Ukulele Construction & Features Guide
Ukulele Construction & Features Guide
Understanding what goes into making a ukulele helps you choose the right instrument for your needs and budget. At Easy Music Center, Hawaii's oldest music store since 1939, we've helped generations of musicians understand the key differences in ukulele construction, materials, and features.
This guide covers everything from laminate versus solid wood construction to tuning hardware and tonewoods—the building blocks that create your ukulele's unique sound and character.
Construction Types: Laminate vs. Solid Wood
One of the most important decisions you'll make when buying a ukulele is choosing between laminate and solid wood construction. Each has distinct advantages and trade-offs.
Laminate Ukuleles
Think of a laminate ukulele like fine plywood—thin layers of wood glued together to create a strong, stable body. While it's not solid wood, quality laminate construction uses attractive wood veneers on the outer layer for a beautiful appearance.
Advantages
- More Affordable: Laminate ukuleles are typically significantly less expensive than solid wood models, making them accessible to beginners.
- Highly Durable: The layered construction resists warping, cracking, and damage from humidity and temperature changes.
- Low Maintenance: Requires less care and doesn't need humidification in most climates.
- Perfect for Hawaii: In Hawaii's humid, salty climate, laminate construction can be more practical for everyday playing.
Considerations
- Less Resonance: The glue between layers dampens vibration slightly, resulting in less complex overtones.
- Doesn't Improve with Age: Unlike solid wood, laminate won't develop a richer sound over time.
- Lower Resale Value: Laminate instruments don't hold value like solid wood ukuleles.
Best For: Beginners, travelers, outdoor playing, humid climates, budget-conscious buyers, and players who want a worry-free instrument.
Solid Wood Ukuleles
Solid wood ukuleles are crafted from single pieces of wood for the top, back, and sides (though some models mix a solid top with laminate back and sides). Each piece of wood has unique grain patterns, making every solid wood ukulele one-of-a-kind.
Advantages
- Superior Tone: Solid wood resonates more freely, creating warmer, more complex, and nuanced sound.
- Improves with Age: As the wood is played and ages, the tone typically becomes richer and more responsive.
- Unique Character: Every instrument has its own voice and visual personality from the wood grain.
- Investment Quality: Quality solid wood ukuleles hold their value well and can become family heirlooms.
Considerations
- Higher Cost: Premium materials and skilled craftsmanship make solid wood ukuleles significantly more expensive.
- Requires Care: Sensitive to humidity and temperature changes; needs proper storage and possibly humidification.
- More Delicate: Can crack or warp if exposed to extreme conditions for extended periods.
Best For: Experienced players, serious students, performing musicians, collectors, those wanting the best possible tone, and players in stable climates who can provide proper care.
Solid wood ukuleles need to be kept within 45-55% relative humidity. Here in Hawaii, humidity is frequently above 55%, which can cause solid wood instruments to swell and develop problems over time. This is one reason why many local players choose laminate ukuleles for their durability in our climate.
Our Recommendations for Hawaii's Climate:
- For fluctuating humidity conditions: D'Addario Humidipak Two-Way System - Automatically adds or removes moisture as needed. Packs need periodic replacement.
- For our typical high humidity: Taylor Desiccant Packs - Absorbs excess moisture to protect your instrument. Dry them in the sun every 1-2 months and reuse 5-6 times.
- Always store solid wood ukuleles in a hard case when not playing to help regulate humidity exposure.
Just because a ukulele is solid wood doesn't guarantee it will sound amazing. Just because it's laminate doesn't mean it will sound bad. We've heard excellent laminate ukuleles and disappointing solid wood ones.
At Easy Music Center, our experience over 85+ years tells us that the best solid wood ukulele will outperform the best laminate ukulele. But build quality, design, and craftsmanship matter just as much as materials.
A great piece of advice for all instruments: If you're uncomfortable (too hot, too cold, really humid, really dry), so is your instrument.
Multi-String Variations: 6 and 8-String Ukuleles
Looking to expand your sound beyond the standard 4-string ukulele? Multi-string ukuleles offer fuller, richer tones without requiring you to learn new chord shapes.
6-String Ukuleles
The 6-string ukulele doubles the A and C strings with octaves while keeping the E and G strings single. This creates a fuller sound than a standard 4-string while being easier to manage than an 8-string.
Key Features:
- Uses the same chord shapes as a standard ukulele
- Creates a richer, more filled-out sound
- Easier to play than 8-string models
- Not to be confused with a guitarlele (which is a different instrument entirely)
Best For: Intermediate to advanced players looking to add depth to their sound without the complexity of a full 8-string.
8-String Ukuleles
The 8-string ukulele doubles all four strings. The G and C strings are paired with octaves, while the E and A strings are doubled in unison. This creates a distinctive, shimmering sound similar to a 12-string guitar or mandolin.
Key Features:
- Rich, full, jangly tone
- Mandolin-like character
- Same chord shapes as standard ukulele
- Maximum tonal complexity
Considerations:
- Harder to tune (8 strings instead of 4)
- Requires more finger pressure for chords
- Can be challenging for beginners
- String changes take longer
Best For: Experienced ukulele players who want to add a unique voice to their collection or achieve fuller accompaniment when playing solo.
