ukulele · guitalele
Yamaha GL1 Guitalele
| Maker | Yamaha |
|---|---|
| Origin | Japan |
| Type | ukulele · guitalele |
| Price | USD 129.99 (2026-09) |
| Maker founded | 1887 |
| Status | current |
The GL1 is a six-string nylon instrument at a 17-inch scale, tuned A to A a fourth above a standard guitar.
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Why it matters
Yamaha's guitalele keeps guitar string order and chord shapes, so a guitarist can play familiar voicings without relearning the instrument. The small body makes it easy to carry and quiet enough to practise almost anywhere, while nylon strings are gentle on new fingers. It sits at the low end of the price range, so most buyers treat it as a second instrument rather than a main one.
Note
Six-string guitar-ukulele hybrid at a 17 in scale, tuned A-D-G-C-E-A. Lets a guitarist use familiar chord shapes a fourth higher.
Specifications
- Scale length: 433 mm (17.05 in)
- Neck shape: 'C'
Before you buy
- it sounds a fourth higher than a guitar, so it will not match guitar chord charts pitch for pitch
- nylon strings take time to settle and stretch
- the small body has limited bass response
Other opinions
One video is one opinion. These are the other videos for this entry, most-viewed first. The order is the view count, not a ranking of ours.
Valentin Kovshik Music · 2024-04 · 138,710 views
“In this video, I share my experience and honest opinion about the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele.”
A GL1 guitalele played in standard tuning with an alternative tuning demonstrated.
Yamaha Global · 2014-10 · 80,686 views
Yamaha's own overview of the GL1 guitalele with playing samples.