comparing beginner ukes

hello,

I'm a new member and new to ukes. I've been reading lots of threads here and other boards but still have a bunch of questions. I wonder if the community could help me out...

are the differences between concert and tenor sizes mainly the body dimensions or are there differences in the necks as well?

in regards to which instrument, I've narrowed my choices to the Cordoba (20CM or 20TM), the Kala (KA-C KA-T), or a Fluke (concert or tenor). would any of them be significantly better than the others? I like the idea of an American made instrument (Fluke) but it's also the most expensive. the Kala is the lowest priced out of the bunch, and the Cordoba keeps calling to me. any opinions?

thanks to all in advance, I'm looking forward to playing soon!

-ramone

They're all good brands, so whichever one you choose you should be happy. You'll also want another one, no matter what you choose.

The scale of a uke is the length of its vibrating strings. The scale of a tenor ukulele is around 17 inches, and the scale of a concert ukulele is around 15 inches. (A soprano uke is 13 inches or so in scale.) To have this longer scale, a tenor needs both a bigger body and a longer neck than a concert. Some players enjoy the extra room on the tenor fretboard, some don't. Best to play all three sizes and see which feels and sounds best to you.

Have you played all three ukes you mentioned? If that's possible, decide based on your experience---keep going back to your local shop and playing them until you're certain which you prefer. If that's not an option for you, heck, I'll throw in a vote for a concert Fluke---it's a great-sounding, nearly indestructible ukulele.

thanks for the replies, much appreciated. sounds like a tenor might be better suited for me. I've been playing bass guitar for 30+ years and a bit of six string guitar; I'm a little worried that the smaller scale neck will too cramped for my hamhock size fingers. one thing in favor of the Cordoba is the seller will set it up before shipping. the others I can purchase locally but they generally have to order them, ie they don't stock them all the time. I did play a friends Fender tenor uke the other day and it felt ok but it's much different than what I'm accustomed to. I just need to make a decision on which brand, which is proving more difficult than I anticipated. anyway, thanks again!

-ramone

Depending in your funds right now, the Kala Spruce Top KA-ST is a great uke. A little more expensive, but you get a nice bright sound and a good looking instrument. But you cant really go wrong with any of your choices.