Tuning Hardware: Pegs and Tuners
The quality of your tuning hardware directly affects how well your ukulele stays in tune and how easy it is to make fine adjustments. Here are the main types:
Friction Pegs
How They Work: Friction pegs are the traditional, simplest design. They work by tightening a screw that creates friction against a wooden post, holding the string in place.
Pros:
- Traditional appearance
- Lightweight
- Most affordable option
- Classic on vintage-style ukuleles
Cons:
- Can slip out of tune, especially with humidity changes
- Require frequent adjustment and tightening
- Difficult to make fine tuning adjustments
- If the screw loosens, the tuner stops working
Best For: Budget instruments, traditional aesthetics, players in stable climates.
Geared Tuners
How They Work: Geared tuners use a gear mechanism that increases the turning ratio, making precise tuning easier. They're more stable and reliable than friction pegs.
Pros:
- Much more stable tuning
- Easy to make fine adjustments
- Available in open-gear (exposed) and closed-gear (sealed) styles
- Work well in varying humidity conditions
Considerations:
- Slightly heavier than friction pegs
- Closed-gear models cost more but stay protected from dust
What to Know: On entry-level ukuleles (like Makala by Kala), you'll typically find open-gear tuners. As you move up to mid and higher-end models, you'll see closed-gear tuners which offer better protection and durability.
Best For: Most players, especially beginners who struggle with staying in tune.
Planetary Gear Tuners
How They Work: Planetary gear tuners use an advanced gear system (similar to a planetary gearbox) that provides the smoothest, most precise tuning experience available.
Pros:
- Smoothest operation and finest adjustments
- Most stable tuning available
- Visually appealing, premium appearance
- Commonly found on high-end ukuleles
Cons:
- Most expensive tuner option
- Usually only available on premium instruments
Best For: Premium instruments, professional players, those wanting the absolute best tuning stability.
Slotted vs. Solid Headstocks
Slotted Headstocks
Slotted headstocks feature open slots where strings pass through, creating a steeper angle over the nut compared to solid headstocks.
Advantages:
- Improved tone: The steeper string angle creates more downward tension, resulting in brighter, clearer sound with enhanced high frequencies
- Better sustain: Tighter string tension allows notes to ring longer
- Reduced buzz: The higher break angle minimizes string buzz, especially on higher frets
- Easier string changes: Strings don't need to be looped through tuning machines—just tie and secure
- Classic aesthetic: Traditional, elegant appearance
Best For: Players who prioritize tone and sustain, classical players, those who change strings frequently.
Understanding Tonewoods
The type of wood used to build a ukulele affects its sound, appearance, and price. While tonewoods matter, our 85+ years of experience has taught us that overall design and build quality often matter more than wood species alone.
We've noticed that with ukuleles, overall design and build quality often matter more than the specific tonewood. We've seen local Hawaiian makers build two similar ukuleles—one from koa, one from mahogany—where the tonal differences weren't as dramatic as you'd expect.
Just because a ukulele is made from Hawaiian koa doesn't automatically mean it will sound great. We've heard excellent-sounding ukuleles made from spruce, cedar, mahogany, mango, and other woods.
Our approach at Easy Music Center: Let's give it a try and see how it sounds!
Hawaiian Koa
Koa is the king of Hawaiian ukulele woods and the most sought-after tonewood for authentic Hawaiian instruments.
Characteristics:
- Bright, complex tone when new that mellows beautifully with age
- Stunning grain patterns—each piece is unique
- Increasingly rare and valuable
- The traditional choice for premium Hawaiian ukuleles
Sound: Bright initially with good projection, developing warmth and complexity over years of playing.
Found On: All three of Hawaii's premier handmade brands—Kamaka, KoAloha, and Kanile'a—primarily use koa. It's also used on premium import models.
Note: Koa is considered by most to be exceptionally attractive and is part of Hawaiian cultural heritage. However, its scarcity makes it expensive.
Mahogany
Characteristics:
- Warm, balanced, mid-range focused tone
- Smooth, even sound across all frequencies
- Attractive reddish-brown color
- More affordable than koa
Best For: Players wanting warm, balanced tone at a reasonable price point.
Spruce
Characteristics:
- Bright, clear, articulate sound
- Excellent note separation
- Strong projection—ideal for strumming
- Light colored wood
Best For: Strummers, folk music, players wanting clarity and projection.
Cedar
Characteristics:
- Warm, mellow tone with strong fundamentals
- Very responsive to light touch
- Immediate tonal maturity (doesn't need "breaking in")
Best For: Fingerstyle players, classical technique, gentle playing styles.
Other Woods
We've also seen quality ukuleles made from mango, acacia, maple, and other tonewoods. Each brings its own character, and some of these alternative woods can sound excellent.
Visit Easy Music Center
The best way to understand these differences is to try various ukuleles in person. At our Honolulu showroom, you can compare laminate versus solid wood, different tonewoods, and various hardware options side-by-side.
Our expert staff will help you understand how construction choices affect sound, playability, and price—so you can make the perfect choice for your needs.
Call us: (808) 591-0999Easy Music Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm | Saturday-Sunday: 10am-5pm
About Easy Music Center: Since 1939, Easy Music Center has been Hawaii's oldest and most trusted music store. We maintain one of the world's largest ukulele selections with over 120 models in stock, including the largest inventory of Hawaiian handmade ukuleles from Kamaka, KoAloha, and Kanile'a. Visit us in Honolulu or shop online.