Ken of York
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2010
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Hi, my beautiful GL6 arrived just 2 weeks ago and it is time to stop hugging it (for a moment) and introduce it to you all.
At the point of ordering it I knew it was going to take up to 3 months before it was mine. It may seem a bit absurd but I actually bought the Yamaha GL-1 just so I could 'get used' to playing such an instrument.
I already have a K2 Satin Tenor from Kanile'a so my expectations were high for their Guitarlele. Even so I was almost levitating in excitement when this turned up -
It arrived early and I left it to acclimatize while I went to work. Imagine my restraint! So later in the evening I found this inside -
So what do I think now? Well it has totally surpassed how I thought it might feel/play. The essence of this instrument is centred on that fantastic neck and fretboard combined with a body that sings with great clarity and surprising volume.
The neck has the feel of a classical style, some may think it a bit chunky but the space it presents on the fretboard is perfect for playing melodies. I prefer to play mostly classical so I couldn't be happier! Also because the body is so responsive across the whole range of strings old familiar tunes start to take on extra characteristics and subtle counter melodies come to the fore and take my breath away. This is a fun and fantastic instument (and I have to say painfully expensive).
It only took a few days before I went ahead and replaced the strings for some with higher tension. I used Pro Arte Composite EJ45C for string 3,4,5,6 - with string 3 being a special composite, then I used Worth Brown for strings 1 and 2 because they gave me a brighter tone for the upper ranges.
It stays in tune really well, sits easily in my lap and keeps on giving me amazing moments of "did I really just create that sound?"
Something this good can cure you of UAS!
For a quick sample here are a couple of tunes from Ethelbert Nevin, you may not know him but his compositions are very familiar: sorry the sound isn't so great but it is down to the camera
More pics below VVVVV
At the point of ordering it I knew it was going to take up to 3 months before it was mine. It may seem a bit absurd but I actually bought the Yamaha GL-1 just so I could 'get used' to playing such an instrument.
I already have a K2 Satin Tenor from Kanile'a so my expectations were high for their Guitarlele. Even so I was almost levitating in excitement when this turned up -
It arrived early and I left it to acclimatize while I went to work. Imagine my restraint! So later in the evening I found this inside -
So what do I think now? Well it has totally surpassed how I thought it might feel/play. The essence of this instrument is centred on that fantastic neck and fretboard combined with a body that sings with great clarity and surprising volume.
The neck has the feel of a classical style, some may think it a bit chunky but the space it presents on the fretboard is perfect for playing melodies. I prefer to play mostly classical so I couldn't be happier! Also because the body is so responsive across the whole range of strings old familiar tunes start to take on extra characteristics and subtle counter melodies come to the fore and take my breath away. This is a fun and fantastic instument (and I have to say painfully expensive).
It only took a few days before I went ahead and replaced the strings for some with higher tension. I used Pro Arte Composite EJ45C for string 3,4,5,6 - with string 3 being a special composite, then I used Worth Brown for strings 1 and 2 because they gave me a brighter tone for the upper ranges.
It stays in tune really well, sits easily in my lap and keeps on giving me amazing moments of "did I really just create that sound?"
Something this good can cure you of UAS!
For a quick sample here are a couple of tunes from Ethelbert Nevin, you may not know him but his compositions are very familiar: sorry the sound isn't so great but it is down to the camera
More pics below VVVVV