Guitalele is a Guitar and/or a Ukulele

Mgsondance, I assume what you have is a steel string guitar, whereas most guileles are built similar to classical or hybrid guitars with nylon strings and therefore have wider fretboards. Moreover, stringed instruments are usually measured by scale length (i.e. length of the resonating strings from nut to saddle), not by how long the neck is from the body. A tenor ukulele has a 17" scale, a baritone has a 19" to 21" scale.

For a narrower nut width, look at the Piccolo Guitar from Ibanez, that one has steel strings, a tenor sized body and a nut width of about 43mm. That's the only model to come to my mind with a nut width of less than 44mm. Again, this one has steel strings, hardly possible to tune to E-E. It's nut width is much too narrow for me at such a short scale with limited horizontal room on the fretboard. At the scale length of 17" to 21", I much prefer a nut width of 46mm to 48mm, and Jim has mentioned some of the great options. I'll add the new Romero Creations Guilele models with a nut width of about a 48mm and a radius fretboard. To me this is the perfect middle ground for this type of instrument.
 
That is really narrow for a nylon string instrument. You best option is probably to find one you like in terms of scale length and body size and have a custom nut cut for it. That should not be a huge job. If you got from somewhere like HMS or Elderly you could probably arrange for them to do it before sending to you - for a reasonable additional fee.

Or you can go full custom. there aren't many folks building custom guileles but I can give you a few names if you're interested
 
Mgsondance, I assume what you have is a steel string guitar, whereas most guileles are built similar to classical or hybrid guitars with nylon strings and therefore have wider fretboards. Moreover, stringed instruments are usually measured by scale length (i.e. length of the resonating strings from nut to saddle), not by how long the neck is from the body. A tenor ukulele has a 17" scale, a baritone has a 19" to 21" scale.

For a narrower nut width, look at the Piccolo Guitar from Ibanez, that one has steel strings, a tenor sized body and a nut width of about 43mm. That's the only model to come to my mind with a nut width of less than 44mm. Again, this one has steel strings, hardly possible to tune to E-E. It's nut width is much too narrow for me at such a short scale with limited horizontal room on the fretboard. At the scale length of 17" to 21", I much prefer a nut width of 46mm to 48mm, and Jim has mentioned some of the great options. I'll add the new Romero Creations Guilele models with a nut width of about a 48mm and a radius fretboard. To me this is the perfect middle ground for this type of instrument.

Yes- mine is a steel string guitar. Length of the strings from the nut to the string pins is 26.5". I never thought about the classical neck needing to be wider because of the nylon string width, but I guess that makes sense. I owned a classical guitar at one point but it was way too wide in the neck to allow me to play chords due to my small hands. So I'd be ok with steel strings.
The size of that Ibanez is interesting- I'll have to see if I can find one to try. I'm not impressed with the sound, but wouldn't expect to be for that price.

So if I were to use nylon strings rather than steel, how wide do you think I'd need to make it at the nut?
It's also tuned A to A which I guess would be "ok", but I'd prefer E to E. I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to do E to E without a longer scale length?
 
That is really narrow for a nylon string instrument. You best option is probably to find one you like in terms of scale length and body size and have a custom nut cut for it. That should not be a huge job. If you got from somewhere like HMS or Elderly you could probably arrange for them to do it before sending to you - for a reasonable additional fee.

Or you can go full custom. there aren't many folks building custom guileles but I can give you a few names if you're interested

I actually was messaging Gary Creed last night and he's willing to make something, but hasn't done anything 6-string before. I'll ask you the same question- how narrow do you think I could go (nut measurement) with nylon strings? I'd be using it primarily for strumming and singing.
Does the bracing need to be different for steel strings, than nylon string?
 
Well, you can certainly go down to 1.5" or 38mm: https://www.guitarworksinc.com/prod...nded-nylon-string-guitar-with-padded-bag-case

Bracing is definitely different for steel strings as they are under a lot more tension.

