Fat Bodied Sopranos

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Graham Greenbag

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I've noticed that occasionally Sopranos are available with slightly or even much larger bodies. Ohana have a Vita model and Mele a Jumbo model. I like the Soprano scale and wonder what other fat or fuller bodied Sopranos are on the market. All information gratefully received.

Edit. As an easy visual guide and a rough definition I suggest that the 'fat bodied' have a lower bout width equal to or greater than half their scale lentgth (ie the distance from the 12th fret to the saddle).
 
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My KoAloha Opio & Silvertone sopranos have bigger bodies than my Kala ASOV, Harmony, or Martin OXK sopranos. The two on the end of this pic are the Harmony and Silvertone
 

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actadh said:
My KoAloha Opio & Silvertone sopranos have bigger bodies than my Kala ASOV, Harmony, or Martin OXK sopranos. The two on the end of this pic are the Harmony and Silvertone
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing details of your Ukes, the picture and supporting this thread; it's much appreciated. As best I can scale things from photos, and assuming a 13-1/2" scale, the KoAloha Opio (from SUS's photo) has a lower bout of roughly 6-3/4" and the Silveton has a lower bout of 7-1/4". It's interesting to see the variation in size, I guess it's a factor in the sound of the Uke, etc.
 
The specs on my sapele Opio from The Ukulele Site/HMS where I bought it:

13-15/16" SOPRANO Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle)
21-3/16" Overall body length
9-3/16" Body length
5-3/8" Upper Bout
7-1/16" Lower Bout
4-1/2" Waist
1-7/16" At Nut
 
actadh said:
The specs on my sapele Opio from The Ukulele Site/HMS where I bought it:

13-15/16" SOPRANO Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle)
21-3/16" Overall body length
9-3/16" Body length
5-3/8" Upper Bout
7-1/16" Lower Bout
4-1/2" Waist
1-7/16" At Nut
Click to expand...

Thanks again, the extra information is appreciated. To my way of thinking the bigger Sopranos are 'where it's at' and I love that wider nut too. It must be a lovely Uke to own and to play.

I'd love to hear about what other fat or large bodied Sopranos UU members have.

I guess that Kala must produce the largest mass produced laminates as their site quotes a lower bout of 7" - i think that they used to be slightly smaller - but would be glad to either hear of others or be corrected.
 
Doctroid said:
My Kala lacewood soprano (bought in 2009) measures 6 7/8" across the lower bout.
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Thanks for that. I guess that this is what you have, it sound and looks very nice: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JPI5Luado88 .

IIRC Kala's standard Soprano used to be built with a lower bout of 6-7/8" but they are now listed at 7" - for me that's a step in the right direction - for current (advertised) sizes see the measurements section on this page: https://kalabrand.com/collections/exotic-mahogany-ukulele/products/ka-sem .

All additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received.
 
Kinnard sopranos have a larger than average lower bout.
 
Rakelele said:
Kinnard sopranos have a larger than average lower bout.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I can't find sizes detailed on the web but certainly photographs do show a quite accentuated lower bout - about 7-1/2" (?) if my rough sizing from photographs is correct. As his products are 'old school' (classics that have stood the test of time) with high end prices that, to me, indicates merit in his style of build. These sites give more pictorial detail:

https://www.theukulelesite.com/kinnard-custom-soprano.html

https://www.luthiersforacause.org/kinnard/

All additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received.
 
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I'm sure you've considered this, but in case not, without listening and comparing, I wouldn't buy a soprano expecting a specific sound based on size alone. I've played some rather large bodied sopranos with a restricted sound. And the other way around.
 
Ziret said:
I'm sure you've considered this, but in case not, without listening and comparing, I wouldn't buy a soprano expecting a specific sound based on size alone. I've played some rather large bodied sopranos with a restricted sound. And the other way around.
Click to expand...

+1 Tonewoods, build, material quality make huge differences.
 
Ziret said:
I'm sure you've considered this, but in case not, without listening and comparing, I wouldn't buy a soprano expecting a specific sound based on size alone. I've played some rather large bodied sopranos with a restricted sound. And the other way around.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your post (you too Hedulele) and for supporting the thread.

Yes, here's another vote that agrees with you in terms size alone and the differences that build and wood can make. No arguement from me there at all. From what little I know the sound that comes out of a Uke is the product of many complex variables, and then there's how it's played. Whether that sound meets the wants of each player is another question as we all have our own preferences on what we want our Uke to sound like - my own are for not too much treble, mellowish and more mid-range, but other folk might want something completely different. As I said in my original post: "Ohana have a Vita model and Mele a Jumbo model. I like the Soprano scale and wonder what other fat or fuller bodied Sopranos are on the market. All information gratefully received".

I'm just wondering what's out there and, as before, all additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received.
 
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Rakelele said:
Jerry Hoffmann, previously known under the Name Boat Paddle, makes instruments with unusually large bodies. Here are two older threads with pictures of his sopranos:

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...-paddle-Ukes-has-six-new-instruments-in-stock

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?55289-FS-Boat-Paddle-Soprano-Custom-Ukulele
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information. To me there appears to be two trends in the larger body build, one is to scale up the figure eight shape and move the bridge slightly up the body (if the 12th fret is to remain at the neck to body junction) and the other is to move away from or modify the figure eight shape.

