You don't know how many ukulele sizes are available to choose from and where to find the answer to this question.
You're in the right place!
Here are the explanations of six ukulele sizes and a comparison between some of them.
There are six ukulele sizes you can find on the market. Pineapple, soprano, super soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone are the size names in order of the smallest to the largest.
The obvious differences between these sizes goes to their sizes and tune. The larger size the uke becomes, the fuller sound it creates.
Table of Contents
6 Ukulele Sizes You Can Choose
Pineapple Ukuleles - The Size For Musicians
The pineapple ukulele is a variation of the soprano ukulele. It has an equal size as a soprano of 20” but features a different design.
This model was an invention of Samuel Kamaka and became popular in the mid-1920s. Similar to its name, this uke has an oval body shape, which looks like a pineapple.
It doesn’t have a waist and a larger soundboard area; therefore, its sound is deeper and fuller.
The pineapple uke has become popular these days. You can find this model online easily.
It is best for musicians who have experience with other uke sizes.
Soprano Ukuleles - The Size For Small Hand People
The soprano ukulele size designed is the most common one with the traditional and classic sound. It is the smallest and lightest among other sizes of ukes.
It has the shortest scale and fret spacing as well. This uke brings out a brighter and softer tone with less resonance and projection than the larger ukes.
Players of all skills and experiences can use the soprano size. People with smaller fingers and hands may find this model easy to play.
Super Soprano Ukuleles - The Less Common Size
A super soprano is slightly bigger than a soprano. It often has a length from 21” to 22.5”.
It has the same fret number as a concert size while featuring the sound properties of a soprano size. This model has the same activity level as the soprano ukes but can mimic the concert uke sound.
You can find it hard to buy a super soprano both online and offline. The reason is that this product is less common and suitable for collectors and musicians only.
Therefore, most shops don’t stock them to buy regularly. If you want to own this model, you may need to pre-order it.
Concert Ukuleles - The Size For All Players
The concert uke is another bigger size than a soprano. The concert size is approximately one inch long with a bit wider neck and a heavier body than the smaller sizes.
This model features a warm tone and a full sound due to its larger size. It also projects better, which makes the louder volume.
The concert size has the tuning of G/C/E/A. Moreover, players of all experience and skill levels can use this uku size.
Tenor Ukuleles - The Popular Size For Experienced Players
A tenor ukulele is in the middle-category of ukes. Its size is 26”, which is not too short and not too long.
Beginners and casual players often prefer this model as it is lightweight and portable. You can find the tenor size easily on the market as it is quite popular among players.
The tenor uke sounds deeper than the soprano uke. The large size also gives it a fuller sound with an almost bass-y tone.
Its length allows larger spacing between the frets. So, it is suitable for fingerpicking.
This model is popular for experienced players, but beginners can still use it.
Baritone Ukuleles - The Largest Size
A baritone ukulele is the longest size among six ukulele sizes. It features a heavy design and a standard size of 30”.
With its length and width of fret spacing, it is perfect for fingerpicking. People with large fingers and hands will like this model because it's longer and wider than other sizes.
It provides the deepest sound with the most low end, which is similar to an acoustic guitar. Guitarists also find it easy to play this ukulele thanks to its similarities of the tuning (D/G/B/E).
People rarely choose the baritone as their first ukulele since it's quite heavy and not portable.
Read more: What is The Best Sounding Ukulele? Guide For Every Budget
What Ukulele Size Is Best For Beginners?
We would recommend beginners to start with a soprano ukulele because of its suitable size and affordable price. However, it will not be the best one for people with larger hands as the short fret can make it hard for them to play.
In this case, a concert or tenor size are the alternatives. They also provide a vibrant and balanced tone.
In summary, there is no best ukulele size for beginners. It depends on their preferences, finance to pick the right one.
Ukulele Comparison
Soprano vs. Concert
Despite the differences between the soprano and concert ukulele, they share a common in tuning the same notes. Hence, their scales and chords are the same as well.
The first difference is their size. The concert uke is longer by a few inches.
Concert ukes have a fuller, louder, and richer sound than soprano ones. Besides, soprano ukes have a brighter and more sparkly tone.
Soprano ukes have a shorter fret spacing, so they are suitable for people with small hands.
Tenor vs. Soprano
Tenor ukes are larger and provide deeper sound than soprano. The wider fret spacing of tenor size is more suitable for even beginners or experienced players.
Moreover, the tenor ukes can allow you to fingerpick, while the soprano ukes cannot.
Learn new song: Fine Line Ukulele Chords - Simple And Lovely
Tenor vs. Concert
The key difference between the tenor and concert ukes is their sizes. Tenors with a standard size of 26” are about 3” longer than concerts.
Moreover, their output sounds are slightly different as well. Tenor ukes sound fuller and more vibrant than concert ukes.
Baritone vs. Tenor
An obvious difference between baritone and tenor ukes is their sizes. Baritone ukes, approximately 30” long, are larger than tenor ukes.
In terms of tuning, baritones feature DGBE with a low D-string, while tenors own GCEA with a high G-string.
Read More: Ukulele Price Guide
Final Thoughts
Ukulele sizes include six types: pineapple, soprano, super soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone ukuleles.
If you're small hand people, soprano ukes are perfect to start. Otherwise, larger sizes like tenors or baritones may fit people with large hands as they have wider fret spacing.
Pick one size and start playing ukes!