Interesting. Sure looks wider than 1.5 in the picture. But I like that it says it’s tuned in E, so that must be possible. It’s an inch shorter than my baritone with the same nut width. But I think in a custom I’d widen the nut to at least 42 mm just to be on the safe side. Thanks!
 
I'd recommend a nut width of 46 to 48 mm, or since you like it slimmer, perhaps 44 to 46 mm, but no less than that.

Yes, nylon strings require a totally different construction than steel strings.
 
I'd recommend a nut width of 46 to 48 mm, or since you like it slimmer, perhaps 44 to 46 mm, but no less than that.

Yes, nylon strings require a totally different construction than steel strings.

So you think it would feel to crowded if I went less than 44? Even for very small hands?
 
So you think it would feel to crowded if I went less than 44? Even for very small hands?

There are two considerations for nut width, room for your fingers and room for the oscillating strings. Most people don't consider the second but it is critical. If the strings touch your fingers when they oscillate you get a nasty buzzy noise. Nylon strings move side to side much more then steel strings and need the extra room between them. If you are strumming they will move even more.
 
There are two considerations for nut width, room for your fingers and room for the oscillating strings. Most people don't consider the second but it is critical. If the strings touch your fingers when they oscillate you get a nasty buzzy noise. Nylon strings move side to side much more then steel strings and need the extra room between them. If you are strumming they will move even more.

thank you! :)
 
The guitaleles are a nice size at the body, but they all seem to be very wide at the nut. As if they cut off the 5 frets closest to the nut, when what I want is for that much length to be cut off where it attaches to the body. Does such an instrument exist?? I would prefer it to be strung E to E, although would accept A to A or G to G. (Nylon strings)

Hi, mgsondance!

You may like my guitaleles.
A: I made this guitalele form concert ukulele with 38mm nut. I filled 4 holes in head stock and drilled 6 holes instead. I've installed Gotoh UPT tuners. I made tail piece by myself and setup nut and saddle. I had to shave bridge in order to lower the saddle. I strung all of these guitaleles with steal strings as EADGBE. It was concert ukulele and was strung with nylon strings. But the tension is low and we can string it with steal strings. Has no trouble with sound board. It has 38mm nut. When I check the nut width I check B7 chord. 38 mm nut is ok to me. Old Gibson J45 ('58) has 39mm nut, and I still have seen Gibson's latest model with 39mm nut in local shop. Many electric guitars have 40mm nut width. 38mm nut is not too small for me.
B: This one is a souvenir guitar in Cebu Island Philippines. I change bridge and made nut. I've installed Gotoh UPTL tuners. It is concert size too and soprano size. It has 39mm nut (1.5 inch, same as old Gibson J45).
C: Ibaneze EWP-15. This one is very nice guitalele. I've installed Gotoh UPTL tuners. It has 42mm nut. I've strung it Martin medium stirngs as EADGBE, although it came with extra light strings as A to A.

I think they are all belong to ukulele. Because people think them ukulele at first sight, even they were guitarists around me. No one do not care about strings they just care about size and I love ukulele size.

 
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Hi, mgsondance!

You may like my guitaleles.
A: I made this guitalele form concert ukulele with 38mm nut. I filled 4 holes in head stock and drilled 6 holes instead. I've installed Gotoh UPT tuners. I made tail piece by myself and setup nut and saddle. I had to shave bridge in order to lower the saddle. I strung all of these guitaleles with steal strings as EADGBE. It was concert ukulele and was strung with nylon strings. But the tension is low and we can string it with steal strings. Has no trouble with sound board. It has 38mm nut. When I check the nut width I check B7 chord. 38 mm nut is ok to me. Old Gibson J45 ('58) has 39mm nut, and I still have seen Gibson's latest model with 39mm nut in local shop. Many electric guitars have 40mm nut width. 38mm nut is not too small for me.
B: This one is a souvenir guitar in Cebu Island Philippines. I change bridge and made nut. I've installed Gotoh UPTL tuners. It is in-between concert and soprano size. It has 39mm nut (1.5 inch, same as old Gibson J45).
C: Ibaneze EWP-15. This one is very nice guitalele. I've installed Gotoh UPTL tuners. It has 42mm nut. I've strung it Martin medium stirngs as EADGBE, although it came with extra light strings as A to A.

