GL-1

I read the reviews for this little thing and I have to disagree with the person who said that this was a toy. It most certainly isn't. This guitarlele has a sweet sound with a surprising amount of sustain which some players won't like so much, but I do. It's well made and feels solid. The tuning heads feel sturdy and it holds its tuning very well. The intonation is very good although it does become increasingly more tricky to play further up the neck due to the small fret spacings. I have sausage fingers and will often hit a bum note if not very careful. It really is a fun instrument to play and easy and comfortable to hold. I have a problem with my shoulder which is why I bought this and it's very comfy. The sound is more guitar like than uke but if you play further up the neck the more ukey it becomes. I would not recommend this for a beginner because of the cramped frets, but if you have some playing experience you will really enjoy this little wonder with its bell like tone and ease of transport. It would make a super travel guitar.

At this price level I had low expectations, but having respect for the Yamaha brand I took a chance and ordered the guitar, half expecting to send it back it it proved a disappointment. It didn’t disappoint at all. As an experienced player of various full size acoustic guitars I must admit this little guitar is surprisingly well made and pleasant to play for such an economy price. TBH I didn’t buy it for myself, it was supposed to be an alternative instrument for my Ukelele playing partner to progress to. She didn’t like it, because two extra strings aid a step to far for her. Ah we’ll never mind I tried. Also I hope to use it to teach guitar to my 8 year old grandchild but haven’t introduced it to him yet. The body size is ideal for him, and the classical type nylon strings should be easier for him. However the neck width is about the same as a full size guitar and flat rather than radiused, which is not ideal for small hands. Also due to the necessarily short neck the tuning cannot be standard EADGBE like a full size so that’s an obstacle to learning the fretboard for later progression to a full size guitar when he’s older.

