Anyone heard of Aria G-Uke ATU-120 ?

Hey guys,

There is a great environment here. I think it s a good idea to ask around. Thanks for your information.

Have been reading lots of posts about Guitalele, but didn't see anything about Aria G-Uke ATU-120 yet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320565495334&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Any one tried one of these? How is it compare to Kala U-tar or Yamaha GL1?

I think I prefer U-tar since it gets a solid top.

However, guitaleles are so rare. Trying to find one on Ebay is difficult as well. I don't think I actually have an option. LOL

Aria is a decent brand based in Japan.
I have played their classical guitars and ukulele, and they are quite good.

Yes, I would like to know about that too.

I see the Arai 120/6 for sale on the web, but I have not found even one review of one, from someone who tried one.

Has anyone here tried the 120/6? Your review? Sound? Playability? Durability? Was the action good out of the box, or did you have to bring it to a shop to lower it?

Give Mike from Uke Relublic a call, he has it listed and I am sure he could give you his thoughts.

Hi Chadgao,

Check out eBay. There is a Power Seller with the eBay name of Taisamlu who has a shop in Vietnam and makes guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, etc. all made of various solid woods, buffalo bone nuts and saddles, and hand inlaid abalone & pearl inlays. He currently just came out with a bunch of guitaleles. Some are made of solid Koa with traditional headstocks and also some with Spruce tops with Koa sides and backs and come with open slotted headstocks. Check them out. They are selling for $300 + $70 shipping that takes up to 7 days. Can't beat the price for an all solid wood instrument. Taisamlu's instruments are good quality and craftsmanship. I personally feel that his instruments are better quality than Bruceweiart/Bruceweiguitars. Brucewei is another Power Seller out of Vietnam that sells on eBay. Don't buy an instrument from Antoniosai. There are many negative feedback ratings about his instruments. Antoniosai goes way overboard with the inlays, which dampen the sound/tone of the instrument. I've also read that the wood he uses isn't dried properly and turns green within a couple of months. Hope this helps.

Here are some links: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...669145&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_6072wt_702

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380332426170#ht_5995wt_702



Aloha

Well, I was curious about these too, as I mentioned. I didn't see one in any store. I could not find any reviews online.

I finally took the plunge and bought one. I already had a Yamaha guitalele, and like it a lot, so thought why not get another brand too? Besides, being more expensive, I thought the Aria might sound better than the Yamaha.

I bought one from Aria Guitars Plus, which had a 10% discount off everything, so 10% off their regular price of $159.99, the price was $143 something, plus CA sales tax.

Review--out of the box, with the strings that were on it, sounded and played terrible. I don't know why companies put junk strings on instruments!

I put on a very good set of Savarez classical strings, with carbon trebles.

The string change made a huge difference. Now it sounded decent.

Does it sound better than the Yamaha? Unfortunately no, not to my ears anyhow. If I play one after the other to compare, the Yamaha sounds better every time--more resonant, etc. That may have something to do with the fact that the Yamaha's body is slightly larger than the Aria's, although they have the same 17" scale. Or, other factors too.

The Aria has 14 frets before the body, the Yamaha has 12. If that is important to you, a plus for the Aria. They both have 18 frets total, however.

I think the Yamaha looks quite nice, but some may find the Aria prettier. It has kind of a reddish wood finish, with white binding. Certainly catches the eye more than the Yamaha. If one looks very closely at the wood grain though, to me it looks like perhaps it is a picture of wood grain silk-screened onto the top veneer of the laminate. I am not sure of that, but it appears that way to me. If so, rather tacky.

All in all, I am rather disappointed in the Aria ATU-120/6. Not that it is a bad instrument, it's not. Only that I thought it would be better than my current guitalele (Yamaha GL-1), as the Aria costs more, but in fact i find it not as good as the GL-1. If I had been able to try the Aria out first, I probably would have not bought it.

Worse case, you could get some Aquilas and turn one of them into a 6 string uke!

PhilUSAFRet said:

Worse case, you could get some Aquilas and turn one of them into a 6 string uke!

Click to expand...

