guilele vs guitalele

"The onboard pickup with two-band EQ and volume preamp means it's perfectly giggable and recordable" This diminuative Guilele is hardly a new concept - Yamaha's Guitalele has been around for ages - but Cordoba's take is different, not least in this solid spruce-topped cutaway electro format, although both acoustic and lower-spec pack versions are available at £199 and £115 respectively. This means that you will face inherent limitations on your music-making ability with the ukulele compared to the guitalele. A guitalele is a mixture of a guitar and a ukulele. It is a very bright sound, like the ukulele, but a fuller sound, with thicker chords, due to the fact that it is a six-stringed instrument rather than a four-stringed instrument. Since ukulele players are accustomed to nylon strings, the steel strings of a standard guitar can be difficult for them. As a guitarist, you will already be able to make all the chord shapes and you can get that ukulele sound without learning an entirely new instrument. Guitalele is smaller than a guitar, but larger than a ukulele. What I love about it is that it's a ukulele, but with 2 extra bass strings it allows for a wide dynamic range, fuller chords, and more of the ability to be a self contained instrument (no bass player needed). Your email address will not be published. This makes each instrument attractive for beginner musicians. In other words, if you stuck a capo on the fifth fret of a classical guitar, it would have the same tuning and sound very similar to a guitalele. In this guitar and guitarele video I'll review the Guitalele vs Guitar so you can see and hear the differences. However, the thing that set this guitalele from a host of others is the accessories that accompany it. It is far smaller and narrower than a standard acoustic guitar and substantially larger than a standard ukulele. The guitalele can be enjoyed right away, as it comes equipped with nylon strings and it is readily tuned. This is a great option from the Caramel brand, who usually make ukuleles. This guitalele comes in under $100 but still offers plenty of quality and ships with accessories, too. Though the guitalele name is new, and obviously derived from both the guitar and the ukulele, there are instruments similar in size in the Spanish, Portuguese and Latinoamerican music history, including folk instruments. There is, in fact, a key difference between the two: A guitalele is a ukulele sized guitar with six strings rather than the usual four, just like a travel guitar. It is basically like playing a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret. 10/13/2016 7 Comments There are two main distinct differences between a traditional 6 string Uke and a Guitalele. There's a great demo video of it on Vimeo, just search "Gretsch G9126 Guilele Video." You will find ukulele chords are simpler than guitalele chords because the ukulele has fewer strings. Ukelele VS Guitarlele for a guitar player I have been playing guitar for just over a year and I'm by no mean a great player, but i can do my thing. The difference is that the ukulele’s fourth G string is pitched up an octave. Guitaleles tend to have Aquila strings, just like ukuleles do. So I decided i wanted to expand my horizons and start playing the ukelele, but then I came across this Ibanez guitarlele and now I'm not sure which i would like to get. Conversely, lacking these strings on the ukulele means you will be more limited in what you can play on the uke. One is the tuning the other is the way it strung. Naturally, there is an element of nuance to the way any instrument sounds, and each guitalele has its own unique character. The instrument has thin frets and it is easy to play both rhythm and lead. Just like other stringed instruments like guitars and ukuleles, the guitalele is fitted with tuners that you use to adjust each string until it is at the correct pitch. However, this isn’t quite accurate since the guitalele has its own tuning. Read User Reviews & Check Price On Amazon. Likewise, more strings on the guitalele mean more complicated chords and more hand strength required, particularly for bar chords. Yamaha first introduced the now standardized guitalele in 1997. It’s easy to amplify and a good option for beginners and intermediate players. If you’re a newbie, and not confident you know exactly what you are doing, we don’t recommend changing the tuning. Introducing the new groundbreaking Guilele from Cordoba Guitars! You may hear this referred to as “up a 4th”. The guitalele (we’ll use that term for convenience throughout) is a fascinating instrument: it is about one-fourth the