Uke #1 - Which ukulele size is right for me?

Which ukulele size is right for me? Having a hard time going through this? This is one of the most common questions from an Ukulele beginner. I have been through this and I am sure many others too. So first of all, the Ukulele comes in 4 sizes - Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone. The Soprano is the smallest of all and is also known as the Standard size for an Uke. It is usually the cheapest, if you are comparing within the same ukulele model. This is due to lesser material required for the smaller ukulele and does not mean a more inferior uke. Hence, a soprano is also usually the best bang for buck. The Concert is slightly bigger, retaining most of the sound qualities of a soprano except that it is louder with a deeper tone. Shortly after, the Tenor is developed and that is where the ukulele sound starts to change. The tenor is bigger, with more bass and volume. And then you have the Baritone, which looks like a mini guitar.

I will urge most beginners to start off with a soprano or concert first before looking at the other sizes. A soprano is good if you are a beginner and doing more strumming. The tone of the soprano is really sweet and nice. If you do more finger-picking or you are a more advanced uke player, a concert will be more suitable. The concert has wider frets, suitable if you have bigger fingers. The concert has more frets (15-20) compared to a soprano (12-15). This is usually not a concern for beginners or casual strummers. I will not consider other sizes for a beginner because they start to sound different from a ukulele and the additional frets are more for advanced or professional players. The size also puts me off. I would love to have a uke that I can pick up and play anytime, anywhere. Of course, like what most uke players would tell you, get down to a store and pick up an uke and try the different sizes. Listen and feel. Your ultimate first uke is the one that speaks to you!

Illustration taken from public domain and credits go to the owner of the illustration.