The electric ukulele: a new instrument

Skrik

Skrik

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
803
Reaction score
5
Location
The frozen wastes of Arctic Europe
A ukulele is an acoustic chordophone of certain dimensions that has four (courses of) gut (or equivalent) strings. Sticking an acoustic pickup in a ukulele doesn't essentially change things. Giving it a solid body to control feedback is a greater change, but the instrument still sounds and feels like a ukulele.

Slap some steel strings on the thing, however, so that you can use an induction pickup in the manner of an electric guitar, and you have changed the nature of the instrument. The sound changes, the way it plays changes, and the way it looks changes.

What it has changed into, I'm not sure -- I consider it closer to a mandolin than a ukulele.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I understand that I am being somewhat controversial, given that there are other instruments in the ukulele family with steel strings (the tiple, for example). I don't mind the advent of a new instrument, but I have difficulty thinking of the steel-stringed electric ukulele as a ukulele.

Anyone else want to throw in their $0.02?
 
Well said Shrik. I couldn't agree more. But then again, what do I know? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck. But if it doesn't, then is it really a duck?

I'm sure that kissing will respectfully disagree. But there are many different types of guitars,(acoustic, electric, classical to name a few), but they are all still called guitars.
 
My solid body Eleuke tenor is a different instrument than my acoustic tenor, but also the same. It has a lot cleaner sound, but less complex overtones, than my acoustic. It also has less sustain. I don't have a steel string electric uke, but I think the additional sustain would be nice. As to whether the electrics are different instruments entirely, I suppose you could say that, but they still play like ukuleles (fingerings etc), which is nice.
 
Skrik said:
A ukulele is an acoustic chordophone of certain dimensions that has four (courses of) gut (or equivalent) strings. Sticking an acoustic pickup in a ukulele doesn't essentially change things. Giving it a solid body to control feedback is a greater change, but the instrument still sounds and feels like a ukulele.

Slap some steel strings on the thing, however, so that you can use an induction pickup in the manner of an electric guitar, and you have changed the nature of the instrument. The sound changes, the way it plays changes, and the way it looks changes.

What it has changed into, I'm not sure -- I consider it closer to a mandolin than a ukulele.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I understand that I am being somewhat controversial, given that there are other instruments in the ukulele family with steel strings (the tiple, for example). I don't mind the advent of a new instrument, but I have difficulty thinking of the steel-stringed electric ukulele as a ukulele.

Anyone else want to throw in their $0.02?
Click to expand...

I agree completely. I have trouble referring to a steel string solid body electric instrument as a ukulele.
 
Skrik said:
A ukulele is an acoustic chordophone of certain dimensions that has four (courses of) gut (or equivalent) strings. Sticking an acoustic pickup in a ukulele doesn't essentially change things. Giving it a solid body to control feedback is a greater change, but the instrument still sounds and feels like a ukulele.

Slap some steel strings on the thing, however, so that you can use an induction pickup in the manner of an electric guitar, and you have changed the nature of the instrument. The sound changes, the way it plays changes, and the way it looks changes.

What it has changed into, I'm not sure -- I consider it closer to a mandolin than a ukulele.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I understand that I am being somewhat controversial, given that there are other instruments in the ukulele family with steel strings (the tiple, for example). I don't mind the advent of a new instrument, but I have difficulty thinking of the steel-stringed electric ukulele as a ukulele.

Anyone else want to throw in their $0.02?
Click to expand...

Hmmm...interesting point. I have a steel-string solid body and I do consider it a ukulele due to the tuning (re-entrant GCEA), the number of strings, the scale, and the width of the fingerboard.

For instance, I used to own an Epiphone Mandobird. It had 4 strings and I tuned it re-entrant GCEA (although I later changed it to low G). The problem was the fret spacing was very different and the fingerboard width was much, much smaller. Therefore it didn't play like a ukulele, so I didn't consider it one.

The one I have now doesn't sound anything like an ukulele, but it plays like one (just one with steel strings). So, as I consider it a uke, I guess the playability of the instrument is more of an identifying factor to me than the sound. That probably shouldn't be the case, but as Dana (dkcrown) mentioned, there are different types of guitars (acoustic, electric, classical, etc.) but they are all still considered guitars. Guess I feel the same about ukes.
 
