For the first forty years or so of its existence, there was only one size of ukulele: what we now call the soprano. Then began a search for more volume, led mainly by the Martin Guitar Company. Only a few months after introducing their first line of ukuleles in 1916, they came out with a slightly larger, double-strung version called a taro-patch (more about that name in another column). It didn’t prove very popular (perhaps because all those strings on wooden friction tuning pegs made it hard to tune), and in 1924 Martin introduced a four-string version with the same body size as the taro-patch, which they called a concert size ukulele. Perhaps they chose the name to suggest its larger size had a louder voice more suited to public performance than the domestic soprano size. Then in 1928 they upped the ante again by introducing the tenor size. Of course the terms “soprano” and “tenor” are completely inappropriate, because they refer to different pitch ranges while all three ukulele sizes are tuned the same; but the names stuck anyway.

How do I know what size ukulele I have? The body size is one indicator, but the key factor is the string scale (the distance between the nut and the bridge saddle). The soprano’s scale is about 13”/330mm; the concert’s, 15”/380mm; and the tenor’s, 17”/430mm.

Which size is best for you? That’s a question only you can answer; or perhaps you need one of each!