Different Strokes for Different Folks
The Ukulele Delivers Fun in All Shapes and Sizes
by Jackie Saunders
Ukists are becoming collectors because of the rise in popularity of the instrument. Once you buy one, it's hard to stop. Collecting guitars can be a bank-breaking, cumbersome endeavor, but ukulele hoarding is much simpler thanks to the instrument's size and wallet-friendly prices.
Ken Middleton, UK representative of Los Angeles-based company, Ohana Ukuleles, has 30 Ohana ukuleles in his house. "I have different ones for different styles of music, just like someone would play an electric, acoustic, or Spanish guitar for different sounds," he says.
Several factors affect the tone and sound of a ukulele. For one, there are four different sizes to choose from: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The soprano is the most popular, and affordable, and has the iconic tone most people associate with Hawaiian tunes. The concert ukulele, sometimes referred to as the alto, has a 15-inch fretboard or scale, compared to the 13.5-inch fretboard on a soprano, so it is a better choice for bigger hands, or for those who want more range and fuller, louder sound.
The tenor, the next size up from concert, generally has greater volume than soprano and alto ukes because of a longer fretboard. It's a popular instrument for soloists like Jake Shimabukuro and James Hill. Lastly, the baritone, the least popular size, carries the deepest sound. Its tuning is often the same as the bottom four strings of the guitar DGBE, instead of the traditional GCEA tuning of the other ukes. For baritone, six-string and eight-string models, where specific strings are doubled up, are common.
The amount of space in the hollow body, the type of wood, type of strings, and its shape affect the sound of each size uke. "The traditional wood for ukuleles in Hawaii, is koa, a hard wood that only grows there. It produces ukuleles with a rich, but bright sound," says Middleton. "Another wood used is mahogany, which has a very sweet mellow sound. Then you can use a spruce or cedar for the fretboard, and rosewood maples for the back and sides. The most popular and expensive koa or mahogany is used for the soundboard [front panel]."
Vita
The pear-shaped Vita ukulele looks like a mini mandolin and was invented by "Wizard of Strings" Roy Smeck, a string virtuoso who appeared in early films, the Vaudeville circuit, and toured the world. Originally distributed by the Harmony Company in Chicago, Vita's wide body makes a loud sound compared to a figure eight uke. "There is a lot of room for the sound to get out," says Middleton. While most people want their first ukulele to be a traditional one, the Vita is a popular second uke.
Pineapple
Hawaii-based ukulele maker Sam Kamaka invented the pineapple shape in the mid 1920's and patented it in 1928. The oval shape produces a resonant, mellow sound, quite different from the standard plucky, upbeat soprano. The pineapple has a strong, loud middle register, but a weaker upper register. This Ohana model is made from solid mahogany.
Soprano
This soprano is the standard shape and has the classic uke sound. Larger sizes with longer fretboards, like the tenor and concert sizes, share this shape. The figure eight looks like a small acoustic guitar and this one features a solid cedar top, flamed-mahogany back and sides, gotoh friction tuner, rope-style bindings, and aquila strings.
Bell
The bell shape and solid mahogany body provide a rich tone. "The bell doesn't sound traditional, and it's not a traditional shape," says Middleton. "It's designed to be unusual, designed to be loud; it has a slightly different sound." Since the bell is little bigger than the traditional soprano, some might be uncomfortable with the shape, but it gives a good quality bass sound.
