Guitalele GL-1 Review...

Nice review! I like that you had the tenor uke and requento guitar nearby for comparison.

Thanks
–Lori
 
Nice review Grumpy. I had considered getting a GL-1 from Canada before I discovered how much I like ukuleles. I'm not sure they sell them in Canada anymore, since the last time I looked they didn't list them at the store I was going to buy from. Its good to know you can still get them from Germany, in case the urge strikes me again. I agree with Lori, the size comparison to a tenor really shows how small they are. The store that carried them in Canada was Long and McQuade by the way. I've heard it was easiest to call Long and McQuade if you wanted one from Canada in the past.

Here is an old UU thread on it:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?15997-New-Yamaha-Guitalele-GL-1/page3
 
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As much as I hate e-bay, the german site @ http://myworld.ebay.com/rockshop-de/ has them for super cheap. Very easy. Just click and go. Much simpler than the canadian saga. I called three or four places up there and it was all a huge hassle. The folks at rockshop.de sent it to me in four days, with a discount. Less than $120US - shipped.
 
Awesome! I called places a couple months ago in Canada asking for them and had alot of trouble then gave up on the search. This is perfect, when I get the cash I'll be ordering myself one too since the buy went so well for you.

Are the strings spacing (and nut width) smaller than that of regular classical guitars? I've been looking for something with a slightly narrower fretboard than the standard classical guitars.
 
Excellent review on the GL-1 Grumpy. I also appreciate how you've compared it in size to the tenor. It's much smaller than I had expected. Also thanks for supplying the ebay link as I think for the price these are fantastic.
 
Yamaha GL 1

GrumpyCoyote said:
As much as I hate e-bay, the german site @ http://myworld.ebay.com/rockshop-de/ has them for super cheap. Very easy. Just click and go. Much simpler than the canadian saga. I called three or four places up there and it was all a huge hassle. The folks at rockshop.de sent it to me in four days, with a discount. Less than $120US - shipped.
Click to expand...

You also might want to try Thomann Music DE when you get to their web site use the search engine for Guitalele or Yamaha GL1
They are a good firm to deal with and reasonably priced. For some reason they have buried the GL1 in the website! Perhaps they want to keep them all.
 
Kala has a U-tar, and MGM has them in stock.
I love my D-VI, but it is a much more expensive option.
 
SailingUke said:
Kala has a U-tar, and MGM has them in stock.
I love my D-VI, but it is a much more expensive option.
Click to expand...

I just saw the Kala - I love that others are doing it - but the GL-1 is about half the price. Honestly, unless you want to step up to the D-VI like yours or even a custom, I think the quality of the GL-1 is easily on par with any Kala I've played. Although - to be fair, I've never played the U-Tar - it still seems a bit expensive for what sounds like the same critter to me.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I have something to add that some folks might find interesting.

There is currently a US seller on the US ebay site offering these instruments for $110 with free shipping from Gainesville, GA. They claim to be an authorized Yamaha dealer but their ebay name doesn't indicate what their retail store name is. They also claim that they are the first US dealer to get these and that the US version does not come with a gig bag. That means that you're not getting quite the same package as you can get internationally. I'm not making any judgments about the authenticity of these claims or this seller. I'm just putting it out there. If this is the first US Yamaha dealer to get them, there may be other domestic options soon. Although, the GL1 is still not listed on www.yamaha.com/usa/

As has been said, you can get one from Germany for about $120 with a black gig bag or from Canada for about $130 (not sure what kind of bag, if any, that includes). I'd be interested in knowing if anyone who has bought from one of those international sources had to pay a brokerage fee or import duty.

BTW, there was another ebay seller shipping these recently from Ecuador for $140 total. His listing said he could only sell them until September 5. Five days after that, this first US dealer appeared on ebay. Coincidence? Could that mean that Canadian and European dealers can no longer ship GL1s to the US?
 
warndt said:
I got mine delivered in 4 days from http://myworld.ebay.com/rockshop-de/ for $103.00 after applying the refund. They adjust the exchage rate and send the difference. Quick and easy!!
Wm.
Click to expand...

I'm still watching for one of these to show up at a good price and haven't found one yet. How long ago did you buy that for $103? I sent a note to Rockshop-de to confirm the pricing, but what he has listed online is 59 € plus 37 € for shipping to the US. If you deduct 19% German VAT from the 59 € price and add on the shipping, it comes to 87 €. At current exchange rates, that's about $120. According to ebay's exaggerated exchange rate, the cost would be about $125.

Did you buy yours a while ago? Maybe the exchange rate was better or shipping costs were lower than they are now.
 
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According to the response from rockshop-de:

"hi there, your calculating was correct. The total costs for the Guitalele without VAT + shipping costs are 86,58. This is the price you have to pay."

That's Euros. Or, about $120 USD at current rates.
 
$120 is still pretty reasonable for one of these. Unfortunate that US distribution is so limited.
 
GrumpyCoyote said:
$120 is still pretty reasonable for one of these. Unfortunate that US distribution is so limited.
Click to expand...

I agree that $120 isn't a bad price considering the alternatives. I just don't see what Yamaha hopes to gain by not making these available in the US. They seem to sell when they come up on ebay or elsewhere so there must be some demand for them. If the Europeans and Canadians can make a profit on them at $80-$100 USD, you'd think their US counterparts could make it worthwhile at $110-$120. Ah well, I guess I'll give my money to a Gerrman company and their shipper.
 
Hi GrumpyCoyote,

You said in your review that you switched to Addarios. Exactly what set do you recommend? I just got a guitalele today* and I'm sure it could use some better strings.
Thanks for any help!

Rich T

*impulse buy on Ebay- got it for $112 shipping included. Not new, but just about mint. Pretty cool!
 
and so it happens again =D Yamaha are very finely accurately made instruments as a general rule and I liked it. Then you start thinking... ah if I spend a bit more.... =D and now I'm about to ebay some ukuleles to get some money together for a Koaloha D-VI, lol
 
Strings for a Yamaha GL1

Guys. Try putting Worth strings on C,E,A, use the tenor set. Mix and match with D'Addario. You will not regret the out lay.
 
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