How it works
A ukulele diagram, unlabeled, on one sheet: the ukulele lies on its side with the head to the left, and its body is cut across underneath. Fourteen lines run out from the parts, with nothing written at their ends.
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Fourteen lines and a word bank
Word bank, in alphabetical order: back, body, bridge, fretboard, frets, head, neck, nut, saddle, sides, sound hole, strings, top, tuning pegs. Eleven lines start on the ukulele seen from the front. Three start on the cut body under it.
Lines that start close together
Four dots sit side by side on the neck. Of the two lines going up, one starts on the bare wood at the edge (neck) and one on a string (strings). Of the two going down, one starts between two bars (fretboard) and one on a bar (frets). On the body, one dot is on the block (bridge) and one on the thin strip set in it (saddle).
- A class sheet may print headstock for head, tuners or tuning keys for tuning pegs and fingerboard for fretboard.
- For a first lesson, ask for nine names only: leave out the nut, the saddle and the three parts of the cut body.
- The ring round the sound hole and the two small blocks under the top are drawn and have no line.
Questions and answers
Where is the nut on a ukulele?
Where the head meets the fretboard. It is a thin strip with a slot for each string, and it holds the strings in place and at the right height above the fretboard.
What is the top of a ukulele called?
The soundboard. It is the front plate of the body: the sound hole is the round opening in it, and the bridge is glued to it. On the cut body it is the thin plate along the upper edge.
Are the parts of a ukulele the same as a guitar's?
The names are shared. A maker's guide to the classical guitar lists a head, neck, nut, fingerboard, frets, sound hole, bridge, saddle, top, back and sides. The count of strings differs: a standard guitar has six.
How many strings does a ukulele have?
Usually four, and four are drawn on this sheet. Some ukuleles pair their strings in courses and have six or eight in all.
Does the unlabeled ukulele diagram come with an answer key?
Yes. The key is this sheet with a name at the end of each of the fourteen lines.