What is a Guitalele? And The Top 5 Guitaleles

A guita–what? If you’ve never heard of a guitalele before, don’t worry. You’re not alone! It sounds strange, but it does exist. In fact, it’s a real instrument.

So, what is a guitalele? And what are the top 5 guitaleles you should consider if you’re planning to get one?

Read on to find out!

What is a Guitalele?

A guitalele, also known as guitarlele or guilele, is a cross between–you’ve guessed it: the classical guitar and the tenor ukulele. It has 6 nylon strings like a guitar, but its body size and neck length are more similar to the ukulele

Some people call it a guitar capo-ed at the fifth fret, while others call it a 6-stringed ukulele (if you don’t know it yet, a ukulele has 4 strings only). However, a guitalele has so much more to bring to the table! It’s more mellow than a guitar, yet fuller and bassy than a ukulele.

Unfortunately, choosing a great guitalele can be challenging. There is still very little information available about this bizarre yet impressive string instrument. With that in mind, we’ve brought you the top 5 guitaleles we bet your fingers would gladly pluck and strum!

Your Ultimate Guide to the Top 5 Guitaleles

1. Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Length: 27.95 inches

Weight: 2.65 lbs

Materials

  • Top: Spruce
  • Body: Meranti
  • Fretboard: Rosewood
  • Strings: Nylon

Yamaha has done it again, this time, with a guitalele! This product offers a warm sound and great tone quality, thanks to its spruce top, meranti tonewood, and rosewood fretboard. It can also play louder compared to other guitaleles, which makes it perfect for entertaining a small crowd. 

While tuning it might take some practice, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Its size makes everything so much easier to do! Plus, the nylon strings and smooth fretboard will definitely go easy on your hands.

If you are looking for a durable guitalele that won’t break the bank, then look no further!

Pros

  • Great tone quality
  • Good projection for its size
  • Beginner-friendly
  • Durable
  • With a free gig bag 

Cons

  • Has no strap mount

Get the best deal on the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele here.

2. Kmise 31-Inch Guitalele

Length: 31 inches

Weight: 5.21 lbs

*Requires 1 CR2 battery

Materials

  • Top: Walnut, Mahogany
  • Body: Mahogany 
  • Fretboard: Walnut
  • Strings: Silver Plated Copper (A-D-G), Titanium (C-E-A)

Here’s a beginner-friendly guitalele you just won’t resist. It produces clear and warm tones all thanks to its materials: walnut and mahogany for the top, mahogany for the body, and walnut for the fretboard. It also has an impressive projection and sustain, which makes it an ideal travel buddy!

You’ll notice that the walnut fretboard has an impressive wood finish. This lets you slide your fingers over it comfortably and still leave it scratch-free. Combine that with the superb strings and C-shape neck for added comfort, and we guarantee you’ll be picking this instrument up over and over again!

Pros

  • Great sustain
  • Good projection for its size
  • Beginner-friendly
  • Adjustable fretboard
  • With a free beginner’s kit (extra strings, metal strap locks, picks, gig bag, original Alen wrench)

Cons

  • Needs a lot of tuning for the first few weeks

Get the best deal on the Kmise 31-Inch Guitalele here.

3. Caramel CB402G Guitalele

Length: 30 inches

Weight: 5.15 lbs

Materials

  • Top: Mahogany
  • Body: Mahogany 
  • Fretboard: Walnut
  • Strings: Steel (E-A-D), Nylon (B-G-E)

This all-solid mahogany electric acoustic guitalele can be considered a rare gem, as it offers great value for money. It gives off a wonderful, rich sound, which can be surprising for its size. It also has great resonance and sustains notes well.

If you like to play it loud, no worries! It has a built-in microphone that amplifies the sound when plugged in. And as a bonus, it comes with a starter kit. Now, all you have to worry about is getting used to this instrument–which is quite easy!

Pros

  • Great sustain
  • Stable sound
  • Adjustable truss rod
  • With a built-in microphone 
  • With a free beginner’s kit (cleaning cloth, wall hanger, strap with pegs, metal nail drawer, EQ cable, bridge pins, guitar picks, gig bag)

Cons

  • Strap pegs aren’t installed

Get the best deal on the Caramel CB402G Guitalele here.

