Did you know that there are lots of different shapes & sizes of ‘ukuleles? Some look like little guitars, some look like boat paddles. There are even some that look like pineapples. Others take on all sorts of geometric shapes (triangle, oval, square). There are ‘ukuleles in all sorts of colors & made of all kinds of materials (plastic, wood, fiberglass...) For the sake of brevity, in this guide, I’m just going to write about the 4 main sizes or scales of ‘ukuleles. They are (from smallest to largest): soprano, concert, tenor, & baritone.

Soprano--Tuned GCEA , it is also called the “standard”. The soprano is the smallest & most recognized size of the four. Usually measuring at between 20” and 21” long, with a scale length (the length of the playable area of the fretboard) between 12 1/2” and 13 1/2”. The sound produced by a soprano is usually quite bright & punchy.

Concert--Tuned GCEA, it is the next size up (from the soprano). Personally, I think it should have been called the “alto”, but they didn’t ask me for my vote! :) Usually measuring at between 22” and 24”, they have a scale length of about 15”. The slightly longer scale allows for a little bit more space between the frets. This makes it a little easier for adults to play.--If you feel that the soprano is too small for you to play comfortably, then the concert might be the size for you. The slightly larger body allows for a little more volume but still, for the most part, retains the bright, punchy sound of the soprano.

Tenor--Tuned GCEA or DGBE, there are also slack key tunings and something called “Low G tuning” wherein the G string (4th string) is tuned an octave lower than the traditional re-entrant tuning (“My Dog Has Fleas”.) It is the next size up from the concert & the most popular size among professional players. This is also the size most often chosen by guitar players who are accustomed to a much longer scale neck with lots of room between the frets. Usually measuring between 26” and 27 1/2”, the tenor has a scale length of about 17”. The larger body allows for even a little more volume & makes it sound much more resonate than its smaller siblings.

Baritone--Tuned DGBE (like the top 4 strings of a guitar), it is the most guitar-like of the four sizes. It really sounds more like a small parlor guitar than an ‘ukulele. Usually measuring between 30” and 34” it has a scale length 19” or more. It is often stated that it was Arthur Godfrey who came up with the idea & also helped to develop the baritone ‘ukulele.

What’s that?--You want to know about the super soprano? Super concert??

Super soprano--Also called a “long-neck soprano,” it is a soprano sized body with a concert length neck.

Super concert--Also called a “long-neck concert,” it is a concert sized body with a tenor length neck.

Mahalo nui loa for taking the time to read about the different sizes of ‘ukuleles that are out there.

ALOOOHA!

ukulelerob