An instrument is defined by scale length, tuning, number of strings and the way it's played.

Take a 4 string Ukulele, change the body from hollow to solid, change the string material from nylon to steel and fit a pickup and you have an electric 4 string Ukulele.
 
Here we go again.
A steel string electric ukulele is an ukulele.

It is not a Mandolin.
Mandolins have steel strings, and can have 4 or 8 strings.
But if you actually hold one in your hands, it is completely different to any ukulele.
The neck is a lot thinner, and traditionally they are tuned in 5ths, not 4ths. It is also played completely differently, typically with a plectrum.

It is not an electric guitar.
Electric guitars generally have 6 strings, and the strings are closer together, and the scale length and dimensions are completely different.
To call an electric uke an electric guitar is the same as calling an acoustic ukulele a classical guitar.

As stated by the Big Kahuna just above, an electric ukulele has the same scale length, tuning, number of strings and playability as an ukulele.
They are made by ukulele manufacturers with the intention of being an ukulele, to be played by ukulele players after an electric sound.

Just like how many non-Hawaiian makers of ukulele make acoustic, short-scale, 4-stringed instruments and market them as "ukuleles" for ukulele players.
 
Last edited:
"A steel string electric ukulele is an ukulele."

Amen!

We have beaten this dead horse many times. The ukulele is a "folk instrument", there is no one way to build or play them. Let the violinists debate ludicrous parameters, and leave my chunk of wood with four strings alone.
 
The Big Kahuna said:
An instrument is defined by scale length, tuning, number of strings and the way it's played.

Take a 4 string Ukulele, change the body from hollow to solid, change the string material from nylon to steel and fit a pickup and you have an electric 4 string Ukulele.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%
I like the idea of an electric solid body steel string ukulele. I don't play guitar but I like the sound of electric guitar.
I play ukulele, and having an option like this gives me the opportunity to play rock/blues songs in an electric guitar style.
I'm toying with the idea of having a baritone scale electric uke made specifically for this purpose :)
Just my two bobs worth.....
Cheers
Gary
 
Thanks for the link BK
I've had a look at this and its very nice. Problem I have is that i'm a Lefty.
I really fancy something in the style of a Gibson 335, so I reckon i'm going to have to
go down the luthier route.
Cheers
Gary
 
G Hill said:
Thanks for the link BK
I've had a look at this and its very nice. Problem I have is that i'm a Lefty.
I really fancy something in the style of a Gibson 335, so I reckon i'm going to have to
go down the luthier route.
Cheers
Gary
Click to expand...

Check with Kamoa, maybe they make a lefty Evolve, if not you could always change the nut. It has a nice 335 shape. Probably could even put a little pickguard on it.
 
G Hill said:
Thanks for the link BK
I've had a look at this and its very nice. Problem I have is that i'm a Lefty.
I really fancy something in the style of a Gibson 335, so I reckon i'm going to have to
go down the luthier route.
Cheers
Gary
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, the Eastwood tenor electric guitar is very similar to a baritone uke, and also has a lefty version.
I have one (right handed version), and love it to death.

Have it tuned DGBE, plays like a dream.


However, it's more like a telecaster than a Gibson.


The thing to note that the string spacing is a bit wider than the typical uke, sorta like classical guitar spacing (which is different from most tenor guitars).
And the scale length is a bit longer. Other than that, it feels "right" in the hands of a uker (more roomy fretboard). Great for fingerpicking


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viwZeezJOsU
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
electric semi solid tenor ukulele, my first instrument build.
Replies
18
Views
2K
CalvinKlown
C
U
My progress on the uke - u/ukudancer aka Arvin's Electric Ukulele Land (which I thought was a fun play on the Hendrix album)
Replies
5
Views
255
ukudancer
U
kissing
Price Drop Mahalo MEB1PRO Solid Body Electric Bass Ukulele + Gig Bag
Replies
3
Views
305
ukudancer
U
rsci
Risa Electric Ukulele - No Sound
Replies
3
Views
209
rsci
rsci
Ondrej
Carols for Electric ukulele
Replies
2
Views
203
Ondrej
Ondrej
Top Bottom