There are a host of ukulele sizes to compare and contrast, and new variations are always coming to the market. Which means you’ve done got yourself in quite the rabbit hole! But don’t worry, we’ve explored the depths of this one so you don’t have to.
The smallest ukulele is a sopranissimo (17″) which is about half the length of the largest ukulele, the bass (30″). There are six other ukes between those two for a total of eight sizes. From smallest to largest the eight sizes are the sopranissimo, sopranino, soprano, super soprano, concert, tenor, baritone, and bass.
There are certainly other varieties of ukuleles out there as well, like the banjolele, which I’ll mention at the end of this post. But, for now, let me walk you through each of the more standard sizes.
Before we jump in, I’ll just add, out of the eight standard sizes listed here only four are considered common. Those are the soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Of those four, most beginners are encouraged to start on a soprano, concert, or tenor. I’ll explain the reasoning there in just a minute, but let’s get to the ukes. After all, you don’t want to be stuck in this rabbit hole forever!
Name and Size of Ukulele With Fret Count and Tuning
| Total Length | Scale Length | Body Length | Frets | Standard Tuning | |
| Sopranissimo | 17″ | 11″ | 7″ | 12 | gCEA |
| Sopranino | 18-19″ | 11-12″ | 8-9″ | 12 | gCEA |
| Soprano | 20-21″ | 13-14″ | 9-10″ | 12-15 | gCEA |
| Super Soprano | 22-25″ | 14-16″ | 9-10″ | 15-20 | gCEA |
| Concert | 24-25″ | 14-16″ | 11-12″ | 15-20 | gCEA |
| Tenor | 25-27″ | 16-17″ | 13-14″ | 15-20 | gCEA / GCEA |
| Baritone | 29-30″ | 19-20″ | 13-15″ | 17-21 | DGBE |
| Bass | 29-30″ | 19-21″ | 13-15″ | 17-21 | EADG |
Sopranissimo
Length: 17″ / Scale Length: 11″ / Body: 7″ / Frets: 12 / Tuning: gCEA
The sopranissimos are tiny! And thus, they are going to be more of a travel companion than a daily player. More than anything though, they tend to be more of a sight gag or skill flex. Ukes in this size range are often called piccolos as well.
These are often used by performers who really know how to work a crowd. There is nothing like seeing someone pull out such a tiny uke that clearly looks like a doll accessory only to hear them play something truly incredible on it. When done well it can bring the house down!
That being said, these are relatively new, and not many models are out yet. Time will tell where these end up in the uke world, but they will likely grow in popularity as many players like to challenge themselves on smaller and smaller instruments.
As the smallest of the bunch, this one is going to really sing when it is tuned up to Bb Eb G C where it will really maximize the higher tones such a small instrument brings out.
Sopranino
Length: 18-19″ / Scale Length: 11-12″ / Body: 8-9″ / Frets: 12 / Tuning: gCEA
Until the sopranissimo hit the scene, the sopranino used to be the sight gag of choice. It’s extremely tiny in its own right and still brings a house down. The reality here is that it does have just a bit more length on the scale (about an inch) which means more players will be able to play it well.
The key for the sight gag to really work, is nailing the music piece you play on it. If it sounds sloppy, it loses that wow factor. Which is why, for now, the sopranino is still king of the sight gag.
Here is one of the better ones I’ve heard on youtube with a plastic sopranino (he had a hard crowd in this one).
Soprano
Length: 20-21″ / Scale Length: 13-14″ / Body: 9-10″ / Frets: 12-15 / Tuning: gCEA
With the soprano, we’re finally entering into the more traditional and common ukulele sizes for beginners. It’s still fairly small, but it is actually something that most adults can comfortably play.
It is the quintessential size, or rather, what most people picture when they think about the uke.
Keep in mind here that all sizes we mention in this post are based on a range that is commonly found for each class of ukulele (we actually looked up a wide range of manufacturers and specs). There isn’t a hard and fast guide on size so there might be some custom pieces out there that fall out of our range here. However, the most common similarity each class of uke shares is the scale length. There tends to be less variance in scale lengths vs total length and body.
Most ukulele music is written with the soprano or concert ukes in mind, which makes them the perfect beginner’s choice. If you’re just starting out, they’re a good place to start.
