Guilele VS Guitarlele

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Helms

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Hey fellow ukers! :)

I love fingerpicking and the uke was the first real love I had with an instrument. I thought I had it with a guitar for a few years, before I tried a uke.
However, I have been missing some deeper tones lately and I just don¨t enjoy playing on the guitar as much. I've actually begun selling a few old guitars to buy new ukes.
The guitar just seem so big, for no good reason (at least when you want a uke-like sound).

So I have been searching the internet for guitarleles and the guilele, but I can't find the difference between the two.
The Yahama GL1 is quite cheap so will probably be what I end up with, but the Cordoba Guilele CE has cutaway, which I personally love.
I'm a little confused about what to get really..

So does anyone know the difference between the two - if any of them has strengths or weaknesses compared to the other?
 
There is no difference between guitalele and guilele - some builders use one name, some use the other.

I am essentially an ex-guitar player at this point (I have one left, trying to sell it), but I do like to noodle around on six strings every now and then. Most of the guitaleles available are tenor scale, with a classical guitar-like fingerboard (1-7/8 inch to 2 inch wide and flat). I had the Yamaha for a while but in the end came to dislike it because of the wide neck and flat fingerboard - but then I don't have a fingerpicking, classical guitar background. I recently acquired an Ohana soprano guitalele with a 1.5 inch nut and I really like it - but the strings are so close it requires flatpicking.
 
Not to further complicate your decision, but Gretsch also has a "guitar ukulele." It sits between the other two in price. I have one on order. I'll let you know how it goes when I receive it.
 
Oh okay, that would probably explain why I couldn't find anything about the differences :)
Guitarlele sounds best IMO... :)

Anyway - that was actually what I was worried about with the Yamaha. It looks very wide!
Guess it'll be the Cordoba I'll keep a lookout for now.

But if you know any other guitarleles/guilele please let me know! (not looking for anything +300 dollars)

Looking forward to your opinion on the Gretsch guitarlele.
 
The cheaper Cordoba guilele, without the cutaway and pickup sounds way better to many than the Yamaha and several sellers now sell them for the same price.
 
PhilUSAFRet said:
The cheaper Cordoba guilele, without the cutaway and pickup sounds way better to many than the Yamaha and several sellers now sell them for the same price.
Click to expand...

I think there are actually two cheaper Cordoba guileles, both without the cutaway. One has a solid spruce top, and costs about $200. I'm pretty sure that this is the one that people have said sounds better than Yamaha. The other has a laminate top and costs about $100.
 
river_driver said:
There is no difference between guitalele and guilele - some builders use one name, some use the other.

I am essentially an ex-guitar player at this point (I have one left, trying to sell it), but I do like to noodle around on six strings every now and then. Most of the guitaleles available are tenor scale, with a classical guitar-like fingerboard (1-7/8 inch to 2 inch wide and flat). I had the Yamaha for a while but in the end came to dislike it because of the wide neck and flat fingerboard - but then I don't have a fingerpicking, classical guitar background. I recently acquired an Ohana soprano guitalele with a 1.5 inch nut and I really like it - but the strings are so close it requires flatpicking.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the term "Guitalele" is a trademark of Yamaha, so other makers can't use it.

The Yamaha GL1 is laminate, the Cordoba has a solid top, but at twice the price.

As far as neck width goes, I find the Yamaha neck pretty cramped (and I do have a CG background). It may be wider than a tenor, but it also has six strings instead of four, so they're actually a bit closer together.
 
Bill1 said:
Also the Yamaha C40 (3/4?) classical guitar is a great buy if you want a smaller guitar to mess around with that has nylon strings.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! That discovery was like an epiphany to me. I think this is by far the best option in that price range. Now, if one has the cash, the Kanilea and KoAloha guitaleles are fantastic.
 
Bill1 said:
Baritone ukuleles are also a good way to get some low notes on a ukulele.
Click to expand...

I never figured out the purpose of a baritone ukulele. I think it is about the size of a 3/4 guitar, or perhaps 1/2 size guitar, and the tuning is the same as the first four strings of a guitar. Why not just get a small guitar, and have all six strings? (Well, I guess it may have some usage for a uke player who doesn't play guitar, and would not know what to do with the 5th and 6th strings.)

For a guitar player though, a guitalele (or guilele or uke guitar or whatever it is called) is a nice option, being smaller and having a uke-like sound, tuned higher like a uke.

There is also the requinto, larger body than guitalele, more again like baritone uke or 3/4 guitar size, six strings, but uses thinner strings and is supposed to be tuned like a guitalele, starting with A. It plays just like a guitalele, but being larger, fingerboard not so cramped, and more resonant sound. (Not quite as small and portable though, although certainly more so than a standard guitar.
 
Action High on Guilele CE

I just got a Guilele CE. I haven't tried it too much yet, so cannot yet give a comprehensive review.

It looks nice, sounds pretty good. (Have not tried it plugged in yet, cannot comment on the electronics.)

It is supposed to come with the Aquila nylgut Guilele strings, specifically made for the instrument. However, I am not sure that is what is actually on it. They don't look like Aquila strings, and I get the impression the instrument would sound better with new strings.

Also, the action feels too high for me, and I may have to bring it in to a local shop to have the action lowered. Have others who bought this instrument had a similar experience?
 
river_driver said:
I had the Yamaha for a while but in the end came to dislike it because of the wide neck and flat fingerboard - but then I don't have a fingerpicking, classical guitar background. I recently acquired an Ohana soprano guitalele with a 1.5 inch nut and I really like it - but the strings are so close it requires flatpicking.
Click to expand...

hehe, nice resurrecting an old thread (not the post I'm quoting)

I can go any day of the week and find a 6 string anywhere with guitar like string spacing. I have yet to see a 6 string with ukulele like string spacing.

