Okemos resident Hassenger is not alone in his passion for the instrument. Tim Holbrook, a musician at Elderly Instruments, 1100 N. Washington Ave., in Lansing, said the store has been selling about a dozen ukuleles a week for the past two years. Holbrook said sales of Lanikai ukuleles, a particular brand produced by musical instrument company Hohner Inc., rose 300 percent in 2010.

“It’s inexpensive in these times when people don’t have a lot to spend,” Holbrook said.

Hassenger said ukuleles can cost about $100-$200 but can be bought for as cheap as $30.

John Hatton, an instructor at MSU Community Music School teaches ukulele across the country and is beginning a class in Okemos at the end of January.

“It’s starting to gain momentum; it’s been gaining momentum all over,” Hatton said.

Once a week, Hassenger meets with a small group to give ukulele lessons. He also is one of the founders of the Lansing Area Ukulele Group, a Lansing group of ukulele players.

Petra Daher, a Lansing resident and a member of Hassenger’s class, said she sees the ukulele as a community instrument.

“It’s an interactive, community-oriented experience,” Daher said. “I want to spend time with people and create with them.”

A guitar player for about 30 years, Hassenger said he found the ukulele an easier instrument to play, with four strings instead of the guitar’s six, simpler chords and strings made of nylon, a material easier to press down to produce a clearer sound.

“When I started I would screw up the ukulele chords with the guitar chords,” Hassenger said. “Now I screw up on the guitar.”

Angie Tripi, who graduated from MSU in December and will return in the fall as a first-year law student, took up the ukulele as a way to get past finals.

“There’s just something about it,” Tripi said.

Tripi said she often gets asked if she can play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” — a song with a popular ukulele version. But while the instrument has a predominantly happy, mellow sound, it’s capable of a wider range.

“There is a stereotype, but truthfully I think you can do some different levels with it,” Tripi said. “It has much more versatility then people give it credit for.”