4.  Gretsch G9126 Guitalele

Length: 33 inches

Weight: 4.29 lbs

Materials

  • Top: Mahogany 
  • Body: Mahogany 
  • Fretboard: Ovangkol
  • Strings: Aquila Nylgut

Do you want a guitalele that sounds just as good as it looks and feels? Then Gretsch might just be what you need and more. A quick look at its gorgeous “open pore, semi-gloss Honey Mahogany Stain Finish” should give you a preview of the sweet, sweet melodies it can produce.

The top and the body are made of solid mahogany for a nice buttery sound. The fretboard, on the other hand, is made of ovangkol for a warmer and friendlier tone. If you’ve never heard of this sustainable tonewood, it’s similar to rosewood’s tonal properties–except ovangkol sounds fuller and has more resonance. 

Gretsch has always been known for its excellent craftsmanship for over a hundred years. So, if you don’t mind shelling out a little more for the sake of quality, then you’re in good hands with this product. 

Pros

  • Warm, friendly tones
  • Great resonance
  • Grover Sta-Tite Tuners
  • Real bone nut and saddle
  • With a gig bag

Cons

  • Not very budget-friendly

Get the best deal on the Gretsch G9126 Guitalele here.

5. Donner DGL-1 28-Inch Guitalele

Length: 28 inches

Weight: 4.29 lbs

Materials

  • Top: Spruce
  • Body: Mahogany 
  • Fretboard: Rosewood
  • Strings: Nylon

This affordable guitalele perfectly suits both beginners and experienced string players. It has nylon strings that are spaced similar to a classical guitar for ease and comfort. It also has a clip-on digital Donner DT-2 Tuner, which comes in handy especially while you wait for the strings to settle.

Since it’s made with a spruce top and a mahogany body, you can expect to hear rich and bright tones as you strum away. Add to that its smooth rosewood fretboard, and we can’t promise you’d want to put this down once you start playing!

Pros

  • Warm tones
  • Great sustain
  • Donner DT-2 Tuner (with battery)
  • Beginner-friendly
  • With a free guitalele kit (strap, extra set of guitar strings, polishing cloth, gig bag)

Cons

  • The fret has sharp edges (but they can be filed)

Get the best deal on the Donner DGL-1 28-Inch Guitalele here.

Why You Might Fall in Love With the Guitalele

It’s versatile.

The guitalele is tuned the same as a guitar with a capo at the fifth fret: A-D-G-C-E-A. Coincidentally, the ukulele’s four strings are tuned to G C E A, except G is tuned one octave higher. So, if you’re wondering what tunes you can play on the guitalele, you actually have the guitar’s and the ukulele’s library of tabs at your disposal! 

It’s portable.

How many times have you seen someone travel with a guitar? Have you ever experienced it yourself? It’s obviously not the most convenient feeling in the world. Guitars tend to be bulky and must be handled with care.

If you love the guitar but would like something more portable, the guitalele might be just what you’re looking for.

It’s fun.

Not everyone has the time to learn a new instrument. But if you’re considering one, it has to be the guitalele! The narrow frets and nylon strings make it more comfortable for your hands to play different tunes than you would on a guitar, unless your hands are large.

And if you know how to play the guitar already, then playing the guitalele should be a breeze!

Factors to Consider When Looking for a Guitalele

The Material it’s Made of

The sound of a guitalele is not only affected by how you play it, but also by its material. Guitaleles made of solid wood have rich tones to them and tend to cost more. Those made of laminate woods may not be as rich-sounding, but they’re definitely more affordable and durable.

Your Dominant Hand

Would you rather play with your left hand or right hand? If you play any string instrumens, you can answer this right off the bat. But if this is your first time, you might notice that left-handed instruments are usually more difficult to find and are sold at a higher price point. 

This is simply because southpaws only make up 10 percent of the world, and many of them have already learned to play with their right hand. However, it’s just as much a skill as learning to play the guitalele–you will get better as time goes.

If you’d rather stick to playing with your left hand, be sure to check if there’s a left-handed version of the guitalele you want.

Your Budget

While it’s tempting to spend on the best guitalele available on the market, your budget will ultimately influence your decision. But it shouldn’t discourage you at all, as there are great guitaleles that will deliver more bang for your buck, just like the ones we recommended in this article!

Now that you know more about the guitalele, are you ready to give it a shot?