Yamaha GL-1 Guitalele tuning.

GVlog wrote:
I'm thinking one of those might make a good travel guitar. Let me know if you ever plan to sell yours.

I think it can be a very very good guitar at his price. But for sure, you will find the neck a little bulky compare...I don't know it just feel weird a little bit, even if you play already classical guitar!!!

I don't think I'll sell mine but I can find you one new in Montreal if you want....it's cheap anyway.

But.....a D-VI or GL6 is years better!!!!!

thanks
 
I have both a Requinto (http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/23/fCvT12Z5Z1o) and a Guitalele (http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/3/r_kMMRlbGys). I use the same high-tension classical strings on both.

Here's a review of the GL-1 with a couple of more instrumental tunes.: http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/8/kjYh63r_IFE Included some buying tips from 14twelve on a German retailer who ships to the US for cheap.

Most certainly not a toy, and WELL worth the price. It's a uke sized soprano guitar / requinto. I'll most likley be lugging it to UWC if anyone wants to play it.

Oh and here's a MUCH better player than I who pretty much puts the "toy guitar" thing to bed:
 
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Wow GrumpyCoyote...Thanks for the post! Great videos and information. This Guitalele will really fill a need for me.

I'm off to buy me a GEETAR!

Thanks again!!
William
 
Just bought a Yamaha GL-1 which they call a guitalele but is proberly just a kids guitar rebranded to sell to uke fans like me. I thought it would be good to practice guitar skills whilst sitting on the lounge at night, like I usually do with my ukes, very Homer Simpson like.
Anyway does anyone know what to tune each of the six strings to? Shop suggested something but sounds pretty average.

I am surprised that the instrument does not come with a booklet that shows tunings, etc.

It is supposed to be tuned the same as a guitar, but a fourth higher, therefore (from string #1) AECGDA.

In other words, the same as standard ukulele, with low G, and two more strings at the bottom.
 
I have both a Requinto (http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/23/fCvT12Z5Z1o) and a Guitalele (http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/3/r_kMMRlbGys). I use the same high-tension classical strings on both.

Here's a review of the GL-1 with a couple of more instrumental tunes.: http://www.youtube.com/user/GrumpyCoyoteTunes#p/u/8/kjYh63r_IFE Included some buying tips from 14twelve on a German retailer who ships to the US for cheap.

Most certainly not a toy, and WELL worth the price. It's a uke sized soprano guitar / requinto. I'll most likley be lugging it to UWC if anyone wants to play it.

Oh and here's a MUCH better player than I who pretty much puts the "toy guitar" thing to bed:


Hi Grumpy,

Thanks again for the video.

Although no one (AFAIK) makes guitalele strings, there are a few string companies (like LaBella) that make reqiuinto strings.

Therefore, I am surprised that you use guitar strings on the requinto. Have you tried requinto strings?

Also, although the guitalele and requinto are tuned the same, the requinto has a significantly longer scale, I think 21" as opposed to 17". Wouldn't strings that work well on the guitalele, be too tense on the requinto, with both tuned the same?
 
Another idea about strings.

Use a set of low G tenor ukulele strings for the first four.

Use classical guitar strings for the lowest two. (The problem I would have, if I did that, which classical guitar strings for the two basses, to best match the first four? Would it make sense, for example, if one used an Aquila nylgut Tenor Low G set for the first four, to get the lowest two strings from an Aquila Alabastro classical guitar set, also made with nylgut (metal-wound, of course)? Or would it make more sense in that case to just use the whole Alabastro set on the guitalele? Might there be any difference in sound and action, to string the first four with a low-G tenor uke set?

Has anyone here tried that?
 
I stand corrected. I decided to throw in the specs of a 17" scale guitar into my string tension calculator this evening and these were the results.

A 650mm scale guitar with D'Addario Pro Arte Composites at EADGBE will yield the following tensions.
  • Normal = 84.00 lbs
  • Hard = 90.25 lbs
  • Extra Hard = 93.48 lbs
A 432mm scale guitar (17" like the Guitarlele) with D'Addario Pro Arte Composites at ADGCEA will yield the following tensions. This probably makes sense since the surface area of the bridge is much smaller.
  • Normal = 66.06 lbs
  • Hard = 70.97 lbs
  • Extra Hard = 73.5 lbs

According to that calculator, could one assume, that if one uses classical guitar strings on the guitalele, one should use the highest tension ones available, as even high tension guitar strings on the guitalele result in lower than normal tension on the guitalele? Or are there other factors?
 
Another thought about my idea below--

It should work, to have a tenor ukulele low g set for the first four strings, correct? The instrument has a similar scale as the tenor uke, and is tuned the same.

That would be a very different way of stringing it though, no, than using a set of classical guitar strings for all six?

If one looks at the gauges for example, of the first string of a tenor uke, it is a much smaller gauge than the first string of a classical guitar. Also, some tenor low G sets are all unwound (Worth, for example), whereas the fourth string on a guitar is always wound.

