pickup will allow you to always be ready to play through a PA or System or amplifier with convenience and total control of volume. Most ukes with higher quality, active pickups cost about $50-100 more than the same model without it. For many musicians, the convenience, built-in tuner, and cutaway body for easier access up the fretboard make the price difference worth it.
You can also add on a pickup to acoustic ukulele you already have, like the LR Baggs FIVE.O Ukulele Pickup. Adding a pickup requires professional installation from a luthier. Don’t forget to check with the manufacturer to make sure this will not void your warranty! Adding a pickup can be pricey but it can be great if you already have a ukulele you adore. It can be best to consider purchasing a ukulele with a built-in pickup, which usually has a digital tuner built into the system, with only a nominal difference in price than the acoustic version only.
Pricing
One of the biggest factors to consider when purchasing your ukulele is your budget. Be sure to do your research and try a variety of different models to find the right one for you. Knowing you really appreciate the model you choose can go a long way in motivating you to play – a priceless investment! You can get a nice step-up instrument in the $100-200 price range, check them out. (Psst, don’t forget a gig bag!)
Other Things to Consider
Some accessories may open up options for you, such as experimenting with different string options (Nylgut vs nylon, low G vs high G, etc.), adding a strap, using a capo.
The best way to learn about different ukuleles is to play as many as you can. Find an instrument speaks to you – there is a certain magic when you find that “special” one! Adding to your collection with a higher quality instrument can pay dividends in adding to your playing, tone, creativity, and motivation. Happy ukulele hunting!
Thіs blog was… hоw do I say it? Relevant!!
Ϝinalⅼy I’ve found something that helped me. Kudos!
Thank you, Marylou!
Thank you for the feedback!
Great advice from Sam! Great article!!!!
Thank you, Shawn!
Great article. I noticed that there’s not much about the baritone. Is there a reason you don’t recommend it? Is it because chord Fingerings are different then soprano concert or tenor?
Wendy-
See this response from Sam,
We appreciate your feedback and that is a great question!
From the 4 main sizes of ukulele, the baritone is in a class of its own. The baritone’s larger size and different tuning to the highest 4 strings of a standard guitar (D – G – B – E), while soprano tuning (includes concert and tenor sizes) is a fourth higher (to G – C – E – A). The fingerings are actually the same, but in a different key – similar to playing a soprano recorder (key of C) vs an alto recorder (key of F). So if you played the fingering of a C-chord from a soprano uke on a baritone uke, that would sound as a G-chord because the baritone is a fourth lower.
The baritone ukulele is an excellent instrument to learn on as it is basically a simplified guitar with 4 instead of 6 strings. One of the biggest advantages with the baritone uke for learning a stringed instrument is that it is in the same key as guitar – so no transposing is required when switching.
However, the smaller size of the soprano ukulele makes it much easier to handle for younger students, is more affordable, easier to store, and has the characteristic sound traditionally associated with ukulele. When most folks mention “ukulele” they are referring to that signature light, happy tone in the key of C and with the re-entrant tuning (high G) – such as from the classic Israel IZ Kamakawiwo’ole rendition of “Over the Rainbow” we are all familiar with. The baritone has a lower, mellower, and more somber sound in comparison.
Another benefit of having soprano size ukes is that the strings have a longer lifespan. Soprano ukes have all nylon (or similar composite material) which can provide several years of use for much easier maintenance. Some of the lower strings from baritone uke string sets have a thicker gauge and are wound with thin metal to create enough mass to produce the lower frequencies – which can corrode and have a much shorter lifespan than the all-nylon strings used on soprano ukes.
See Part 2 of 6 from my blog on How to Start a Ukulele Program in Your Classroom for more info on tunings and a video demonstrating the 4 sizes of ukuleles and a guitar for comparison here: https://content.westmusic.com/how-to-start-a-ukulele-program-in-your-classroom