size of a traditional, modern guitar, but bigger than a ukulele, and has a similar tuning to the guitar but transposed up a fourth. Cordoba Guilele Any ukulele or guitar player will love this instrument! Plus, hardly any popular songs are originally played on the guitalele because it is such an uncommon instrument. Cordoba’s current guilele is a 17″ scale and has a thinner nut width like a lot of guilele’s on the market. I have not liked any of the travel guitars I have come across including the Martin Backpacker so I went this route instead. Due to its smaller size, it’s easily portable like a ukulele. Your email address will not be published. The adjustable truss rod and the tools included make this one of the best ukuleles for people who like to tinker with the settings, and make little tuning changes, too. But I’m happy to share what I’ve learned about them so far, their differences, and which instrument I think you should learn in light of these differences. Of course, a guitalele is an instrument in its own right, but some people find it easiest to think of this instrument as a fusion between baritone tenor ukulele and a classical guitar. I hope this article has helped you understand the differences between the guitalele and ukulele! The image of a ukulele comes actually from the sound of the instrument. The body of this guitalele is Acacia, and as well as looking great, this proves to be a really good tonewood for the guitalele. Producing a thicker low G string would have been more costly. Furthermore, fewer instrument manufacturers make high-end travel size instruments. However, there are very few learning materials dedicated to the guitalele. It's more of a guitar tuned to A standard than a ukulele with extra strings. Guitaleles are tuned ADGCEA – essentially the four bottom strings (GCEA) are tuned exactly like the strings on a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele. A guitalele is a unique and fascinating instrument. This is arguably the most famous guitalele there is, the Yamaha GL1 is very popular. Materials: Spruce top, Mahogany back & sides. Finish: Natural satin. A combination between ukulele and guitar, the Kala Mahogany Guitarlele packs a lot of fun into a small package. Tuning: Strings are typically tuned from a from a low E, to a high E. A guitalele must be tuned a 4th higher than a guitar. You might want one of these instruments for its portability, or to transition from playing ukulele to playing the guitar. Although you can theoretically use any guitar learning resource for the guitalele, you will always have to adapt the concepts to the slightly different guitalele. Ease of Learning. As the name suggests, it fuses elements of the ukulele and elements of the guitar. It wasn’t until recently that I learned about guitaleles and realized that what I actually wanted was a way to play all my favorite guitar tunes with that ukulele sound (which is what you get with a guitalele). This instrument definitely has the look and feel of a Yamaha classical guitar, and it feels perhaps the most like a guitar out of any of the products on this list. Two tiny guitars aimed at the same market. For all the electric functionality you may need if you play live, this guitalele could be a good choice. The guitalele is variously marketed (and used) as a travel guitar or children's guitar. Documenting What I'm Learning about Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Hybrids, on Guitalele Vs. Ukulele: How They Differ and Which to Learn [2020 Guide], 10 Awesome Songs For Guitalele [2020 Guide], 14 Basic Guitalele Chords You Should Know [2020 Guide]. Your email address will not be published. The relative tuning stays the same. For people looking to spend the minimum they can but still get a quality instrument, then the Donner brand might be the best choice. Hi UG'ers. There’s also an interesting story behind this high G string. The intervals between the strings is the same as that of a traditional guitar. The instrument has good projection and a bright tone, as you’d expect from an instrument made by a ukulele brand. I don’t have everything figured out with these instruments. The guitalele is not a very good ukulele and it is not a very good guitar. The DGL-1 guitalele comes with a good quality carrying bag large enough to take the instrument just about anywhere of choice. We will start with the 6 string uke. People don’t tend to mess with the tuning of a guitalele too much. The Guitarlele is lightweight and portable so you can take the fun with you anywhere. The body of the instrument and its head are very similar to a classical guitar. The two extra bass