Anyone tried using a low-G tenor set on strings 1-4 of a guitalele? If so, how did that work, and compare with using classical guitar strings?

Thank you.


Another idea about strings.

Use a set of low G tenor ukulele strings for the first four.

Use classical guitar strings for the lowest two. (The problem I would have, if I did that, which classical guitar strings for the two basses, to best match the first four? Would it make sense, for example, if one used an Aquila nylgut Tenor Low G set for the first four, to get the lowest two strings from an Aquila Alabastro classical guitar set, also made with nylgut (metal-wound, of course)? Or would it make more sense in that case to just use the whole Alabastro set on the guitalele? Might there be any difference in sound and action, to string the first four with a low-G tenor uke set?

Has anyone here tried that?
 
Something else folks could consider, who would like a smaller, higher pitched guitar, is a requinto, which you also hear Grumpy play in the video. It is a smaller guitar, that one tunes a fourth up, like a guitalele, AECGDA (starting from string 1).

Larger than the Yamaha guitalele though, which is similar to tenor uke size. A requinto is a little larger than bari uke size. To tune the larger instrument (I think 21" scale) to that tuning, one needs thinner strings, and there are requinto string sets available, from LaBella and others.

I recently ordered one, hand-made in Mexico by Paracho Elite (formerly Lonestar), solid cedar, for $195 (15% discount over that) (sales tax though, here in California) from Grizzly Entertainment.
 
I tried an half and half mix D'addario flamenco A,D,G then Worth tenor strings on C,E,A
I am very happy with the result.
 
I tried an half and half mix D'addario flamenco A,D,G then Worth tenor strings on C,E,A
I am very happy with the result.

Thanks for the info.

May I ask--why not use all the Worth tenor set--on A E C G , and the flamenco strings on just D and A?

Also, what is different between flamenco strings from classical strings, and why did you choose the former for the guitalele?

And---Worth clears or browns?

Thanks again.
 
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I tried an half and half mix D'addario flamenco A,D,G then Worth tenor strings on C,E,A
I am very happy with the result.

Thanks for the info.

May I ask--why not use all the Worth tenor set--on A E C G , and the flamenco strings on just D and A?

Also, what is different between flamenco strings from classical strings, and why did you choose the former for the guitalele?

Thanks again.
 
Hi,
I wanted a nice clear sustain and good harmonics. I like to play Latin music (I'm not really good but like clear sound)
I experimented and took advice and settled on Flamenco strings for their bright sound the I replaced the A,E,C with Worth tenor strings (brown) and found them to be a improvement. I did n't use the G as I was using a high G set . Therefore I settled
for the wound D'addario G.
I would not change my set up now. Choice is personal I guess.
 
Hi,
I wanted a nice clear sustain and good harmonics. I like to play Latin music (I'm not really good but like clear sound)
I experimented and took advice and settled on Flamenco strings for their bright sound the I replaced the A,E,C with Worth tenor strings (brown) and found them to be a improvement. I did n't use the G as I was using a high G set . Therefore I settled
for the wound D'addario G.
I would not change my set up now. Choice is personal I guess.

Sounds good. I was just curious, not familiar with flamenco strings. How do they make them different? Wound differently? Are they high tension?

Of course, with a high g tenor set, you could only use three. One could use all four with a low g tenor set. And since some of those sets have an unwound 4th string (such as Worths, I think) that would be interesting, to only have wound on 5 and 6. Unlike any guitar setup though, as AFAIK all guitars have wound 4,5, and 6. I wonder how that would change the sound, to have the 4th string of the guitalele unwound?

Tenor uke strings on 1,2,3 are thinner than the guitar strings 1,2,3, no? Does that affect the sound?
 
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I tried to find info online, regarding the difference between classical and flamenco strings. I only found one page, on a flamenco guitarist forum. The unanimous opinion there seemed to be that there is no difference between the two, that the labeling of "flamenco strings" is just marketing. Click here to see that thread.

There is a difference in the sound of classical and flamenco guitars, but that has to do with the construction of the guitar, not with the strings.
 
Hi
I used Flamenco strings believing them to be an alternative to classical guitar strings.
I'm sure D'addario market them for the purpose of offering a choice, rather than expand business. However one never knows. D'addario produced a flouro carbon G string some time ago, they sent them out as an addition to a 6 string set of classical strings ie. 7 strings in a set. I liked the alternative Gstring, some people prefered the standard string.
Same with Worth strings, I prefer to use a D'addario wound D string tuned to low G in place of Worth low G. Except for the Carvalho Concert Ukulele I never get tired of playing
that is strung with a set of Worth tenor strings with a low G.
Choices...choices
 
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I know this an older thread I'm reviving, but I just picked up a GL1 at Sam Ash (in NJ) they appear to be on sale this weekend for $99. Nice little instrument for the price. Already playing away on it.
 
Congrats! They're also available at Guitar Center and Amazon for $99. It looks like the price they've settled into here in the US. I'm thinking about getting the GL1 too.
 
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