Discover other ukuleles — the ukulele family is bigger than you think — and find the one that fits you best, in this Chapter 3 for beginners.

You’ve built a strong foundation: you know your chords, your strumming has rhythm and groove, and your fingers are finding their way around the fretboard with confidence. But now it’s time to look beyond technique — and explore the instruments themselves.

So, welcome to the world of other ukuleles.

While the soprano ukulele is where most players begin, it’s just the starting point. in fact, there’s a whole family of ukuleles out there — different sizes, shapes, tunings, and even sounds that push beyond what you may expect. This chapter helps you explore them all, compare them clearly, and discover which ones might suit your style, goals, and taste.

Here’s what you’ll find in this chapter about other ukuleles:

  • A helpful comparison of soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone ukuleles — including how they differ in tone, size, and feel
  • A deep dive into the baritone ukulele — why it’s so special, how it sounds, and what sets it apart from the others
  • A full explanation of baritone ukulele tuning, how it works, and how it affects chord shapes
  • An overview of popular alternate tunings (like low-G and slack-key) for unlocking new creative possibilities
  • A colorful look at other ukuleles and hybrids — including bass ukuleles, banjoleles, guitalele, harp ukulele, and even lap steel uke
  • A guide to different ukulele shapes like pineapple and cutaway, and how they influence tone and comfort
  • Tips on choosing a ukulele that fits your hands, voice, and musical style
  • Links to helpful full-length articles from Basic Ukulele, where you can explore each type in even more depth

> By the end of this chapter, you’ll not only understand the full spectrum of other ukuleles — you’ll be ready to play, compare, or confidently choose your next favorite.

🎶 So let’s open the case, widen the frame, and meet the ukulele’s extended family. Let’s go!

Links for this Chapter:

The serie Learn Ukulele for Beginners with Basic Ukulele:

other ukuleles . tenor
Oscar Schmidt OU28T-A-U 8-String Tenor Ukulele – Satin

📏 The Four Standard Sizes — Your Starting Point

Before exploring other ukuleles, start with the core four

When people think of a ukulele, they usually picture the classic soprano. But in reality, there are four standard ukulele sizes — and understanding how they differ is key to choosing the right fit for your hands, your sound, and your goals.

These four core sizes form the foundation for many of the other ukuleles you’ll meet later in this chapter. Each one shares the heart of the instrument but offers a different playing experience.

Let’s take a closer look.

🎵 Soprano Ukulele

Iconic, compact, and delightfully traditional

The soprano ukulele is what most people imagine when they hear the word “ukulele.” It’s the smallest of the standard sizes — about 21 inches long — and it delivers the bright, cheerful tone that gave the uke its signature sound.

  • Length: ~21″
  • Tuning: G–C–E–A (re-entrant or high-G)
  • Tone: Light, crisp, and high-pitched
  • Playability: Tight fret spacing; great for smaller hands
  • Best for: Traditional Hawaiian music, portability, beginners

💡 There’s actually two ukuleles even smaller than soprano — the pocket, piccolo or Sopranissimo ukulele and the Sopranino ukulele, which we’ll explore later when we dive deeper into other ukuleles.

🎶 Concert Ukulele

A comfortable step up in size and sound

The concert ukulele is just a little bit bigger than soprano — around 23 inches — but that small difference gives you a lot more room to move your fingers and a warmer, fuller tone.

  • Length: ~23″
  • Tuning: G–C–E–A
  • Tone: Richer and rounder than soprano
  • Playability: Easier for medium-sized hands
  • Best for: Players moving beyond the basics, or those wanting more volume and comfort

This size strikes a sweet balance between tradition and tone — and it’s often a player’s first upgrade from soprano.

🎤 Tenor Ukulele

Resonant, expressive, and stage-ready

The tenor ukulele adds even more space and sustain, making it a favorite among performers and fingerstyle players. At around 26 inches, the tenor offers deeper bass, better projection, and more dynamic range.

  • Length: ~26″
  • Tuning: G–C–E–A (often with low-G for linear tuning)
  • Tone: Warm, full, and clear — especially in low-G
  • Playability: Great for adult hands and solo arrangements
  • Best for: Intermediate to advanced players, vocalists, low-G tuning fans

If you love expressive ukulele chords and strumming, the tenor can add serious soul to your sound.

Take a look here: All about Concert and Tenor Ukulele

🎸 Baritone Ukulele

The biggest uke — and one of the boldest

The baritone ukulele is the largest of the standard sizes — typically around 30 inches long — and it plays quite differently from the others. It’s tuned D–G–B–E, just like the highest four strings of a guitar, which means its chord shapes and sound are unique.