strings on the guitalele allow you to play almost any tune you could play on the guitar. The guitalele weighs below 5 pounds, which is ideal for both beginners and professional players. They have nylon strings and this brings the classical guitar tone rather than a steel string tone. There are some very simple chord charts out there to help you to work out the changes needed to play a song. People who are buying a guitalele for the first time might find it very helpful to buy a model built for beginners, that comes with a lot of accessories. Required fields are marked *. Introducing the groundbreaking Guilele from Cordoba! I have fallen in love with this instrument. Instead, check out my article comparing the guitar and ukulele to help you decide which to pursue. Instead of a standard guitar tuning, the guitalele is tuned up a 4th as if you were to capo the guitar on the 5th fret (ADGCEa). It also makes recording a little bit more straightforward. It isn’t as complicated as it sounds, though. Caramel 6 Strings CB204GA All Solid Acacia Acoustic Ukulele Guitalele with Truss Rod with Aquila... Yamaha GL1 Guitalele Guitar Ukulele - Natural Bundle with Gig Bag, Tuner, Strings, Austin Bazaar... Guitalele 31 inch Guitarlele Mini Travel Guitar Ukulele Mahogany with Gig Bag Tuner Picks Strap By... Donner Guitalele DGL-1 28'' Travel Guitar Ukulele Package 6 String Ukulele Spruce Mahogany Body. … However, nicer ukuleles become expensive much more quickly than guitars which are popular enough to have several mid-range quality and price options. The guitalele sound is an unusual one, but just like the hybrid instrument this is, it has elements of both. In the modern age, many people buy these as an alternative to a travel guitar due to the simple portability. Guitalele is no different. Unfortunately, I didn’t know about guitaleles. The Caramel range really excels when it comes to guitaleles, as well as their electric option, we’ve named the Caramel 6 Strings CB204GA All Solid Acacia guitalele the best overall on the list. (Sometimes tenor ukuleles have a tuning of GCEA where the g string is not pitched up an octave.). Strings: Strings of a guitar may be made from nylon or metal. I had this desire as a young guitarist to get that ukulele sound. Today, the ukulele comes in three main sizes (and other less common sizes). Remember that the guitalele is tuned to identical intervals to a guitar, so it won’t prohibit what you can play. It represents great value for money. Think of it as a uke sized guitar if you like. A crossover instrument with the size, sound, and feel of a tenor ukulele but with six strings, tuned just like a guitar, only higher. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. “I bought a Noah Guitalele six weeks ago – great sound, intonation is perfect and it records really well. There are a variety of different strings available for ukuleles, but this is not as easy to find with guitaleles. You may also see them advertised as “guilele strings”. Caramel 6 String CB500G 30 Inch Rosewood Baritone Acoustic Electric Ukulele Guitalele with Truss Rod... Caramel 6 Strings CB204GA All Solid Acacia, Caramel 6 Strings CB204GA All Solid Acacia Acoustic Ukulele Guitalele with Truss Rod with Aquila Strings, Padded Gig Bag, Strap and Wall hanger, Yamaha GL1 Guitalele Guitar Ukulele - Natural Bundle with Gig Bag, Tuner, Strings, Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD, and Polishing Cloth, Guitalele 31 inch Guitarlele Mini Travel Guitar Ukulele Mahogany with Gig Bag Tuner Picks Strap By Kmise, Caramel 6 String CB500G 30 Inch Rosewood Baritone Acoustic Electric Ukulele Guitalele with Truss Rod with Strings, Padded Gig Bag, Strap and Picks, Caramel 6 Strings CB204GA All Solid Acacia guitalele. My biggest gripe with it is, is the fretbroad is wide and flat, making playing chords very difficult. Part of the reason it would sound similar besides the tuning is because the guitalele has six nylon strings like the classical guitar. Hawaiians adapted this guitar-like instrument from the Portuguese Machate in the 19th century. Some people have successfully done so, but experienced guitar techs who can change the strings to a different type and alter the action if needed. It does still have a soundhole and can be played as an acoustic model if preferred. This video is a comparison of the Cordoba Mini O-CE and the Cordoba Guilele. Lastly, regardless of your hand size, capoing the guitalele or ukulele doesn’t work well since the already narrow frets become narrower as you move up the neck. It is essentially a modern iteration of the Quint guitar. This is certainly the case with the guitalele