Moderately well made and once tuned is playable as supplied, however, I did need to lower the action at both the nut and the saddle, plus deburr the fret ends and polish the rough fret faces (roughness will quickly wear the strings). A little travel guitar when restrung for E-tuning as for me it sounds too much like a ukelele/bango in standard guitalele A-tune. Watch on YouTube, 'How to tune the guitalele like a guitar' by joaotostes of Toca Ukelele Global, for a clear demo - I watched this video before buying a GL1and always intended to restring it for E-tuning. I can recommend the Hannabach, Set 890MT, 1/8 size scale 44-48cm, with the G3 wound option - not cheap but they are good - the wound 3rd string is essential for a better sound, as the monofilament string sounds very like a bango. I had a set on my GL1 and was very pleased with the results, as it sounded much more like a guitar and of course you can use all the guitar music without transposing. The intonation with these strings is quite good - much better than the A-tuned Yamaha strings - but they have less tension than the classical guitar (CG), which might not suit everyone. There is a custom alternative to the Hannabach set that sounds better and has good string tension (see photo): Rotosound ball ended classical guitar set CL1 (circa £6), discard the E1 string and move others up one; for E6 string use D'Addario NYL048W (circa £4). Of course you could use any Medium or Light tension classical guitar string sets. I only tried D'Addario EJ45 and The Rotosound CL1, of which the CL1 worked best for this job. However D'Addario strings tend to be higher tension than the cheaper strings, so perhaps the Light tension EJ43 strings would be good. The Rotosound strings had just the right properties and you don't have to use the ball ends, so if you prefer just trim them and tie as per usual - the NYL048W has an ordinary tie end. However, I think the instrument sounded nicer with the ball ends and even bought a bead to make a ball end for the NYL048W - ball ends allow the strings to sit better on the saddle. The GL1 will never compete with a concert guitar for sound and intonation, but I use it a lot as a handy travel guitar. Albeit I find it more difficult to play than my full size CG due to the narrow string spacing and large margins on the 48mm fret-board , and especially the closer spacing between frets, which together make some barre positions quite difficult for my moderate size fingers. Update 04 Oct 19 1. The Persimmon brown matt finish is not very durable as it chips and flakes around the black painted edges of the body, and exposes a light grey undercoat that makes it look a tad scruffy. Normally acoustic guitars have a tough beading material around the edges of the top and back where they join the sides - the GL1 has no beading, only a black paint. 2. I replaced the compensated Yamaha plastic saddle with an uncompensated bone saddle, and that made a useful improvement to the sound, and the intonation. When using a wound 3rd string it is not useful to have compensation that increases the length of this string relative to the others, which is only necessary when a monofilament string (as supplied by Yamaha) is used. The large diameter monofilament is very stiff and needs extra length to bring the frequency down a tad and yet maintain the tension. Update 19 Dec 19 Kinsman KUT14 Tenor Uke hard case for the GL1 There doesn’t seem to be a specific hard case for the GL1, hence the need to utilise a suitable Uke case. The GL1 is basically a Tenor Uke body with a longer and wider neck, so length is the main issue. My GL1 has strap buttons fitted and with these the length is a bit close, around 1cm clearance at the head, but that is enough as the case is very strong and the exterior length of 29” fits nicely in my hold suitcase. The tuning heads have sufficient clearance, the necks fits nicely, and the depth is perfect, so for me this case is very good. However, if you have strap buttons fitted and you like lots of space around the instrument, then you might consider a Baritone case, as the Baritone Uke is a few inches longer, slightly wider, but of similar depth to the GL1. The KUT14 hard case is very strong, well padded, nicely made, and is excellent value at around £34 - the only downside being the flimsy and fiddly catches. Overall I am pleased with the KUT14 hard case. GL1 update 28th April 2021 I fitted a bone nut with more ideal string spacing and it greatly improves the playability for those accustomed to a spacious CG fingerboard, but it does require some DIY skills. The original plastic nut had length 48mm, same as the fingerboard/neck at the nut area, however the 1st to 6th string spacing was a mere 37mm, which crowds the fingers unnecessarily and leaves very wide margins of around 5mm. I bought the ‘Mr Power 6 String Guitar Real Bone (For classic)’ nut & saddle from Amazon for £4.99 and the nut has a useful string spacing of 41.5mm, which gives margins of around 3mm. The nut length is 52mm so you need to sand off 2mm from each end to fit the GL1’s 48mm neck, also the depth and thickness require sanding to fit, plus the string slots require enlarging a little with nut files or nozzle cleaners to fit the larger diameter strings. What a result: the GL1 is much easier to play, plus the strings slide smoothly over the bone when tuning, and it actually sounds slightly better. GL1 update 25th Dec 21 I fitted Alba black classical string tie beads so as to use any make of string and yet enjoy the sound quality benefits of ball ends or 12 hole bridge + very easy to restring. From Amazon £7.99 plus £3.99 p&p. I cut out and fitted a 0.5mm tap plate for protection when tapping/slapping top whilst playing Rumba Flamenca. If using pick or nails you would need thicker or more than one layer, there is enough in the blank to do 3 tap plates/golpeador. Musiclily 200x250 mm blank guitar self adhesive pick guard material £5.83 from Amazon, advertised as 0.7mm. I expected it to dampen the sound a little but no problems at all and it actually significantly improved the intonation (probably dampened some parasitic oscillations in the soundboard). GL1 Update 13th Feb 22 re strings for standard guitar E tuning I have tried several classical guitar string combinations and have found the following diameters work well: 1st string 031” to 032” nylon monofilament 2nd string 039” to 040” 3rd string 028”W nylon multifilament core wire wound 4th string 033”W 5th string 041”W 6th string 049”W I can’t currently source a NYL049W string but had one with the Hannabach 890MT 1/8 set, that has VG bass strings but weedy trebles. I use the following configurations: 1) La Bella 427 string set (circa £10) with NYL048W, which gives good tension, a full sound, and a resonant bass. Update 04 Jan 2024: I have been using a set of these strings for over a year now and they still sound good, and look set to last a long time. 2) D’Addario EJ43 string set (circa £10) with NYL050W, which gives good tension, a slightly brighter sound, and a tighter bass. 3) Update 01 March 2024: D’Addario EJ45FF string set (circa £15) with NYL050W (circa £5) or NYL052W for tight bass. This combination has a tension similar to a CG, and gives a very bright, punchy, and loud sound. WOW, the GL1 comes alive with these strings, combined with a low action, and sounds quite unique: a hint of ukulele but very like a cross between a Flamenco guitar and a steel string acoustic guitar. To restring simply discard the string set 1st string and move the others up one position, then fit either the NYL048W or NYL050W string in the 6E position. Enjoy

