Ukulele Buying Guide for Beginners - Choosing The Right Size

For beginners, learning the ukulele is an easy, welcoming start. It’s generally more affordable than most instruments, compact enough to practice anywhere (on the couch, in bed, even at the beach), and the nylon strings are kinder to new fingers than an acoustic guitar’s steel strings. With fewer frets than a guitar, it’s also faster to grasp the basics.

However, choosing your first ukulele can be tricky. Types, sizes, shapes, and woods directly affect tone and playability. In this buying guide, we’ll walk through the essentials so you can choose with confidence.

Introduction of the Ukulele

The Birth of Ukulele

In 1879, Portuguese craftsmen and players Manuel Nunes, João Fernandes, and Augusto Dias arrived in Hawaii. While working in sugarcane fields, they developed a small instrument inspired by those from their homeland. Locals noticed both its beautiful look and the players’ quick finger movements, and began calling it “ukulele,” often translated as “jumping flea.” Regardless of which origin story you prefer, the instrument became Hawaii’s most popular thanks in large part to these makers.

The Development of Ukulele

Hawaiian royalty and nobles—including King Kalākaua, Queen Emma, and Queen Liliʻuokalani—helped popularize the ukulele, and it soon spread from everyday workers to the royal court. By around 1915 it surged in North America, then crossed the Atlantic to Britain. Through the 1940s–50s, artists such as George Formby and Arthur Godfrey kept it in the mainstream. Interest later dipped, but in recent decades the ukulele has decisively returned and continues to grow.

Components of the Ukulele

The ukulele shares many parts with the guitar.

Headstock

Usually built with the neck, the headstock holds the tuning machines. Brands typically place their logo here.

Tuners

Tuners (tuning machines/pegs) mount to the headstock, apply string tension, and keep the instrument in tune. They come in sealed or open styles. Sealed tuners are generally more stable and low-maintenance.

Nut and Saddle

The nut (at the headstock end) and saddle (on the bridge) align the strings and transfer vibration to the body.

Neck and Fingerboard

The neck is typically glued into the body. Neck profile and finish affect playability. The fingerboard is mounted on the neck and holds the frets.

Body

The body produces the instrument’s acoustics. It’s a resonant chamber with a soundhole, composed of the top (soundboard), back, and sides. String vibration travels from the saddle into the top, exciting the body to create sound. Pay attention to resonance when choosing a ukulele.

Bridge

The bridge anchors the strings and holds the saddle, conducting vibration into the top.

Categories of the Ukulele

Ukuleles vary by size and configuration. Here are the four main sizes and their typical dimensions:

Type	Scale Length	Full Length
Soprano	13"	21"
Concert	15"	23"
Tenor	17"	26"
Baritone	19"	30"

Specs of different ukulele types

Soprano

The earliest ukulele. Smallest and most iconic, with a 13" scale and 21" overall length. Delivers the bright, sweet sound many associate with the uke.

Concert

Slightly larger: 15" scale and 23" overall. A bit louder with more low-end than soprano, but overall a similar character.

Tenor

With a 17" scale and 26" overall length, tenor offers more resonance, sustain, and room between strings/frets—great for larger hands and melodic playing.

Baritone

The largest size: 19" scale and ~30" overall. Deepest voice and highest volume potential. Tuned D3–G3–B3–E4 (like the top four guitar strings), so it’s very familiar for guitarists.

Acoustic-Electric Ukulele

Acoustic-electric models include a pickup and onboard preamp (often with volume/tone controls, sometimes a tuner). Because nylon strings are relatively quiet, amplification helps for live performance or recording.

Donner Electric 23-inch Concert Ukulele

Setting up a Ukulele

Most ukuleles lack truss-rod/action adjustments, so tuning is the primary setup step. Aside from baritone, common tunings for soprano/concert/tenor revolve around G–C–E–A (re-entrant or linear). There’s no single standard, which keeps the instrument creative and flexible.

Type	Tuning	Variation
Soprano	G4–C4–E4–A4	A4–D4–F#4–B4
Concert	G4–C4–E4–A4	A4–D4–F#4–B4 or G3–C4–E4–A4
Tenor	G3–C4–E4–A4	A4–D4–F#4–B4 or D4–G3–B3–E4
Baritone	D3–G3–B3–E4	None

Different tunings of ukuleles

Nylon strings are less stable than steel at first, so expect frequent retuning. A clip-on electronic tuner is recommended for accurate, vibration-based detection (phone apps can be less accurate in noisy environments and may charge for alternate tunings). Most Donner ukulele bundles include a clip-on tuner.

Donner Guitar/Ukulele Tuner

What Affects the Tone of a Ukulele

Shape

Two common silhouettes:

Guitar Shape: the classic “waisted” profile, sometimes with a cutaway for upper-fret access.

Donner DUC400 21-inch Guitar Shape Ukulele

Pineapple Shape: rounder body, often associated with Hawaiian styling. Tends to be slightly warmer and more resonant, though differences are subtle.

Tonewoods

Like other acoustic instruments, wood species influence tone—but craftsmanship and design matter just as much. Don’t get lost in the woods: choose reputable builds first, then wood flavors.

Laminated vs. Solid Wood

Solid wood uses single-species plates and typically resonates more freely. Laminated wood uses layered construction with a decorative outer veneer; it’s more stable and climate-resistant, often at a lower cost. Solid wood can sound richer and “open up” over time, but is more sensitive to humidity/temperature and may require more care.

Types of Tonewoods

Hawaiian Koa: prized, visually striking; focused mids, smooth highs, lighter lows; often improves with years of playing.

Mahogany: warm, rich mids and lows; widely used for bodies and necks.

Maple: dense and stable; bright and clear; common for fingerboards, bridges, and decorative tops.

Rosewood / Pau Ferro: high-density options often used for fingerboards and, at times, backs/sides; Pau Ferro is a common rosewood alternative.

Spruce: light-colored tops with straight grain; crisp, bright response and headroom.

Cedar: softer than spruce but still a hardwood; mellow, full tone—popular for tenor/baritone tops.

Size

From smallest to largest: soprano, concert, tenor, baritone. Larger bodies project louder and deeper. Prefer bright and “chimey”? Choose smaller. Want guitar-like depth? Consider baritone. Also factor in hand size and preferred tuning.

Accessories

Buying accessories piecemeal can be time-consuming. A clip-on tuner is highly recommended. A gig bag protects the ukulele for travel. A strap helps when playing standing. Picks and spare strings are useful as you practice more. Many Donner bundles include the instrument, a clip-on tuner, picks, a quality gig bag, a strap, and a set of nylon strings—convenient for beginners.

More Information

If you have questions about ukuleles or related topics, feel free to contact us via the “Contact Us” button. We’re happy to help.