compared to the ukulele. What I haven’t discussed is the implication of these extra two strings on the guitalele. Also, nylon strings are easier to press down than steel strings. Some people try to tune to a guitar tuning, but this can be a mistake, the strings will be too loose, the tension not right, and it can ultimately lead to some serious issues with the guitalele itself. With the two extra heavier bass strings, the guitalele may sound more complete and substantial to some than the ukulele. We’ve reviewed the best guitalele options in this article. Also, if you’re getting your first guitalele, you probably don’t want something that costs too much, and the Kmise also represents value, and doesn’t cost as much as some of the other options. If you already play the guitar and you’re interested in getting that uke sound, I highly recommend the guitalele instead of the ukulele. Aquila 96C Guilele / Guitalele Strings - Hybrid Guitar / Ukulele 6 String set 4 out of 5 stars (1) 1 product ratings - Aquila 96C Guilele / Guitalele Strings - Hybrid Guitar / Ukulele 6 String set The most common is the Yamaha GL-1 Guitalele. Let’s discuss the similar features of these two instruments. the guitalele’s fretboard covers more than three octaves. However…. It’s smaller, of course, but has the look and sound of a bigger Yamaha, and is available in multiple designs and color schemes. You will find ukulele chords are simpler than guitalele chords because the ukulele has fewer strings. But it wouldn't be the first time Yamaha has been ahead of the game, and so, 15 years late, we're writing about the GL-1. Baritone guitaleles have the same tuning as the top four strings of the ukulele: GCEA. On the other hand, if you were to switch from playing a larger instrument with wider frets like a guitar to a guitalele or ukulele, you will initially feel disoriented as the frets won’t be in the place you expect. I have small hands so this instrument is good for me. If you’re playing in an island or tropical climate, steel strings can rust or otherwise corrode more easily than nylon strings. You can find these options at most price points, with all the features you’d expect from a baritone ukulele, for instance. It is a great looking guitalele but also has a wonderful sound and some top features, as we’ve explored below. We’ve mentioned that a guitalele is usually about the same size as a tenor or baritone ukulele, but this doesn’t help much if you’ve never played one of these instruments. The Guilele CE is built with a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard, and a natural satin finish. A good video to watch to check out what these small instruments sound like can be found below. I personally own the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele, fabricated in Indonesia. The guilele vs guitalele debate rages on, different people call them different names, but both mean the same thing. Another option from Caramel, who make some very good guitaleles. I’ll address some of these differences below. This means that you will face inherent limitations on your music-making ability with the ukulele compared to the guitalele. This is one of many reasons why the ukulele (and guitalele) are such perfect matches for tropical playing. When Hawaiians first constructed ukuleles, they used animal guts (like the rest of the world) to make musical instrument strings. So there are hardly any tabs made specifically for the guitalele. However, as I mentioned above, the first four strings of the guitalele are nearly identical in tuning to the ukulele’s four strings. In this article we’ll start by looking at the best guitaleles currently on the market and why we’ve picked them. The chord shapes are all the same. I either want to buy a ukulele or a guitalele. So you will have to look a little harder for a high-quality travel-size guitalele or uke. A small guitar with a ukulele sound, feel and size. This is a great option from the Caramel … Starter guitaleles and ukuleles are usually cheaper than guitars of similar quality. Thus, if you want a particularly high-end guitalele, you will likely need to custom-make it. However, travel-size instruments like the guitalele and ukulele also have some downsides. It’s not like learning a whole new instrument. It’s pretty much inevitable that if there is some sort of instrument on offer, Yamaha have created their own version to bring to market. Guitaleles and ukuleles are similar in size to a ¼ size standard guitar. The Aquila gauges for the strings are .26 .32 .40 .28w .35w .43w. [High-quality teakwood body with smooth surface and exquisite workmanship; rosewood fretboard