Not sure who all the guitalele market is currently targeting.
 
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searching for guilele-like instrument

Hello,

I am also searching for a guilele-like instrument.

I only found out today (somewhat by chance) that Cordoba's model comes in both a laminate-top version (the one that sells for around $100) and a solid-topped version. I came onto this forum as a result of a search to see if anyone has compared the Cordoba solid-top with the Gretsch guitar-ukulele hybrid (they both sound decent in some YouTube clips). Also, alternatively, has anyone found a small or requinto guitar in a similar price range that is made reasonably well and sounds good?

Thanks


Helms said:
Hey fellow ukers! :)

I love fingerpicking and the uke was the first real love I had with an instrument. I thought I had it with a guitar for a few years, before I tried a uke.
However, I have been missing some deeper tones lately and I just don¨t enjoy playing on the guitar as much. I've actually begun selling a few old guitars to buy new ukes.
The guitar just seem so big, for no good reason (at least when you want a uke-like sound).

So I have been searching the internet for guitarleles and the guilele, but I can't find the difference between the two.
The Yahama GL1 is quite cheap so will probably be what I end up with, but the Cordoba Guilele CE has cutaway, which I personally love.
I'm a little confused about what to get really..

So does anyone know the difference between the two - if any of them has strengths or weaknesses compared to the other?
Click to expand...
 
I checked out several guitarleles at Bounty Music and their staff play each one so I could hear them and to get their opinion. We tried the Ohana, Islander, cordoba, and the Kala.

We felt the Kala sounded and played the best. It also has good reviews on the Internet
It is tenor sizes strings a,d,c,g,e,a spruce top, nice Koa sides and back, slotted head stock, Grover tuners, with Aquila strings. Price was $299 USD

image.jpg
 
I have two different models of guitarleles for sale. One wears the Eddy Finn badge and the other Morgan Monroe. I have two of each model. The two MMs do not have serial numbers because they are the only two which were built as prototypes. The bodies are sapele mahogany with ivory binding top, bottom and the side and end of the RADIUSED fretboard. The EFs are slot headed and the MMs have open geared out the side chrome grips. The bridge on the MM is compensated and the strings are held in place with pins. All four are New In Box. The EFs are comparably priced to the Yamahas. The MMs are a little bit more. If you are intrigued enough to send me a Private Message, I will let you know an exact price. The two MMs also have slightly different scale lengths from the EFs, and each other.

The Efs are 1 3/4 at the nut and a 17inch scale. The MMs are 1 3/4 at the nut with an 18 inch scale. The Lehua tenor is 17 3/8 inch scale. The MMs are an 18 inch scale. My baritones are 19 inches. I think I will measure the spaces of the first five frets for comparison.
 
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I had the Gretsch, & it sounded good, but the neck was too chunky for my taste. I currently have the Cordoba with the solid top & electronics. It too sounds good, and the neck is more streamline. With both of these, the scale is around 17" (tenor). The string spacing is tight (tighter on the cordoba) and I find they were both cramped due to the 17" scale with 6 strings to fret. I'm currently waiting on a cordoba Mini, which has a baritone scale & is hopefully more spacious for fretting.

The Islander & Luna guitaleles I believe also use a baritone scale length.
 
You might want to wait for the Córdoba mini as they should show up in HMS soon!(Andrew said ~1month after NAMM so should be available soon)
The 20' scale is just easier for former guitar player and if you just started guitar the sizeis much closer to guitar as well! Just wait for Corey's example then decide XD

If you have the budget though, there are fantastic sounding guitalele like Koaloha D VI, or Kanile'a
 
I have the $100 Cordoba - for the price it is totally worth it. Slapped on a set of GHS la classique smooth wounds and it's even better. But it is very cramped - I too am awaiting the mini to come out.
 
maikii said:
I never figured out the purpose of a baritone ukulele. I think it is about the size of a 3/4 guitar, or perhaps 1/2 size guitar, and the tuning is the same as the first four strings of a guitar. ]Why not just get a small guitar, and have all six strings? (Well, I guess it may have some usage for a uke player who doesn't play guitar, and would not know what to do with the 5th and 6th strings.)

For a guitar player though, a guitalele (or guilele or uke guitar or whatever it is called) is a nice option, being smaller and having a uke-like sound, tuned higher like a uke.

There is also the requinto, larger body than guitalele, more again like baritone uke or 3/4 guitar size, six strings, but uses thinner strings and is supposed to be tuned like a guitalele, starting with A. It plays just like a guitalele, but being larger, fingerboard not so cramped, and more resonant sound. (Not quite as small and portable though, although certainly more so than a standard guitar.
Click to expand...

After fifty years of guitaring, going four-string felt a lot more comfortable for my getting-stiffer-by-the-years fingers. Went to the mandolin a while back with the double-four strung setup, much narrower neck and shorter fret spacing, and that brought the joy of playing back that had been missing for quite a while. Tenor guitar and tenor banjo, again with a narrower neck and shorter fret distance soon followed. Ukuelele came next.

Baritone ukulele is to me the best of all worlds in many ways. The fret spacing distance and neck diameter is comfortable, the sound is as good as most nylon-stringed guitars, and my left hand doesn't ache later from trying to stretch too far too often. Yeah, it's therapeutic. The four-stringed hybrids have allowed me to keep playing, and play more often.
 
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