This is the second Yamaha GL1 I have bought. Honestly, there's a lot here for a guitarist or a ukulele player. The tone is great, the treble strings sound as they should and you get a surprising amount of bass on the lower bass strings. The matt finish is also nice, it looks especially good on the sunburst model as you can see the real wood beneath the usual surface and it looks pretty good. Good things: Sounds great has a well-balanced tone and has a fast response to the string. The fretwork is excellent and didn't have any rough edges. Binding on the edge of the guitar is a lovely touch, adds a real feeling of quality The sunburst effect is great too, my good lady commented on how pretty it was. The strings that come supplied are not terrible. Bad Things The action is a little high. But a few minutes with a file and concentration takes care of that. Just don't take too much off! The strings are close together. Bit of a no-brainer, but I have big hands, and its a squeeze. But that's part of the challenge. It's not a loud instrument. To really make it yell you have to pick hard. But, good for conditioning the fingers. All in, worth every penny and I would recommend it to everyone who wants to try something new.

This guitar does not disappoint - a Yamaha product, it is very well made and set up. You will need to adjust to the small fretboard but the sound quality is great. I have taken it on many trips and even played it in the car. I would think it is also perfect for a child. Much better than a ukulele as you do not have to learn different chords. As this instrument has 6 strings, you get the full harmony and a much fuller sound. Comes with its own bag. I would highly recommend.

I play ukulele (and love it, I have several), and was trying to transition over to guitar, but I have an infuriating disability which makes my muscles fatigue very quickly so I can't hold a guitar for long. I'd been considering a guilele/guitalele for some time but was pretty sure that what I'd get was the tricky fingering of a guitar with the slightly tinny sound of the uke. Well, I was wrong. This is a beautiful instrument. The tuning lets you transition seamlessly from a uke because the highest 4 strings retain the usual soprano uke tuning. So you can immediately play familiar pieces while ignoring your two new strings. You'll need to get used to the mellowness of the low-G, plus you now have a vastly increased range. The tone of the instrument is much, much nicer than the uke. And I love my ukes. It's more guitar-like, although the higher the note you're playing, the more uke-like it sounds. But the two don't sound the same, there's no question the deeper body of the guilele makes for a rounder, sweeter tone. The build quality of the instrument is great, it's well finished, nice tidy fret edges, markers on the side of the neck as well as on the fret board so you know where you are. It feels solid with good quality fittings, is fitted with nice strings (nylon, with the lowest 3 wound, as you'd get with a classical guitar), and it's a very attractive colour. I love this thing. It's £50. Buy one!

great sound and well made

I wanted something that would allow me to get a uke-cum-banjo sound for some Irish folk songs. I didn't want to learn a new instrument for this so I bought this. And it is perfect. I can use all the guitar chord shapes (although obviously they're a fourth up in pitch) so it was immediately playable and usable. The quality is pretty good. It isn't a high end instrument and that's apparent, but it is better than I expected for the price. There are no dead frets or sharp fret ends and the intonation is pretty good for such a short scale. The tuners are fine, though not brilliant, and the neck is very playable. The only downside is the supplied strings. They are not great, but they are usable. If you are looking for a great little instrument for a bit of fun or to add to your collection, you probably won't regret getting one of these.

Jag är väldigt nöjd!