  • Length: ~30″
  • Tuning: D–G–B–E (linear tuning, like a guitar)
  • Tone: Deep, mellow, and resonant
  • Playability: Excellent for fingerpicking and jazz
  • Best for: Guitarists switching to uke, singers with lower ranges, and solo performers

However, if you want to dive deeper, visit Baritone Ukulele – The Big Special Ukulele and Baritone Ukulele Tuning, where we explore everything from tuning options to how it blends in uke groups.

With these four sizes as your starting point, you’re ready to explore the wider uke universe — because from here on out, we enter the wonderfully creative world of other ukuleles, but first a bit about tuning differences.🎶

other ukuleles - sound range

🧭 Tuning Differences: What Sets Each Ukulele Apart

While soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles all use G–C–E–A tuning, there are other setups to know.

🎯 Standard Ukulele Tuning (G–C–E–A)

  • Used for soprano, concert, and tenor
  • Re-entrant (high G) or linear (low G) options
  • Ideal for traditional uke sound and chord shapes

🔁 Baritone Tuning (D–G–B–E)

  • Matches the top four strings of a guitar
  • Uses different chord shapes
  • Adds rich bass and chord extensions
  • Learn more in the Baritone Tuning Guide

🎼 Other Tunings to Explore

> Switching tuning can completely transform your approach to ukulele chords and strumming — even on the same instrument.

🎻 Other Ukuleles That Break the Mold

Outside the main four types, there’s a universe of ukulele hybrids, cousins, and innovations. Let’s meet some of the most popular and unusual other ukuleles you’ll come across. However, if you whant to read about absolutly all, including the relatives, and see picures of the all of them, go to: Ukulele relatives and variations.

🧸 Pocket Ukulele — The Tiniest of the Other Ukuleles

Ultra-compact and delightfully bright

Among all other ukuleles, the pocket ukulele — also called piccolo or sopranissimo — is the absolute smallest. At just 16 to 17 inches long, it fits in a backpack (or even a coat pocket), making it a favorite for travel, fun, and collection.

Despite its tiny size, it’s fully playable. Most are tuned G–C–E–A or a higher variant like A–D–F♯–B, creating a crisp, chirpy tone that’s perfect for cheerful strumming.

  • Length: ~16–17″
  • Tuning: Standard or tuned higher
  • Tone: Bright and playful
  • Playability: Fretboard is tight — better for small hands
  • Best for: Travel, kids, lighthearted play

> Among other ukuleles, this one’s the ultimate conversation piece — playful, portable, and full of personality.

🎶 Sopranino Ukulele — The Petite Performer Among Other Ukuleles

A compact balance of size and sound

Slightly larger than the pocket uke, the sopranino ukulele offers the same portability with better finger space — making it the smallest uke that most adults can comfortably play.

It delivers a clear, chirpy sound that’s brighter than soprano, but still strong enough to hold its own. Some players tune it a bit higher for extra sparkle.

  • Length: ~18–19″
  • Tuning: G–C–E–A or A–D–F♯–B
  • Tone: Bright, airy, and charming
  • Playability: Easier to handle than a pocket uke
  • Best for: Melody lines, travel, or adding a quirky voice to your lineup

> Of all the other ukuleles, the sopranino hits a rare sweet spot — highly playable, yet still tiny and fun.

🎸 Bass Ukulele

Introduced around 2009, the bass ukulele delivers unexpectedly deep tones in a compact frame. Whether it’s a U-Bass with rubber strings or a metal-stringed model, this instrument anchors uke ensembles with groove.

  • Compact but deep-sounding — a true rhythm machine
  • Available with rubber (U-Bass style) or metal strings
  • Adds serious groove to any uke ensemble
  • Tuning: E–A–D–G (like a bass guitar)
  • Style: Fretless or fretted, often amplified
  • Best for: Rhythm lovers, group players, and performers who need low-end impact

Explore more: 👉 All about the different Ukulele types – Sizes, sound and tuning.

🐘 Contrabass Ukulele — The Deepest Voice in the Ukulele World

Low-end tone in a portable package

At the other extreme, the contrabass ukulele delivers the deepest voice of them all. Don’t let the name fool you — it’s compact for a bass, yet when plugged in, it rumbles with rich, full-bodied tone.

Tuned E–A–D–G (like a bass guitar), it uses thick strings and onboard electronics to hit deep frequencies — ideal for funk, jazz, or acoustic jams.

