Ukulele The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and construction. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The ukulele is commonly associated with music from Hawaii where the name roughly translates as "jumping flea", perhaps because of the movement of the player's fingers. Legend attributes it to the nickname of the Englishman Edward William Purvis, one of King Kalākaua's officers, because of his small size, fidgety manner, and playing expertise. One of the earliest appearances of the word "ukulele" in print (in the sense of a stringed instrument) is in the Metropolitan Museum of
Original Musical Instrument Company In 1993 the Gibson Corporation acquired Original, and subsequently changed the name to "Original Acoustic Instruments", moving the manufacturing operation to its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. Gibson Corporation still produces Dobro resonator guitars through its subsidiary company, Epiphone. Original Musical Instrument Company Original (formerly "Original Musical Instrument Company", also known for its acronym "OMI") is an American brand currently owned by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. The company uses the brand to produce and commercialize resonator guitars. The company was formed in 1967 by two of the original John Dopyera brothers, Rudy and Emile, to manufacture resonator guitars. They produced their