Electric ukulele

An electric ukulele is a ukulele which is electrically amplified.

Electric vs. Electro-Acoustic

A solid-body electric ukulele produces very little sound acoustically, requiring an amplifier to be heard from more than a few feet away.

An electro-acoustic ukulele is a standard acoustic instrument to which a pickup has been added. It may be played either "unplugged", or plugged into an amplifier. The acoustic and electric tone qualities will often differ, and some "a/e" ukuleles are built with the aim of producing quality sound when amplified, to the detriment of the acoustic sound.

Electric Lap Steel ukulele

The electric lap steel ukulele is an uncommon instrument, consisting of a small ukulele-shaped solid-body which is laid in the lap. It has four strings raised above the neck, which are not pressed down onto a fretboard, but are played with a steel slide.

This instrument is essentially a small Lap steel guitar with only four strings. Similar instruments have been built by custom makers, but the only current production manufacturer is Jupiter Creek Music (Australia)

Current Manufacturers

*Blue Star
*Bugsgear
*Jupiter Creek Music (Australia) - also produce lap steel ukuleles
*Ovation/Applause
*RISA