  • Tuning: E₁–A₁–D₂–G₂
  • Tone: Low, warm, and powerful
  • Playability: Fretless or fretted; usually amplified
  • Best for: Rhythm sections, uke ensembles, or bass lovers
  • Bonus: Packs serious sound into a surprisingly small body

> Among other ukuleles, the contrabass is the foundation layer — the groove-maker that turns any group into a band.

Other ukuleles - comparison sizes
Ukulele-Sizes-Comparison-Chart Foto Guitarlobby.com

🪕 Banjolele

This fusion instrument combines the size and tuning of a ukulele with the drum-like body of a banjo — and it’s loud! Perfect for rhythmic strumming and vintage tones, the banjolele brings punch and personality to any song. Banjolele is played like a uke but sounds like a tiny banjo.

  • Tuning: G–C–E–A (standard)
  • Tone: Bright, snappy, and attention-grabbing
  • Great for: Vaudeville, jazz, ragtime, and street performances

🎶 Guitalele

Part ukulele, part guitar. The guitalele has six strings and is tuned A–D–G–C–E–A — essentially a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret.

  • Ideal for: Guitarists who want uke portability
  • Benefit: Complex chords and rich voicings
  • Challenge: Requires new chord shapes if you’re coming from 4-string ukes

🎼 Harp Ukulele

Although lesser known, the harp ukulele is an elegant instrument that adds extra bass or sympathetic strings alongside the standard four. As a result, it produces a layered, ethereal sound that works beautifully for fingerpicking or solo composition.

  • Standard uke body + extended bass strings
  • Adds resonance and visual impact
  • Rare but magical for fingerstyle playing

🎼 Resonator Ukulele — Loud, Bright, and Built for the Blues

Traditional build meets metallic soul

Among the flashier options in the world of other ukuleles, the resonator ukulele shines — literally and musically. Instead of projecting sound through a wooden top, this instrument uses a spun aluminum cone called a resonator to amplify its tone. The result is a punchy, metallic, and slightly twangy sound that cuts through a mix with ease.

Originally designed for guitarists before the era of amplification, resonators bring vintage energy and volume to the ukulele. Whether you play fingerstyle blues or ragtime strums, the resonator adds a distinct voice that no wooden ukulele can match.

  • Sizes: Most common in concert and tenor
  • Tuning: Standard G–C–E–A
  • Tone: Brighter, louder, and sharper than wood-bodied ukes
  • Build: Metal cover plate, often ornate, with wood or metal body
  • Style: Ideal for slide playing or roots-inspired genres

> If you want one of the loudest and most eye-catching options among other ukuleles, the resonator is hard to beat.

🎵 Lap Steel Ukulele — Hawaiian Slide and Smooth Tones

Play flat, glide into melody

Rare but mesmerizing, the lap steel ukulele is part of the steel guitar tradition. Played with a slide while laid flat on your lap, this uke glides through melodies with a vocal, singing quality. Often amplified and built from solid wood, it offers smooth transitions between notes — ideal for old-school Hawaiian music and dreamy ambient arrangements.

You don’t fret this instrument like a regular uke. Instead, you use a metal or glass bar to press across the strings, adding a new level of expression and control.

  • Tuning: Open tunings (often G–C–E–G or similar)
  • Tone: Long, sweet sustain with fluid slides
  • Playstyle: With steel or glass slide, on your lap
  • Extras: Usually electric with volume and tone controls
  • Challenge: Requires new technique but rewards with new sound

> If you’re looking among other ukuleles for something atmospheric and expressive, the lap steel is unlike anything else.

🎸 Archtop Ukulele — Jazz-Style Warmth and Elegance

Inspired by vintage guitars with mellow charm

One of the most elegant — and underrated — instruments among other ukuleles is the archtop ukulele. Modeled after 1930s archtop jazz guitars, this uke features a carved, arched top and f-holes instead of a round soundhole. That gives it a woody, mellow, and slightly compressed tone that jazz, swing, and folk players love.

The archtop combines traditional ukulele charm with vintage guitar sophistication, making it perfect for chords that need warmth and refinement. Whether you’re strumming softly or picking solos, this uke offers rich dynamics and a visual presence that stands out.

  • Sizes: Typically tenor or concert
  • Tone: Soft, focused, midrange-heavy
  • Design: Arched top, f-holes, floating bridge
  • Best for: Jazz, gypsy swing, or smooth solo arrangements
  • Extras: Often comes with pickups for performance

> As one of the most stylish and sonically unique other ukuleles, the archtop brings something truly classy to your sound.

🧪 Other Ukuleles by Body Shapes: Round, Cutaway, or Travel-Ready

Ukuleles come in a variety of shapes — and these can subtly affect tone and playability.