Aria calls this a 6-string uke. But I guess you mean the usual use of that term, four courss, two of them double.

However, that would require moer than a set of strings--changing the nut and saddle, etc.

I wish I could return the Aria now, but the company I bought from has a very limited return policy. (within 5 days, etc.) I thought it would be a step up from the Yamaha GL-1 (which I have and like a lot), but it does not sound as good as GL-1.

Now Cordoba Guitars are putting out their guilele, in a couple weeks. Looks very similar to the GL-1, but has a solid spruce top. That might be a real step-up from the GL-1. (Then there are the Hawaiian guitaleles, but they cost much more.

I played the Kala u-tar...and was very unimpressed. I originally chose the Kala over the Yamaha because it had the solid top. The Kala was louder, but it felt very unbalanced and was tricky to play because of it.

I much prefer the Yamaha. I bought it on a whim used, and have never looked back. I have no intentions of 'stepping up' because I am quite happy with it. If I want to step up, I have guitars I can go to. I no longer believe that a solid top = better instrument.

Do any of you read the other posts in this thread? Are any of you interested in an all solid wood Guitarlele? My earlier post has a couple of links to listings on eBay for an all koa or a spruce top/koa body guitarlele made by Taisamlu. These are all solid wood buffalo bone nut and saddle aquila strings instruments with hardcase for $300 + $70 shipping. Taisamlu uses Brucewei in Vietnam to build his instruments, which Tudorp has a business arrangement with and is selling them here in the U.S. after he takes the time to set them up to our standards of low action, great intonation, and playability. I have bought several guitars and ukes from both Brucewei and Taisamlu over the past 2-1/2 years and they are great instruments with a very surprising tone and resonance! Just because they're made in Asia, it doesn't mean that they are junk. Many guitar and ukulele companies are having their instruments built in Asia now, with many more recently being now made in Vietnam. If you haven't listened to the sound sample by Nuprin on the Ukulele Review Forum, I recommend that you do. He bought a Duk Mahogony Tenor Cutaway(Brucewei) from Tudorp (Duk Ukuleles) and the uke sounds great! U.S. made instruments aren't always the best in craftsmanship and tone ... personally, I feel that you get a great handmade all solid wood instrument at a GREAT VALUE from Brucewei and Taisamlu. Not this laminate junk or solid top and laminate body junk. Also, solid wood instruments take a few years to open up which means that they will sound better and better the more they are played and the more they age. For those of you who are leary about buying from an Asian Company, you now have the option of buying the same instruments right here in the U.S. from Tudorp, who I believe is a stand up guy who is making sure that each instrument is setup the right way and will be perfect to play right out of the box. Tudorp is also working on having ukes built to his specs sometime in the near future.

I'm with you both Skitzic and Maikii that the Yamaha is a great little instrument. The GL-1 has been great for me to play but it is important to find the right strings and proper tuning. Also there have been two particular difficulties for me, first the height of strings at the nut make it really tough to barre effectively on fret 1, second the strings are just that bit too close together forcing an awkward compromise on some chords. It is though an absolute bargain. I think the next step up that would display a significant improvement would be a Mele or Ortega, so that means around 4 or 5 times the price!

My Yamaha was bought as a cheap 'practice' instrument to help me adapt because in the same week I ordered a Kanile'a GL6. I knew it would take up to 3 months to arrive so I patiently waited and played my Yamaha - then it arrived about 10 days ago. How does it compare? Well it wouldn't be fair would it, they are based on the same principle but so different. The Yamaha though is definitely not totally shamed by the Kanile'a, but the Kanile'a has a very free and open 'voice' while the Yamaha is a lot quieter and kind of muffled. The thing with the GL6 is the increased playing area on that gorgeous neck which stretches out to fret 16 before my hand touches the body, and the resonances that sing through the wood are a delight.

Oh, and I do have 3 guitars but this was all about being comfortable for longer and a full size guitar won't sit in my lap nearly so well while I relax and doodle a tune or three.

With any luck I will try and put a review of the Kanile'a GL6 together if there is interest, plus I will surely have some examples on youtube before long (wish I had a better camera!).