Reading from the current Dreadnought thread I get the impression that the once popular Dreadnought has a wider waist rather than a larger lower bout. The modification of figure eight shape seems, to me, to progress from figure eight to Dreadnought, then Pear, then Pineapple and finally Camp style.

I guess each style has different merits and an increase in sound (from a bigger body) shouldn't be assumed, what comes out of a Uke is the product of too many variables for that.

My thanks to everyone who has supported this thread. As before "I like the Soprano scale and wonder what other fat or fuller bodied Sopranos are on the market. All information gratefully received".
 
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I've not read all the answers, but if it hasn't been said already, the pineapple shape definately gives a soprano a fuller sound.

I have a Makala pineapple, & quite like the tone, but I just don't like the shape or scale.
 
uke1950 said:
I've not read all the answers, but if it hasn't been said already, the pineapple shape definately gives a soprano a fuller sound.

I have a Makala pineapple, & quite like the tone, but I just don't like the shape or scale.
Click to expand...

Thanks for supporting the thread and your comments, all are welcome.

I guess that we are all different. I have a Kala Pineapple (brother to yours) and a Lanikai Pineapple (father to them both) and am delighted with them. The Soprano scale used to give me difficulties but when I respaced the strings out to 30 mm it became soooo much more enjoyable to use. The Pinapple shape is a bit like Marmite in that you either love it or hate it, obviously I love it and don't mind it being different or maybe non-traditional.

There's been much debate about the value of the Pineapple shape and whether its louder than the traditional figure eight shape or not. I did my research on YouTube before buying my first Pineapple and it was inconclusive. One thing that I did was watch several side by side trials of the same make and model Sopranos, in some videos the pineapple of the pair was louder and 'fuller' sounding than the figure eight but, in other videos of different makes and models they seemed to me to be equal in sound output. The same sound or better (out of a Pineaple compare to a figure eight) seemed a good bet to me so I opted for buying a Pineapple; I'm pleased with the output of the Pineapples that I have, but others might have different results.

I'm still just wondering what's out there in the way of larger bodied Sopranos and, as before, all additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received
 
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Graham Greenbag said:
Thanks for supporting the thread and your comments, all are welcome.

I guess that we are all different. I have a Kala Pineapple (brother to yours) and a Lanikai Pineapple (father to them both) and am delighted with them. The Soprano scale used to give me difficulties but when I respaced the strings out to 30 mm it became soooo much more enjoyable to use. The Pinapple shape is a bit like Marmite in that you either love it or hate it, obviously I love it and don't mind it being different or maybe non-traditional.

There's been much debate about the value of the Pineapple shape and whether its louder than the traditional figure eight shape or not. I did my research on YouTube before buying my first Pineapple and it was inconclusive. One thing that I did was watch several side by side trials of the same make and model Sopranos, in some videos the pineapple of the pair was louder and 'fuller' sounding than the figure eight but, in other videos of different makes and models they seemed to me to be equal in sound output. The same sound or better (out of a Pineaple compare to a figure eight) seemed a good bet to me so I opted for buying a Pineapple; I'm pleased with the output of the Pineapples that I have, but others might have different results.

I'm still just wondering what's out there in the way of larger bodied Sopranos and, as before, all additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received
Click to expand...

I wonder if you had the exact same model in standard figure 8 soprano vs. in Pineapple shape (same wood/ same strings/etc) if you'd be able to tell a difference. I would think so, but that's just a guess.
Ultimately I would think it's a matter of volume. I guess I prefer the pineapple shape just because it's a little different/ more unique/ weirder.
 
The Larrivee soprano is larger than many other sopranos. The scale is a hair longer, too. I think these are bargains for the price.

Among custom luthiers, the Kinnard soprano has a larger body. These are exceptional instruments in every respect.

The Ukulele Site sells both of these so if you search there you'll find some video samples.
 
Ukulele Eddie said:
The Larrivee soprano is larger than many other sopranos. The scale is a hair longer, too. I think these are bargains for the price.

Among custom luthiers, the Kinnard soprano has a larger body. These are exceptional instruments in every respect.

The Ukulele Site sells both of these so if you search there you'll find some video samples.
Click to expand...

Thankyou for the information. I checked out the Larrivee and it has a lower bout of 7-1/4" and a scale of about 14-1/4", so on the big side for a Soprano. The Kinnard is another big body Uke but as per a few posts up I've not been able to determine its size.
EDIT. In #9 I suggest that the lower bout is 7-1/2", but that's an estimate based on scaling dimensions off of photographs.

I'm with Igore on the Pineapple shape (its nicely different IMHO) and the sound does seem enhanced out of some, though I suppose not to everyone's ears.

I'm still just wondering what's out there in the way of larger bodied Sopranos and, as before, all additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received.
 
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Graham Greenbag said:
Thankyou for the information. I checked out the Larrivee and it has a lower bout of 7-1/4" and a scale of about 14-1/4", so on the big side for a Soprano. The Kinnard is another big body Uke but as per a few posts up I've not been able to determine its size.

I'm with Igore on the Pineapple shape (its nicely different IMHO) and the sound does seem enhanced out of some, though I suppose not to everyone's ears.

I'm still just wondering what's out there in the way of larger bodied Sopranos and, as before, all additional details of any and every make and model will be gratefully received.
Click to expand...

I've owned both and then Kinnard is larger and deeper bodied. Don't know exact dimensions.
 
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