• Resonator ukulele, sometimes called a "ukenator." It uses metal as part of, or all of, the body to produce sound. It's louder than a standard wooden  ukulele, and has a different tone quality.

• Bass ukulele, a fairly recent addition to the ukulele line. It's a mini version of an electric bass guitar, approximately the size of a baritone uke, and generally needs to be amplified.

• Banjolele, also known as the banjelele or banjo uke. It has a  small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck, producing a brighter, louder, more percussive sound.

"You can't help but smile when playing one!"          - Jim Gilroy

 

Carol with her tenor, and bass uke in background.

Carol Spanuello 

"I like being able to play what would be complicated chords on a guitar, played so much easier on the ukulele. I have a Kanile'a tenor ukulele. The larger sized ukulele affords the use of a capo. I started playing ukulele last year as a result of a trip to Door County to play with the Door County Ukulele Society. Fred and I enjoy playing our ukuleles at the monthly ukulele circle held by Uncle Jon's Music in Westmont. I also have a Kala U-Bass that I enjoy playing very much."

Jim Gilroy

"I started playing recently after taking a six week intro class at the local library. I usually play Tuesdays nights at Sam Ash Lombard with a group of uke players of all levels. The Sam Ash group is a kind of practice for the Thursday night meeting of the Free Range Ukulele Society of Oak Park.  I play a tenor uke, a larger size than the standard uke. I like the uke because a lot more chords seem more easily accessible than, say, on a guitar. But most of all I like it because you can't help but smile when playing one."

 

David Culp

"I got my first banjolele at an antique mall about two-and-a-half years ago. It's easy to tune and the chords are simple ukulele patterns. I took a few lessons and found meet-up sites. It is a great way to meet and play with men and women of all ages. It's a wonderful way to express yourself."  

 

Bill Lemos

"I'm mostly a guitar guy, but I credit the ukulele with getting me started. My very first stringed instrument was a baritone uke from Sears when I was in high school. (I still have it -- it's a great little instrument.) The beauty of the baritone is that it's tuned the same as the top 4 strings of a guitar, so it was relatively easy to transition to the 6-string. (I also have a concert-size ukulele from Hawaii -- because, like Hawaiian shirts and pu-pu platters, that's just what you do when you're in Hawaii.)" 

Terry Fitzgerald 

"The Free Range Ukulele Society of Oak Park was founded in 2012 to help get ukulele players off the street and into a supervised environment once a week. Many of our 443 members are recovering guitar players, but some fell right into uke playing. We all know the reasons...the deterioration of family values, peer pressure, lack of self-restraint...

"Among the founders are a number of repeat offenders: Chris McIntosh, Alvin McGovern, for example, have been in and out of the 2WS many times, and are generally considered incorrigible in the western suburbs music scene.  

"Big Steve" Sword.

"Steve Sword has been with us from the first day. He and I visit BYOS as part of a court-mandated community service project to show uke players what it's like to mingle with a respectable crowd. We haven't found that particular crowd yet, but we'll keep coming.

"What do I like about the ukulele? It's the re-entrant tuning. The chord shapes are just like guitar chords if the guitar is capo'd at the 5th fret. But the bottom string is tuned an octave high. It's addictive."