and bridge provides you with a comfortable playing feel. If you have smaller hands or shorter fingers, you may be able to reach the frets and strings more easily on these instruments. This is partially because the instruments are quite fragile, and it is easy to mess up the action or even warp the wood if you aren’t careful. An excellent crossover between guitar and ukulele per You can learn more about the guitalele in my article about it here. This basically means the tuning is like a transposed guitar. Whatever your preference it is important to get your purchase right when buying any instrument, especially one so unusual as a guitalele. This guitar-ukulele, or guitalele (as some manufacturers refer to it,) is a great little instrument, and it's from the Gretsch Roots collection which is a line of instruments designed to play American "Roots" music. So the mechanics of playing either of these instruments is easier than the guitar. Considered to be a true travel guitar, this small six string is light, portable and a great way for guitar players to segue into the ukulele world. Guitar is larger than a guitalele. However, guitaleles are usually slightly larger and heavier than ukuleles. As I’ve discussed extensively, the guitalele has six strings tuned in the same intervals as a guitar but up a fourth to be in the same tonal range as the ukulele. Required fields are marked *. So, they used the High G tuning with a thinner string. The reserved style of the Mahogany makes for a simple, classic look. It has also 6 nylon strings like a real guitar instead of 4 strings what we find on a ukulele. A notable mention must go to the Kmise 31 inch Guitalele, which is a very good option for the money, and is great for beginners to get started playing this small and unique instrument. The Guitalele was actually launched way back in 1997, but back then there wasn't a uke orchestra on every street corner, so it hardly made waves. When you are playing an “A” chord shape on a guitalele, you are actually playing a “D” chord. The guilele/guitarlele is my choice for a travel guitar too- great guitar-like handling and the perfect size to travel. ... it’s an affordable kiku/ guilele/ guitalele/ small body short scale guitar, or whatever you want to name it. Fretboards of similar lengths with similar fret widths mean you can switch between these instruments fairly seamlessly. In fact, some people call the guitalele a six-string ukulele, not only because of its string material, but mainly because its size, shape, and tuning are so similar to the guitalele. This is much smaller than a guitar, but there is still space on the fretboard to play chords and move up and down the fretboard playing melodies, too. If you have further questions, let me know in the comments! Title kinda says it. However, the nylon strings of a guitalele with its tonal range similar to the ukulele offer a gentler transition to the guitar. A guitalele doesn’t quite have the same tuning as a guitar, but it is very easily transposed. Like I mentioned above, ukuleles have four nylon strings with a standard tuning of gCEA. It’s not an elite model, and it’s better for beginners than pros, but for a cheap option, you can’t go too wrong with the DGL-1. And I hope that, understanding these differences has helped point you in the direction of which instrument may be best for you to pursue. "The six strings are tuned like a guitar, capo'd at the 5th fret" The ukulele’s only covers two octaves. The guitalele has six nylon strings, whereas the ukulele has only four nylon strings. A guitalele is smaller and narrower than a classic guitar and larger than a standard ukulele. These instruments aren’t obscure or hard to find. Plus, travel-size guitaleles and ukuleles won’t project sound as well as a full-size guitar. These are cramping to play and don’t sound nearly as good as the new Mini in my opinion. If you don’t already play either the guitar or ukulele, I don’t recommend a guitalele. The answer is both “yes” and “no”. Due to the small size, the low string on a guitalele is an “A” rather than an “E”. Yamaha probably coined the name “Guitalele” when they first launched this instrument in the late 90’s although it … Different models do have slightly different sizes. Home » Ukulele » 5 Best Guitaleles – The Iconic Guitar and Uke Hybrid, Your email address will not be published. Although these instruments may be easier to play for someone with small hands, they are likely harder to play for someone with large hands. Students that are looking for a fully equipped instrument or those that wish to offer a guitalele as a gift, can do so with this product.