Price Range and Body Size

Soprano: This is the smallest size of ukuleles. Soprano ukuleles have a higher, lilting tone compared to their larger cousins. Their small size and frets that are spaced closer together makes them ideal for young learners or players with small hands.

Concert: Larger than a soprano ukulele, but still compact in size, concert-sized ukuleles have more frets and a warmer, deeper tone than their soprano counterparts.

Tenor: The largest of the most common size of ukuleles, tenor ukuleles have a rich tone and are suited for players with larger hands. The neck is a little wider and heavier than both the Soprano and Concert ukuleles, giving it more of a bass-laden tone than the concert and soprano sized ukuleles.

Overall, ukuleles are one of the most affordable instruments, offering a lifetime of learning and playing enjoyment for a relatively low cost -- ranging between $70 to $300. Depending on what stage you’re at in your ukulele journey, there are a variety of ukuleles to meet your budget. I think a budget of $50 to $100 is ideal for most beginners.

To deepen your understanding of the qualities of different ukuleles, check out this ukeguide for beginners.

Ukulele tuning can actually be a complicated subject. To help make tuning your ukulele easier, you should start by learning the notes, names and numbers that are commonly assigned to the open strings. When we are talking about ukulele string names, we label them by the note that the open string plays. Open notes are the notes that are played if you pick a chord without holding down the string on any fret, thus, it is “open”. It is common for people to refer to each string by the open string note that it plays.

Ukulele String Notes and Names

The top string, or closest to you when playing, is the G-string. The g string is also the thickest string and the strings get thinner as you move down the neck of the ukulele. The next string down is tuned to a C string. The 2nd string is tuned to an E note and the 1st string, closest to the floor, is an A.
Note: If you are playing a regular ukulele left handed, the order of the strings will be reversed. This can be hard to play and add extra difficulty to learning, so we recommend you pick up a ukulele designed for lefties!

Ukulele String Numbers

The ukulele string order is done by numbering them 1, 2, 3 and 4. The one is the string closest to the ground, normally the A string. Strings 2, 3 and 4 get closer to you as you go up in numbers and are associated with the E, C, and G strings from the naming section.

Now, to get your ukulele in tune, you can use free online ukulele tuner to make sure you’re in perfect pitch. There are also many apps for iOS and Android you can download to tune your ukulele on-the-go!