We tend to suggest starting with a soprano even though many folks with larger hands might appreciate the added room on the frets that they get with a concert. Our reasoning here is that we find the best budget beginner ukes are sopranos. You can see our post about our top budget pick here.
If you have large hands and “deeper pockets” maybe skip the budget category and go with a concert.
You can see a beginner (about a month in when video was made) talking about their experience with their soprano ukulele in the video below.
Super Soprano
Length: 22-25″ / Scale Length: 14-16″ / Body: 9-10″ / Frets: 15-20 / Tuning: gCEA
The super soprano is another variation that isn’t as common as the main three (soprano, concert, and tenor) which combines the body size of a soprano with the scale length of a concert.
Since it is more of a variation, not all manufacturers offer it in their lineup. Which makes them harder to find.
Many players learn on a soprano and get used to the feel and play of it. But, at the same time, many prefer the added space the concert gives with the frets. The super soprano gives the player both in one instrument.
Concert
Length: 24-25″ / Scale Length: 14-16″ / Body: 11-12″ / Frets: 15-20 / Tuning: gCEA
The concert is the second size in the most common three ukes (soprano, concert, tenor). It has a fuller sound than the soprano and is a little louder as well.
The concert tends to be the preferred size for most players. Spending a bit of time on message boards and forums will show just how much people love the concert.
I like to say that the soprano has more of a nostalgic vibe and respect from all of us, but the concert is just in that sweet spot for sound, size, and playability.
The concert has a bit more string tension, which makes the strings a touch harder on the fingers for beginners. But that makes it a more punchy instrument than the soprano. Players can attack the concert a bit more, but it also plays very well for finger styles as well.
Tenor
Length: 25-27″ / Scale Length: 16-17″ / Body: 13-14″ / Frets: 15-20 / Tuning: gCEA / GCEA
The tenor is the third size uke in the common beginner lineup. Most players don’t start out with the tenor, but beginners with especially large hands are at times encouraged to make this their first choice.
One of the key elements that separates the tenor from the smaller ukes is that it can be tuned to high G or low G. Not sure what that means? Be sure to check out our post on that here.
The added ability to tune to low G means it can be played more like a guitar, and it opens up additional notes for solos and fingerpicking.
The tenor is much louder and booms compared to the smaller ukes. They’re a ton of fun to play, but lose a bit of the brightness and quintessential feel of the soprano and concert.
For a demo of high G and low G playing this video below is fantastic!
Baritone
Length: 29-30″ / Scale Length: 19-20″ / Body: 13-15″ / Frets: 17-21 / Tuning: DGBE
The baritone is considered one of the four primary ukulele sizes, but it isn’t necessarily suggested for beginners due to the tuning. In all reality, it is tuned just like the four highest strings of the guitar or rather D G B E. This means chords and chord positions are exactly like the guitar without the top two finger positions.
Because of that fact, if you’re really wanting to learn the ukulele, starting with the other three (soprano, concert, tenor) is ideal.
Additionally, most lessons are geared towards the classic tuning of gCEA which is likely what brand new players need to learn chord positions for the uke.
It’s quite large, and actually looks and plays like a tenor guitar.
Bass
Length: 29-30″ / Scale Length: 19-21″ / Body: 13-15″ / Frets: 17-21 / Tuning: EADG
The bass uke exists, but it is pretty rare. It sounds a bit like a standup bass, but only comes in an electric version. The strings are rubber, which makes them easy on the fingers.
This like the very small versions of the uke, is more of a wow factor, or novelty. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds great but tends to be something all uke bands use for the effect and showmanship.
There is something fun about hearing bass notes come from a traditional instrument associated with high notes.
The tuning is EADG, which means if you play the bass you can play the uke bass.
Other Uke Variations
As I mentioned above, there are many variations out there. I’ll just briefly mention two of the more popular versions.
Banjolele
The banjolele is literally what the name mashup implies. It’s a banjo and a ukulele combined. The body is like that of a banjo, and the neck is often the size of a concert ukulele.
It’s tuned just like a concert uke at gCEA, and sounds like you would guess, a banjo and a ukulele combined. Though, to me, it sounds more like a banjo than a uke.
Check it out below.
Pineapples
Pineapple ukuleles come in a variety of sizes, but are most common in the soprano and concert range. The primary difference is the shape of the body, as they look more like a pineapple. They have been around since the early 1900’s and have been featured by some of the most iconic ukulele brands.