🍍 Pineapple Ukulele

  • No waist; round and mellow-sounding
  • Slightly more volume due to larger surface area
  • Playful visual twist on tradition

✂️ Cutaway Ukulele

  • Scooped-out body near the neck for fret access
  • Great for lead playing or upper-note solos
  • Doesn’t affect tuning — just playability

🧳 Travel Ukulele — Small, Durable, and Ready for Adventure

For players who want music everywhere

If you need a uke that can handle a backpack, a beach trip, or even a rainy hike, the travel ukulele is your perfect companion. Built specifically for portability, these ukes are slim, sturdy, and incredibly lightweight. In fact, they’re often made with carbon fiber, ABS plastic, or thin solid woods — all materials designed to withstand weather, impact, and the unpredictability of the outdoors.

Unlike toy instruments, travel ukes are built to be real tools. And despite the shallow body, they offer surprising projection, playability, and tuning stability.

  • Materials: Durable synthetics or thin-ply wood
  • Tone: Clear and focused — though not as deep as full-bodied ukes
  • Benefit: Lightweight, no worries about dings
  • Playstyle: Great for casual play, travel, or busking
  • Common sizes: Soprano and concert

> Whether you’re new to other ukuleles or just need a road companion, the travel uke is always ready to go — rain or shine.

🎒 Learn more in the full Ukulele Types and Shapes Guide

🧱 Build Materials Matter Too

The tone, weight, and price of a ukulele can vary depending on the material it’s made from.

  • Laminate: Durable and budget-friendly
  • Solid wood: More resonance and warmth
  • Plastic: Great for travel or kids
  • Carbon fiber: Nearly indestructible
  • Painted or decorative: Beautiful, but check the construction inside

Even among other ukuleles, what it’s made from matters as much as what it looks like.

🎓 Chapter 3 Recap: Find Your Voice, Find Your Ukulele

Now that you’ve explored the entire ukulele family — from the compact soprano to the bold baritone, and from stage-ready electrics to world-traveling hybrids — you’ve likely noticed how size, shape, tuning, and style all influence how deeply you connect with your instrument. More importantly, you’ve come to understand that other ukuleles aren’t just novelties or side notes. Instead, they represent exciting musical opportunities — new tools, fresh voices, and creative directions just waiting to be explored.

Whether you’re sticking with your first uke or dreaming of your next, you’ve gained the know-how to choose confidently, compare thoughtfully, and embrace any variation that inspires you.

From here on, it’s not just about playing the ukulele — it’s about playing your uke. Your size, tuning, style and your sound.

> The right ukulele doesn’t just fit your hands. It fits your music.

🔧 Coming Up in Chapter 4: Ukulele Know-How

Strings, setups, and how your instrument actually works

Before we head deeper into technique, it’s time to focus on the ukulele itself — because playing well is easier when your instrument is ready to go.

In Chapter 4, you’ll learn:

🪙 Cheap Ukuleles — and How to Improve Them

Not every uke needs to be expensive to sound good. You’ll learn:

  • How to spot a decent budget uke
  • Simple upgrades that dramatically improve tone and playability
  • How to turn a “starter” into a keeper

🎼 Ukulele Strings: What to Choose and Why It Matters

Strings make a huge difference in how your uke sounds and feels. We’ll cover:

  • The pros and cons of fluorocarbon, nylon, and Aquila strings
  • When and how to change them
  • How string tension affects ukulele chords and strumming

🔧 Ukulele Setup and Easy Fixes

A good setup makes your playing smoother — especially on budget ukes. You’ll discover:

  • How to check action and intonation
  • How to improve playability without tech skills
  • What to look for when buying a new uke

🧩 Bridge, Saddle, and Nut — Know the Parts

Understanding the uke’s build helps you maintain it properly. You’ll learn:

  • What each part does
  • How to fix common issues
  • How small tweaks (like sanding a saddle or adjusting nut slots) can make a big impact

🌺 And Then: The Story of the Ukulele

To wrap it all up, we’ll look at:

  • The ukulele’s rich history — from Madeira to Hawaii to global fame
  • How the uke evolved in shape, size, and sound
  • Why this little instrument keeps winning hearts around the world

🎶 Whether you’re fixing up a secondhand soprano or just want to understand your uke better, Chapter 4 is packed with practical knowledge and easy upgrades. Shall we dive in? Go to Chapter 4.

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Finally, Basic Ukulele was founded in 2015 with the aim of making it easier for anyone who wants to learn or find out more about this wonderful instrument.