Duk Curly Maple

My brother just purchased a Duk Tenor made from Curly Maple with Mahogany sides. The neck is thin and the Abalone inlays & rosette is designed beautifully. The handcraft of the uke suprisingly well put together with no flaws whatsoever. There is a nice gloss finish and the machine heads work nicely. I am impressed too with the Buffalo bone from nut to saddle, and as for the sound it is worth the price. A nice mellow sound and the volume is well balanced. Volume is also good, we experimented with Aquila's which was bright and a nice high tone. But when we re-strung it with Ko'olau's it just woke it up. A crisp bite to it, sounded sweeter and the separation of each string rang out beautifully. This is difinitely a keeper, if ever you have a chance to get one these do get em. I think they're the underdogs in some way and deserve some attention. Tudorp who I personally spoke with does a great job of inspection of all his ukes before they go out. Give him props for his great work. Mahalo ~ Frank

I was able to return that Aria ATU120/6, by the way. I don't recommend it

Well, there will soon be a step-up (hopefully) from GL-1, only twice the price, rather than 4 or 5 times-the Cordoba Guilele ($199), whose availability has been delayed for months, and hopefully will be available soon. The photo looks very similar to the GL-1--likely same body size and scale, but with solid top and bone nut and saddle. Until people try them though, no way to know how good they will really be.

If you would like somewhat larger (so not as cramped fingerboard), but smaller than a guitar, have you considered a requinto? (About the size of a 3/4 guitar, but with full-width fingerboard, you tune it like GL-1, but have to use thinner strings to tune that hiigh on the larger instrument--a requinto string set.

A normal requinto is about 580mm scale, similar to 3/4 guitar. Cordoba has two instruments for sale that they call requinto, but are smaller, in between requinto and guitalele--they call them requinto 480, and requinto 520. (The numbers referring to the scale in mm. (So the 480 is only a little larger than the guitalele, 480 mmscale compared to 440.) (They also have a 580, which is more normal requinto size.) Has anyone here tried one of those smaller cordoba requintos, 480 and 520? If so, please give a review. What kind of strings did you use with it?

You say the strings are closer togetner on GL-1 than a guitar. I don't think so. It appears to have a full-width neck. What makes it feel so cramped is the short scale.

If you can find a Kala u-tar used (discontinued), that is also tuned the same way, but the size of a bari uke rather than a tenor uke like the GL-1. That would also be less cramped for the left hand than GL-1.

Ken of York said:

I'm with you both Skitzic and Maikii that the Yamaha is a great little instrument. The GL-1 has been great for me to play but it is important to find the right strings and proper tuning. Also there have been two particular difficulties for me, first the height of strings at the nut make it really tough to barre effectively on fret 1, second the strings are just that bit too close together forcing an awkward compromise on some chords. It is though an absolute bargain. I think the next step up that would display a significant improvement would be a Mele or Ortega, so that means around 4 or 5 times the price!

My Yamaha was bought as a cheap 'practice' instrument to help me adapt because in the same week I ordered a Kanile'a GL6. I knew it would take up to 3 months to arrive so I patiently waited and played my Yamaha - then it arrived about 10 days ago. How does it compare? Well it wouldn't be fair would it, they are based on the same principle but so different. The Yamaha though is definitely not totally shamed by the Kanile'a, but the Kanile'a has a very free and open 'voice' while the Yamaha is a lot quieter and kind of muffled. The thing with the GL6 is the increased playing area on that gorgeous neck which stretches out to fret 16 before my hand touches the body, and the resonances that sing through the wood are a delight.

Oh, and I do have 3 guitars but this was all about being comfortable for longer and a full size guitar won't sit in my lap nearly so well while I relax and doodle a tune or three.

With any luck I will try and put a review of the Kanile'a GL6 together if there is interest, plus I will surely have some examples on youtube before long (wish I had a better camera!).

Click to expand...

The Strunal 1/4 guitar would also be an option. I hope to purchase one in the near future and possibly get rid of the Yamaha. Not that it's a bad instrument, I just love cedar tops.

Link