Top Best Electric Ukuleles in 2020

October 01, 2020

An electric ukulele is similar to its acoustic or non-electric counterpart. It works and looks a lot like an electric guitar. In this article, we will talk about the electric ukulele, what are the different types of it, and what is the best electric ukulele for a newbie who wants to learn it? So let’s get going.

Types of Electric Ukulele

Electric ukuleles have steel strings instead of nylon ones and look and work similarly to an electric guitar. You can create endless musical possibilities with your electric ukulele. It has two different types as follows;

Electric ukulele
Acoustic-electric ukulele

1. Electric ukulele:

An electric ukulele has a one-piece solid wooden body without any soundhole. It produces a heavy, bass-laden sound. It is best for producing rock and heavy metal musical vibes. It has its pickup that you can plug it into an amplifier to produce an even heavier than it already produces. It has a feel and performance that is very close to an electric guitar.

2. Acoustic-electric guitar

The acoustic-electric guitar same as the traditional ukulele. The only difference is the pickup that you can use to plug it to the amplifier. It is usually located at the bottom and sometimes there are EQ controls and volume provided with it, depending on the model you are buying. The major difference between an electric and acoustic-electric ukulele is the sound. An acoustic-electric guitar has a louder sound whether you plug it to an amplifier or not.

Different Sizes of Electric Ukuleles:

An electric ukulele has is available in four different sizes which are as follows;

Soprano
Concert
Tenor
Baritone

1. Soprano:

It is the smallest and most popular size of electric ukuleles. Sometimes it is also called as the standard ukulele. It has a small length, measuring only 21 inches with a scale length of 13 inches. Its size makes it ideal for children, amateurs, beginners, and people with small hands. It is easier to carry, thanks to its small size, and is ideal for taking on picnics, leisure travel, or foreign trips. Some people may find it hard to adjust to its small size but once you get accustomed to it there is no stopping you. It can play almost anything and you will have a gala time with it as it is fun to play with. It has a typical ukulele sound that is crisp, sharp, and very bright. In short it soprano is the archetypal ukulele.

2. Concert:

The concert is slightly bigger than the soprano. The overall length of the concert is 23 inches with a scale of 15 inches. This makes it 2 inches longer than soprano. The size gives it an advantage as it is easier to get a hang of it if you are already a standard-sized electric guitar. The size also gives it an edge in the sound department. It can produce a richer sound that is high in volume especially towards the low notes. In technical terms, we can say that its tuning is limited to G4-C4-E4-A4 and A4-D4-F#4-B4. The concert is still highly portable, the slightly bigger body notwithstanding. Its sound still has that consummate soprano feel to it, although with richer bass and heavy touch.

3. Tenor:

The tenor ukulele is longer than a concert in overall length and the length of the scale. The overall length of it is 26 inches and the scale is 17 inches long. If you already know how to play an electric guitar, you will have no problem transferring to an electric tenor ukulele. The size gives you the freedom to hold, play, and maneuver it easily. You get further tuning options with tenor than a concert. It has a deep sound, thanks to its bigger body but it still retains the typical ukuleles sound very well.

4. Baritone:

The baritone is the biggest of them all. It is just like an electric guitar with an overall length of 30 inches and 19 inches for the scale. It produces an even deeper and warmer sound than the tenor. It has one common tuning that is D3-G3-B3-E34.

Which one among the four is best for you? The answer to that depends on what you want out of your ukulele? You are after what kind of sound. With the increase in size, the tone, and the sound of the ukulele becomes louder and heavier. If this is what you want, then the bigger the better for you. If you want a quintessential ukulele sound and feel, then soprano is the thing for you.

Which is the Best Ukulele for Beginners?

Now we are going to list a few of the ukulele models that we think would be perfect for beginners. We are going to list their features and key specifications. All of them are available at uktune.com. We strongly recommend that you go visit their website if you are in the mood to buy a ukulele for yourself or anyone you know.

1. 21” soprano ukulele Sapele wood:

Length: 21 inches’ soprano
Headstock: Made of Sapele wood
The material of the main body: Sapele wood
Fretboard: Engineered wood
Bridge: Engineered wood
Tuning pegs: Sealed chrome
Strings: Aquila Nygut
Color: Matte natural
Saddle: Plastic
Add-ons: A bag and an extra set of 4 Aquila Nygut strings

Ukutune UKS1 Soprano Ukulele is a product of a joint venture between uktunes and Chinese musical instruments manufacturer having 10 years of experience.

The soprano is the most well-known and most-loved of the ukulele type. It is perfect for newbies and professionals alike. Its compact size makes it highly portable.

Its neck has 15 frets that make it very easy to play notes and find chords. It is manufactured using the tonewood Sapele, creating a smooth look.

The Aquila Nygot strings are a hybrid of nylon and gut. This combination helps produce a mellifluous and rich sound.

2. 26" Tenor Ukulele Ash Wood Matte Green:

Length: Tenor (26”)
Head: Ashwood
The material of the main body: Ashwood
Fretboard: Engineered wood
Bridge: Engineered wood
Tuning pegs: Sealed chrome strings: Aquila Nylgut
Color: Matte green
Saddle: Ox bone
Add-on: A bag and an extra set of 4 Aquila Nygut strings

Ukutune UKA1 Tenor Ukulele is a product of a joint venture between uktunes and Chinese musical instruments manufacturer having 10 years of experience.

Made especially for those people that feel not at home with a small-sized ukulele. You will find it very easy to play with your big hands.

The neck has 18 frets and there are enough spaces among the frets that make it easy for you to play notes and find chords. The Aquila Nygot strings are a hybrid of nylon and gut that are very well-suited for your gentle fingers. Its shiny finish and the green shade make every ukulele unique in both texture and appearance.

3. 23" Concert Ukulele Solid Spruce Ebony Wood Natural Color:

Length: Concert (23")
Headstock: Ebony
Soundboard: Solid spruce
The material of the main body: Ebony
Fretboard: Walnut
Bridge: Walnut
Tuning pegs: Sealed chrome
Strings: Aquila Nylgut
Color: Natural
Saddle: Ox bone
Add-on: A bag and an extra set of 4 Aquila Nygut strings

Ukutune UKE1 Concert Ukulele is a product of a joint venture between uktunes and Chinese musical instruments manufacturer having 10 years of experience.

Made especially for those people that feel not at home with a small-sized ukulele. You will find it very easy to play with your big hands.

The neck has 18 frets with a walnut fretboard with enough spaces among the frets that make it easy for you to play notes and find chords. It produces a sharp and clear sound thanks to the hard ebony back and sides and a taut spruce soundboard.

The Aquila Nygot strings are a hybrid of nylon and gut that are very well-suited for your gentle fingers. The dark ebony and walnut parts and light golden spruce make for a stunning look.

So, this was our list of the best electric ukuleles out there. An electric ukulele will give you striking sound and enough musical freedom to check your creative talents. They were and still are very popular among music aficionados. Their different types are suited for different sound tones and musical experiences. You can choose the one after determining what kind of sound you want.