What Guitalele should I buy?

johnnysmash

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I read where some guitalele's are tenor size and some are baritone size. I have a 17 inch scale tenor ukulele. My GL-1 Yamaha Guitalele also has a 17 inch scale.. I want a guitalele with the same scale as my 20 inch scale baritone ukulele. What guitalele should I buy?
 
I just recently purchased a Pono MB-6. It is a 20" scale length baritone. I had a Cordoba Mini a couple years back, but the Pono is so much better in terms of quality, playability, tone, and sustain. I also like the 1 3/4" nut width, which is what most of my acoustic guitars have. Couldn't be happier. This one will never be sold.

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I'm going to assume you want suggestions on the lower end of the scale. You won't find one as cheap as the GL1 but I'm going to suggest the Cordoba Mini (the original not the "II") and Islander GL6.

A cheaper alternative is the Cordoba C1M 1/4-size but it is 19" scale.

If you're considering the Pono, you should also consider the Koaloha Opio and Romero Creations TT6
 
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The Romero B6 is a good one also but around a grand brand new. 20"scale with solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Pepe has them in nylon and steel strung models.
 
If you want to go very inexpensive Kmise makes a 20" guitalele for $80. This one has some good reviews on YouTube. Seems good for the price.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kmise-Guit...981064?hash=item5470847248:g:viEAAOSwy5Rctsf4

I just acquired one of these. I was mucking around with it trying different strings and A and E tunings. Couldnt seem to find a sound I liked. E is too slack even with extra heavy tension strings and sounded horrible. A tuning was better than E but it just didnt sound right to me. When picked it was ok but strummed some chords sounded terrible. I was getting frustrated with it. I then tried G tuning and wow what a difference. Sounds sooo much better. If you have one of these cheapies try G tuning.
 
I had an extremely inexpensive Yamaha that seemed like an OK instrument. The tone and sustain were certainly acceptable, and the setup off the shelf was playable. I never worked with it much, but when I gave it away I felt like I was passing on a decent instrument.
 
I had the Kanil'ea GL6 guitarlele a few years ago, and that was a marvelous instrument. Great sound, great playability, excellent craftsmanship, spot on intonation. I eventually sold it because six strings was at least one too many for me and I didn't think I'd play it enough to justify the cost, but the instrument was really wonderful. It sounded just like in this video (not that I can play like him).
 
I will second the GL6 recommendation. I think the Islander version is great. I'm sure the Kanile'a version, with all solid wood and their latest bracing is much better, although it costs anywhere from 6-10 times as much. My only real reservation about the GL6 is the neck width is pretty wide at 2". I could use slightly less width myself.

One guilele I'd really like to try, but doesn't seem to have left Asia, is Anuenue's S10. I don't know if it's ever coming to the States, but I'd be pretty interested if it did. And moreso if they made a slightly higher end all solid wood version. I think the S10 would directly compete with the Islander GL6, but it's such a drastic jump in price to the Kanile'a GL6, that I would love to see Anuenue offer an intermediate model closer to the Pono models.
 
Absolutely look at the Noah Guitalale. I just bought one. Excellent review at Gotaukulele site
 
If you just want to see if you like a guitarlele enough, without a large outlay, look at the Yamaha GL1. It is a plywood instrument that has been in production a long time and is made on the island of Java in Indonesia. They still retail for a very low price. You can find videos by Dr Bekken showing how good they can sound when amplified via a microphone.

If you are sure you want one then some of the more expensive models discussed above should be considered.

Mimmo at Aquila has also just released a small six course instrument and has "invented" some modern technology strings which work on a 17" scale length to tune it from E to E, like a guitar. The new set overcomes the perennial issues with trying to tune a 17" string to the low E note on a guitar and get it to work well, as well as balancing the higher strings to match. If you are used to a guitar, this string set may suit a 17" scale length instrument that you have already or you are going to buy.
The OP has GL-1 and wants a bigger one. Maybe read question before answering.
 
Well I finally purchase a 20 inch scale Kmise Guitalele. The width at the nut is the same as my GL1. Fits my hands perfectly. For an economical instrument it sounds and plays great. Now that the AS has bitten me again I am dreaming of another guitalele, 20 inch scale, same nut width as GL1, cut away, and electric. I will wait awhile while I see what the market comes up with in 2022. I have both strung with Aquila 96C strings.
 
I will second the GL6 recommendation. I think the Islander version is great. I'm sure the Kanile'a version, with all solid wood and their latest bracing is much better, although it costs anywhere from 6-10 times as much. My only real reservation about the GL6 is the neck width is pretty wide at 2". I could use slightly less width myself.

