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Ukuleles are affordable, compact, and easy to learn to play. They’re an excellent choice for singer/songwriters, and they also provide a great platform for moving onto other stringed instruments.
Ukuleles typically come in four sizes, from smallest to largest: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. A soprano ukulele is the most common, and at 21” in length it’s great for folks with smaller fingers who are just beginning. Concert models are about 23” and tenors are 26”.
Soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles are all tuned to the standard G, C, E, A tuning, although the G on tenors is one octave lower. The major difference between these three instruments is size and fullness of sound. Players with very large hands and fingers may want to choose concert or tenor instruments over sopranos.
Baritone ukuleles are 30” in length, which is similar to a three-quarter-sized guitar. They are also tuned D, G, B, E, which is the same as the top four strings of a guitar. For this reason, they are good options for smaller children who intend to play the guitar in the future.
The brand Kala Ukulele also makes “U-bass” instruments, which are similarly sized to concert ukuleles but tuned the same as bass guitars, thanks to special fat polyurethane strings. These are an excellent choice for bass players who want a light, portable practice instrument.
Most ukuleles are acoustic, but some are equipped with pickups and equalizers so you can plug them into amps. They’re also tone-shaped for larger performances or easier recording. Ukuleles can have similar modifications to guitars such as cutaway bodies, and there are even a few models of solid-body electric ukuleles available.