I think they are all belong to ukulele. Because people think them ukulele at first sight, even they were guitarists around me. No one do not care about strings they just care about size and I love ukulele size.


Cool! I read something interesting about the Opio guitalele today; Though the nut width is wider to accommodate the extra strings, they actually shaved down the depth of the neck to make it a bit easier to reach. There are also 3 new guileles coming out from Romero Creations. One uses the tiny tenor shape, which is very comfortable for me.
 
After 20 years of not playing my guitar, it felt huge to me- so I bought a ukulele and now have several. But I still miss the fuller sound of 6 strings, being able to have the tonic note at the base of the chord (rather than an inversion), as well as the lower range. The mini guitars (baby Taylor, little Martin) feel too big. The guitaleles are a nice size at the body, but they all seem to be very wide at the nut. As if they cut off the 5 frets closest to the nut, when what I want is for that much length to be cut off where it attaches to the body. Does such an instrument exist?? I would prefer it to be strung E to E, although would accept A to A or G to G. (Nylon strings)

I think the reason it looks "weird" is because the neck is short in length making the nut width look wide in comparision. When you consider most classical guitars have a nut width or 50-52 mm (2") with a scale length of 650mm (25.5"). In comparision a guilele nut width is 48-50mm (1-7/8") but with a very short 508" (20"). This makes it look all out of proportion, which it is kinda. But with nylon strings you need this width for proper string spacing to play it cleanly. There is a very good reason why classical guitars have a wide nut width, it is for proper function with nylon strings.
 
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I have a “Creedy” baritone and it has pretty wide neck, 40mm nut (my Taylor guitar looks to be only about 43, my Pono tenor guitar is 34). It doesn’t seem like it would be tight neck if it was just cut for 6 slots, especially if braced for steel. But then, I play some mandolin, so I’m kinda use to small spacing.
 
I think the reason it looks "weird" is because the neck is short in length making the nut width look wide in comparision. When you consider most classical guitars have a nut width or 50-52 mm (2") with a scale length of 650mm (25.5"). In comparision a guilele nut width is 48-50mm (1-7/8") but with a very short 508" (20"). This makes it look all out of proportion, which it is kinda. But with nylon strings you need this width for proper string spacing to play it cleanly. There is a very good reason why classical guitars have a wide nut width, it is for proper function with nylon strings.



Hi, Dave!
This guitar may look good proportion, because it has only a neck. :) I carry it in my golf bag and bring it everywhere.
 
I think the reason it looks "weird" is because the neck is short in length making the nut width look wide in comparision. When you consider most classical guitars have a nut width or 50-52 mm (2") with a scale length of 650mm (25.5"). In comparision a guilele nut width is 48-50mm (1-7/8") but with a very short 508" (20"). This makes it look all out of proportion, which it is kinda. But with nylon strings you need this width for proper string spacing to play it cleanly. There is a very good reason why classical guitars have a wide nut width, it is for proper function with nylon strings.


It's not just the scale length but the fretboard width in relation to the body size (notably the upper bout width). When I was designing my version of a 'guitalele' it gave enormous problems in terms of getting the look right. In fact it's not possible, you are always going to end up with an instrument where the fretboard looks too wide for the size of body. It even messes up the way the sides approach the neck button. Not a lot that can be done, it just becomes an exercise in compromise. I tend to do the nut width at 48 mm's which was very common on romantic gut string guitars. The vast majority of nylon string players are fine with a 48 mm nut width. 46 mm and you are really starting to squeeze their fingers into a tight space. A lot depends on fingers of course, some players have very slender fingers, others like myself have rather chunky fingers. I can play on a 48 mm though.
 
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