Ukulele Sizes Explained: Soprano vs Concert vs Tenor vs Baritone

Choosing a ukulele size is the first decision every new player faces, and it is the question we are asked most often in the shop. The good news is that there is no wrong answer – every size is a real, playable ukulele. But the right size will feel more comfortable in your hands and give you the sound you are after, which makes you far more likely to keep practising. This guide explains every ukulele size, compares them side by side and tells you which one we would recommend for you.

Ukulele size chart

Size	Total length	Scale length	Frets	Tuning	Best for
Sopranino	about 43 cm / 17"	28 cm / 11"	10–12	GCEA (often higher)	Travel, novelty, very small children
Soprano	53 cm / 21"	33 cm / 13"	12–15	GCEA	Children, the classic "plinky" uke sound
Concert	58 cm / 23"	38 cm / 15"	15–20	GCEA	Adult beginners, all-round playing
Tenor	66 cm / 26"	43 cm / 17"	17–19+	GCEA (high or low G)	Larger hands, fingerstyle, performing
Baritone	76 cm / 30"	48 cm / 19"	18–21	DGBE	Guitar players, a deep, warm tone
Bass (U-Bass)	about 76 cm / 30"	51–53 cm / 20–21"	16–18 or fretless	EADG (like a bass guitar)	Playing bass lines in a band

Measurements are typical and vary slightly between brands. Scale length is the vibrating length of the string, from the nut to the saddle – it is the measurement that most affects how a ukulele feels to play.

Soprano ukulele: the original and smallest standard size

The soprano is the ukulele most people picture: small, light and bright, with the cheerful, slightly "plinky" sound of Hawaiian and old-time music. With a 13" scale, the frets are close together, which suits small hands and makes stretches easy.

• Pros: very portable, affordable, the most traditional sound, ideal for children.
• Cons: frets can feel cramped for adults with larger fingers; less volume and sustain than bigger sizes.

A favourite with our customers is the Kala KA-15S satin mahogany soprano. See every model in our soprano ukulele collection, or read our guide to the best soprano ukuleles.

Concert ukulele: the best size for most adult beginners

The concert ukulele is a slightly larger soprano. The longer 15" scale and wider neck give your fingers more space, the strings sit at a little more tension and the bigger body produces a louder, warmer sound – while still sounding unmistakably like a ukulele.

• Pros: comfortable for most adult hands, fuller tone, more frets, still easy to carry.
• Cons: slightly less of the classic soprano sparkle.

If you are an adult buying your first ukulele and cannot decide, choose a concert. The Kala KA-CG gloss mahogany concert is a popular all-rounder; browse all concert ukuleles or see our best concert ukuleles guide.

Tenor ukulele: more room, more tone

Tenor ukuleles have a 17" scale and a noticeably bigger body. That gives the deepest, richest sound of the GCEA-tuned ukuleles, more sustain and plenty of space up the neck. Most professional ukulele players and fingerstyle players use a tenor.

• Tenor ukulele size: about 66 cm (26") long with a 43 cm (17") scale.
• Pros: fullest sound, best for fingerpicking and solo playing, great for players with larger hands, often available with a pickup and in low-G tuning.
• Cons: bigger to carry and slightly harder stretches for small hands.

Try the Enya Nova U Pro tenor, explore our tenor ukuleles, or read which tenor ukulele is best.

Baritone ukulele: a ukulele for guitar players

The baritone is the largest standard ukulele and it is tuned differently: D–G–B–E, the same as the four highest strings of a guitar. That means a guitarist already knows every chord shape. The sound is deep and warm, closer to a classical guitar than a soprano uke.

• Pros: instantly familiar to guitarists, rich low tone, comfortable for large hands.
• Cons: chord shapes differ from standard ukulele songbooks, and it does not have the bright "uke" sound.

Popular choices include the Kala KA-BG gloss mahogany baritone. See all baritone ukuleles and our baritone ukulele guide.

