Choosing a Ukulele

 

Author: UkeStore.com

 

Stringed instruments date back many centuries and have been developed independently by most ancient cultures making them as unique as the culture from which they come. The earliest stringed instruments were simply single strings tied to bows. Ukuleles originated in Hawaii in the early 19th century and are a version of a Portuguese instrument that was a small guitar-like stringed instrument. Since that time, the use of the ukulele has become international in scope.

 

 

The concert ukulele features a larger sound and a larger finger board. It has 14-17 frets allowing for a broader range of playing.

 

The next size is the tenor ukulele. This ukulele gives the musician a lot of versatility. It features 17-19 frets and plays chords as well as solos. Guitarists who also play the ukulele usually prefer the tenor ukulele.

 

Baritone ukuleles are the largest instruments in the ukulele family. They are closely related to the guitar and produce the largest, fullest sound of the four types of ukuleles. For the guitarist who is also choosing a ukulele, this will probably be a good choice because there are 19-21 frets and the four strings of the ukulele are tuned just as the top four strings of the guitar.

 

The standard figure 8 shape of many ukuleles is the same shape as a regular guitar. Other body styles include the pineapple and the cut away. The pineapple shape has no curves to it and the cut away has the body of the ukulele “cut-away” near the fingerboard of the ukulele allowing better access to the frets. When choosing a ukulele, choose a shape that appeals to you and then find the size you want in that shape.

 

Ukuleles are made from many different types of wood. Koa is the wood most used in those ukuleles that come from Hawaii. Koa is a native Hawaiian wood and gives the ukulele a bright tone and a great look. When choosing a ukulele made from this wood, remember that good quality koa wood is difficult to find and therefore may be expensive.

 

Ukuleles are also made from mahogany, spruce, maple, cherry, or cedar as well as from a variety of other types of wood. When choosing a ukulele from among used ones, you might even find ukuleles that were made in the 1950’s and 60’s that were made from plastic. Because the quality of sound produced by an instrument takes much of its tone from the materials used to make it, you will want to become familiar with the tonal qualities of ukuleles made from many different woods before choosing a ukulele to purchase. Remember that the best and brightest tones come from a ukulele made from solid wood or a ukulele that sports a solid wood top. Choosing a ukulele that is laminated usually means that it is made from plywood covered by or laminated with a nice looking wood to make it look good. These ukuleles may not have the tonal quality you are looking for when choosing a ukulele.

 

Choosing a ukulele for kids is a great choice of instruments because of its size and maneuverability. Kids love them because handling the ukulele makes them feel like a real guitarist. It is best to plan to purchase the best quality ukulele you can for

your budget because with the right teaching and handling, one ukulele can last for a very long time and will go a long way in teaching children the basics of music. When choosing a ukulele for kids, try to find one with good tuners. Good tuners are usually geared tuners; they do not have to be elaborate but simple and good quality geared tuners with help your child’s instrument last a long time.

 

Another way of upgrading a cheaper ukulele is to upgrade the strings to good quality ukulele strings. Most inexpensive ukuleles come with poor quality strings so this simple step will brighten the sound of the ukulele. When choosing a ukulele and having to watch your pennies at the same time, upgrading the tuners and the strings will give you a better quality of sound even if you have to purchase a lower cost instrument in the beginning.