One guilele I'd really like to try, but doesn't seem to have left Asia, is Anuenue's S10. I don't know if it's ever coming to the States, but I'd be pretty interested if it did. And moreso if they made a slightly higher end all solid wood version. I think the S10 would directly compete with the Islander GL6, but it's such a drastic jump in price to the Kanile'a GL6, that I would love to see Anuenue offer an intermediate model closer to the Pono models.
WOW, today I am looking for guitalele's all over the internet and I found Anuenue Guitars. Yes, right here in Thailand where I live. I don't read Thai so I am having a hard time reading details but our next trip, about 350 kilometers from our home to Bangkok which is a city that seems to have everything, I will be searching for a guitalele and maybe find a factory too. Bangkok is a city of approximately 12 million people and my Thai wife knows the place like the back of her hand. A shopping we will go. We travel there on average once a month. What ever I find out there I will post here.
 
WOW, today I am looking for guitalele's all over the internet and I found Anuenue Guitars. Yes, right here in Thailand where I live. I don't read Thai so I am having a hard time reading details but our next trip, about 350 kilometers from our home to Bangkok which is a city that seems to have everything, I will be searching for a guitalele and maybe find a factory too. Bangkok is a city of approximately 12 million people and my Thai wife knows the place like the back of her hand. A shopping we will go. We travel there on average once a month. What ever I find out there I will post here.
I recently managed to acquire a S10. Right now I have the S10, cordoba mini M and Romero creations B6.
 
I recently managed to acquire a S10. Right now I have the S10, cordoba mini M and Romero creations B6.
How does it sound? Does it really compare with a Pono? I knew Paramount Guitars and Ribbee Ukuleles where made and sold in Thailand. Today I just found out about Anuenue. They are made in China and I am not sure if they are made for a company here in Thailand or just sold here. There is a place called aNueNue Guitar Thailand (Kumabee Shop). Anuenueguitarth@gmail.com. Tele 096 234 6088. When I go to Bangkok again if I find a quality guitalele that plays and sounds good I will be bringing it home.

As I said in another post any tourist coming here who plays strings should be on the lookout for a nice instrument. They are not that expensive. It is shipping that cost the most. Customs costs but not that much.
 
WOW, today I am looking for guitalele's all over the internet and I found Anuenue Guitars. Yes, right here in Thailand where I live. I don't read Thai so I am having a hard time reading details but our next trip, about 350 kilometers from our home to Bangkok which is a city that seems to have everything, I will be searching for a guitalele and maybe find a factory too. Bangkok is a city of approximately 12 million people and my Thai wife knows the place like the back of her hand. A shopping we will go. We travel there on average once a month. What ever I find out there I will post here.
You could just click the "english" icon upper right or right click and select "translate"

 
You could just click the "english" icon upper right or right click and select "translate"

That only works part of the time and the translation usually only covers half of the text. Then sometimes it will surprise you and it translates everything. However, it has been improving some over the last year or so.
 
How does it sound? Does it really compare with a Pono? I knew Paramount Guitars and Ribbee Ukuleles where made and sold in Thailand. Today I just found out about Anuenue. They are made in China and I am not sure if they are made for a company here in Thailand or just sold here. There is a place called aNueNue Guitar Thailand (Kumabee Shop). Anuenueguitarth@gmail.com. Tele 096 234 6088. When I go to Bangkok again if I find a quality guitalele that plays and sounds good I will be bringing it home.

As I said in another post any tourist coming here who plays strings should be on the lookout for a nice instrument. They are not that expensive. It is shipping that cost the most. Customs costs but not that much.
I have 3 ponos but none in baritone scale so it’s hard to give an accurate comparison in sound. Built wise the Ponos are definitely more refined.
Of the 3 20 in scale 6 strings that I have the S10 is the loudest. I think it’s because of the offset sound hole, allowing more room for the sound board to vibrate. In terms of action and playability it’s comparable to the other 2. it does have the thinnest neck among the 3. Almost too thin actually. The cordoba is somewhere between the 2.
in terms of finish it is slightly better than the cordoba mini. It is a matte finish. I won’t call it satin. More like just sanded down to a smooth finish. Similar to the cordoba but for the cordoba I actually ran a 1000 grit sandpaper over the whole finish because there were too many ‘rough’ spots. The RC finish is obviously the best of the 3 by a mile.
sustain is ok but the RC6 beats it hands down. Still you’ll get sustain much better than any other tenor out there, even if comparing with the top Brands. I guess it’s physics. You can’t make a smaller body resonate as much as a bigger one.
I have the S10 strung E to E now and the other 2 G to G so it’s hard to give an accurate comparison in terms of sound. But for the price its pretty decent. Mine came with a pickup in it. I have only plugged it in once and so will reserve my opinion on it till I get more play time on it plugged.
 
I just acquired one of these. I was mucking around with it trying different strings and A and E tunings. Couldnt seem to find a sound I liked. E is too slack even with extra heavy tension strings and sounded horrible. A tuning was better than E but it just didnt sound right to me. When picked it was ok but strummed some chords sounded terrible. I was getting frustrated with it. I then tried G tuning and wow what a difference. Sounds sooo much better. If you have one of these cheapies try G tuning.

Hi, I've seen a good one with some reviews https://productz.com/en/yamaha-fg800/p/70BM0 should I accord it?
 
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