Large hands + long fingers = Soprano impossible?

OliviaW

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I'm a brand newbie, rank beginner, newly obsessed with all things uke and working on a serious UAS, woman. I bought a Flea Soprano because I loved the sound and the look. BUT the neck is narrow and not that thick (but what do I know?) I can still return it, I'm sure, and I'm also sure of a tenor in my future, but I want to keep this one, too, IF I can ever hope to master it.

Question: Is it even possible with someone with larger hands and very long fingers to play a soprano? And are there brands that anyone knows of that make thicker/wider necks? Opinions? Ideas? I'm open and hoping for all!

THANK YOU!!!
 
Well, I have long fingers, too, and I like the concert size - but it's worth remembering that men do play sopranos, and play them well, with their fatter fingers, so I thinks it's just a matter of getting used to it. Roy Smeck only ever played a soprano - if you like the soprano sound, I'd say stick with it! chords with long reaches are harder with a longer fingerboard - as I have just found! (3rd to 10th fret in an instrumental that I like...!!)
 
I'm a brand newbie, rank beginner, newly obsessed with all things uke and working on a serious UAS, woman. I bought a Flea Soprano because I loved the sound and the look. BUT the neck is narrow and not that thick (but what do I know?) I can still return it, I'm sure, and I'm also sure of a tenor in my future, but I want to keep this one, too, IF I can ever hope to master it.

Question: Is it even possible with someone with larger hands and very long fingers to play a soprano? And are there brands that anyone knows of that make thicker/wider necks? Opinions? Ideas? I'm open and hoping for all!

THANK YOU!!!

I'm 5'10" and have large hands/long fingers for a woman. Advantages: my fingers take up the entire fret space on a barre chord, and I can reach from fret 1 to 5 without any effort.

I've been playing a cheap Aria soprano for a year without too many issues. I just upgraded to a concert size uke (Ohana-CK50G) and had to readjust to the fret spacing.

When you hold your uke, does the neck rest in the crook between your thumb and forefinger? For me that kind of hold limits my mobility and , and using a strap helped me let move with ease around the fretboard.
 
There's no one right answer. What I will say, however, is if you feel uncomfortable learning on a soprano, you won't have a good learning experience and that may limit your enjoyment of the instrument. If you read this forum, you'll discover that not many of us are satisfied with owning just one uke, so you'll probably own more before you're done. So if a larger fretboard is more comfortable for you now, I'd say go for it. You may also want to consider a concert, which has a longer scale than a soprano, but shorter than a tenor. And, as you no doubt have learned by now, they are all tuned the same way, so anything you learn on one will instantly transfer to the other.

I started on a soporano, found it limiting, and went on to learn primarily on a tenor. After getting my chops down on the tenor, I returned to the soprano, and found that they had somehow become easier to play in that time :) Now I have two... so you never know.
 
I think Rich makes a lot of sense. You should be having fun as you learn and if you are not having fun, then play something that is fun.

That being said, you can adjust to soprano if you want. There are amazing violin players who have big fingers.....like Itzhak Pearlman. The guy's fingers are big and thick.....and I think we can agree that a violin does not offer more room than does an ukulele.

So, if you can afford to do so, keep your flea and also get a ukulele you feel fits you better.....enjoy them both.
 
hi sausage oscar smdith do a tenor with extra wide neck i think it's called ou6w
 
Hi
I'm a bloke with HUGE hands and I play both Baritone and Soprano depending on which instrument
fits the song better. Yes the soprano is a tight fit but with practice you won't have problems.
You will be able to play complicated 4 finger chords I assure you, but it takes time.
I agree that playing uke should be fun. so, budget permitting, if you are having problems in these
early stages there is no shame in purchasing something with a larger fretboard. (tenor/baritone for example)
but if you like the soprano sound I would urge you to hang on to your flea because you will be able to
finger it eventually.
Certain ukes fit certain songs imho so, look on the bright side, you now have an excuse to feed your UAS (you know you have it!) :rolleyes:
Cheers
Gary
 
All of the advice given is very wise. I don't have one, but I understand that Islander ukes have wider necks. The folks at Hawaii Music Supply would be happy to guide you. (theukulelesite.com)

Kathryn
 
When I first started playing uke a couple of years ago I quickly discovered that I "couldn't" play on soprano scales worth a flip, which made me sad because I loved the sound of the soprano body. So I 'compromized' by playing concert-scale longneck sopranos for the most part (along with the occasional tenor). Then, after a couple years of playing, I discovered through a happy accident that I can now handle a soprano scale for most of the stuff I play. It's basically just a case of fingers improving in dexterity after playing nice roomy bass and guitar keyboards for years. I.e. some time on the tenor and concert scales limbered up my fingers to where soprano isn't difficult at all.

John
 
You might want to swap the soprano Flea for a concert one - same features, just a tad bigger with that bit of extra space on the fretboard you might need in the beginning to feel comfortable. (I recently posted some pics of soprano vs concert fretboard here)

As already said, everybody can handle every fretboard (after some training) - look at this:
 
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Yes yes it just takes time to get your finger accustomed to the small fretboard..Look at bruddah IZ....and I saw him play a soprano with ease...practice and time ...
 
I am a big chap with big hands,and my favourite size
of ukulele to play is the soprano.I do own a concert
and a tenor, but soprano has a special 'magic' for me.
Plenty of us about too! All a matter of getting used to
your instrument and enjoying it I think?
 
Nice one Louis!

Here's one of George also from the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Just before he plays the tiny uke they do this bit about his sausage fingers, calling them bratwursts. But it just further illustrates the point that anyone can get used to playing any scale after some practice)

 
Nice one Louis!

Here's one of George also from the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Just before he plays the tiny uke they do this bit about his sausage fingers, calling them bratwursts. But it just further illustrates the point that anyone can get used to playing any scale after some practice)



maybe not bratwurst...but the mini brats called chipolatta's.....
 
I've seem some of the best playing by big-handed guys. It's not about the hand. But maybe try a different uke. Some sopranos are more equal than others.
 
If you're only looking for that sweet soprano sound and don't mind about the look much, you could always get one of those long neck sopranos. Kala makes a concert sized soprano body ukulele which is really good in my opinion.
 
I'm just a uke newbie so what do I know.... I first bought a soprano and thought it too small so exchanged it for a concert size.

But what I've found in practicing is that most of what I thought was too small or too cramped chords was just my technique being bad. Especially the part about dropping the wrist and making sure it's not too bent. That really helps my fingers get around.

I think I could play a soprano now, but it's sure nice to play on a concert.
 
My friend is 6'8", limbs proportionate, and he plays a soprano. He just frets differently. He can use a fingertip to hold two strings, etc.
 
I am a 6'5" male - very large hands, fat fingers too. I play sopranos just fine and really dont buy this "they are too small for me" thing. There are dozens of pics online of extremely large Hawaiian guys playing sopranos just fine!

I suppose it can slow absolute beginner progress a little, but it is perfectly possible.

Also, bear in mind that the Flea fingerboard is one of the wider ones around so bigger than a lot of sopranos.
 
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