Other ukulele sizes and types

• Sopranino and pocket ukuleles: the smallest ukuleles you can buy, about 43 cm long. Fun for travel, but too cramped for most adults to learn on.
• Long-neck soprano and "super" sizes: a soprano body with a concert neck, or a concert body with a tenor neck. They combine a small body with more space for your fingers.
• Bass ukulele (U-Bass): a baritone-sized body with thick rubber or polyurethane strings tuned E–A–D–G, an octave lower than a bass guitar would read. It needs an amplifier to be heard. See our bass ukuleles.
• 5, 6 and 8-string ukuleles: tenor or baritone ukuleles with doubled strings for a shimmering, 12-string-guitar-like sound.

Which ukulele size should I buy?

If you are…	We recommend	Why
A child aged about 4–9	Soprano	Short scale and small body fit small hands and arms
A child aged about 10+ or a teenager	Soprano or concert	Concert gives room to grow
An adult beginner	Concert	Comfortable fret spacing and a fuller sound
An adult with large hands or thick fingers	Tenor	Most space between frets
Interested in fingerpicking or gigging	Tenor (with pickup)	Best projection, sustain and range
A guitar player	Baritone (or tenor)	Baritone uses guitar chord shapes
Looking for a travel instrument	Soprano or travel uke	Light and fits in a backpack

Does ukulele size affect the sound?

Yes. A larger body moves more air, so bigger ukuleles are louder, warmer and have more bass and sustain. A soprano sounds bright and punchy; a tenor sounds rich and full; a baritone sounds mellow and guitar-like. The tonewood, build quality and strings matter just as much, so a well-made soprano can sound better than a cheap tenor.

Does ukulele size affect how easy it is to play?

Size changes the spacing between frets and the string tension. Smaller ukuleles have closer frets (easier stretches, but more cramped for big fingers) and slacker strings. Larger ukuleles have wider spacing and slightly firmer strings. Because soprano, concert and tenor all use the same tuning and chord shapes, you can switch between them later without relearning anything.

How to measure a ukulele

1. Total length: measure from the bottom of the body to the tip of the headstock.
2. Scale length: measure from the nut (the slotted strip at the top of the fingerboard) to the 12th fret, then double it. This is the most reliable way to tell which size a ukulele really is.
3. Body width: measure across the widest part of the lower bout.

Frequently asked questions

What are the four sizes of ukulele?

Soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Sopranino (smaller) and bass ukuleles (larger) also exist but are less common.

What is the smallest ukulele?

The sopranino, or pocket ukulele, is the smallest, at around 43 cm (17") long. Of the four standard sizes, the soprano is the smallest at about 53 cm (21").

What size is a tenor ukulele?

A tenor ukulele is about 66 cm (26") long with a 43 cm (17") scale length and usually 17 to 19 frets.

Which ukulele size is best for beginners?

For adults, a concert ukulele is the best all-round choice. For children, a soprano. Players with larger hands may prefer a tenor from the start.

Can adults play a soprano ukulele?

Absolutely – many professional players use sopranos for their traditional sound. If you have large fingers, though, you may find a concert or tenor more comfortable.

Are all ukuleles tuned the same?

Soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles use standard G–C–E–A tuning, so chords transfer directly between them. Baritone ukuleles are tuned D–G–B–E and bass ukuleles E–A–D–G.

What size ukulele should a 7-year-old get?

A soprano. It is the right size for most children up to about nine or ten. See our kids' ukuleles for light, colourful options.

Find your perfect ukulele size

If you are still unsure, start with a concert for an adult or a soprano for a child – you will not go wrong. Browse every size in our ukuleles by size collection, or ask our team and we will help you choose.

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About the author: Talha Malik is operations manager at Uke Universe, the independent instrument shop in Leicester. He works alongside the team that inspects and sets up every ukulele, guitar and folk instrument before it is sent to a customer, and he writes our buying guides based on the questions customers ask us most.