Perfect

Die Yamaha GL-1 ist im Gegensatz zur herkömmlichen Ukulele eine Guitarlele – also eine Art „Mischung“ von Gitarre und Ukulele. Wie eine Gitarre ist sie mit sechs Saiten ausgestattet und vorzugsweise für das Spiel in der A-Stimmung (eine Quart höher als die gewöhnliche Gitarrenstimmung) geeignet. Ansonsten ist sie wie eine normale Gitarre spielbar – nur eben eine Quart höher. Durch die kleineren Maße und die dadurch enger zusammenliegenden Saiten und Bünde, ist das Griffbrett anfänglich gewöhnungsbedürftig , was sich jedoch schnell wieder gelegt hat. Der Sound erinnert an Gitarre und Ukulele gleichermaßen und ist für den günstigen Preis ziemlich warm und laut. Besonders gut gestaltet sich die Yamaha GL-1 als eine Art Reisegitarre, da sie durch die geringere Größe leichter in Auto, Zug usw. mitgenommen werden kann. Da diese Guitarlele sehr preiswert ist, handelt es sich beim Reisen auch um keinen Wertgegenstand – dennoch ist sie äußerst gut verwendbar. Geeignet ist sie auch für Kinder, aber Achtung: Es handelt sich nicht um eine Kindergitarre, die Bauweise und Stimmung einer Guitarlele unterscheidet sich nämlich von jener einer (Kinder)-Gitarre. Durch ein wenig Aufwand und Kindergitarrensaiten ist die Yamaha GL-1 allerdings wie eine Gitarre stimmbar. Absolute Kaufempfehlung!

Bought this guitalele and my expectations were justified. It very comfortable small guitar for travel and training for me. Sound very good: include all frets and play chords. My variant has few scratches but for me it is not a problem and I think in common quality is good. Also it has good price. When I use it tune it to E (recommended A) and it’s sound good, string tension also normal with it.

69 year old guitar hack here. Played electric, and some acoustic guitar in three bands way back in the 1970's. Played acoustic at a wedding. My neighbor bought a Yamaha GL-1 "guitalele" A few years ago, and told me recently that he loves it! A GL-1 is basically a very compact 6 string classical guitar, but, instead of being tuned Eadgbe, it is tuned 5 frets up on each string, so the low and high e's become a's. This means that all the chord shapes I know on a regular guitar can be played in the same positions, but the name of the chord will be different. Example, an e major chord shape on a guitar, will really be an a major on the Yamaha. If I am just playing by myself for myself, there is no problem. If I was to play along with a regular guitar, we would have to work out what key to play in. Also, if I sing and play, then depending on what key I play in, I would have to sing in higher notes. This thing came quicky to me in Hawaii, and it is in perfect condition! Since it had nylon/classical type strings, it is going to take much longer for the strings to settle down and stop sretching. Way longer than my steel stringers. So, don't write a review after a few days complaining about this. All classical style nylon string guitars do this! Pick it up,tune it, play it, and keep tuning it. The tuners on mine seem just fine. It is a total blast for me to play. It sounds great, especially for the small body size. It has very good volume and sustain too. A bit stingy on the fret markers, both on the fingerboard and side of the neck. If you have big fingers, some chording might be a bit crowded. It doesn't have a truss rod. But, many classical guitars and many other guitaleles don't have them either. I have yet to read a review, or watch a video review, where the owner had a neck warp. In short, I should have bought one of these long ago. Update after more than a year now. I still love this little 6 stringer! I have been selling some of my amps and ukes etc. I had considered selling my Yamaha, but cannot do it! It is just such a great insrument. Mine is still perfect. Drawbacks? Few. The 17" scale is a bit tight for me. One string started unravelling after not too much playing. I was able to buy the one string and replaced it. I read a review somewhere where the writer returned his due to various flaws. Looking at mine it's hard to believe. I think Yamaha should make an option of the GL-1 that would come with an under saddle pickup with tuner and volume/tone controls. Great price, great instrument, great FUN!! 2/28/2025 update: Just wanted to say my estimation of this instrument has gone up if anything. I am taking super good care of it. It us holding up great. I had one of the wound strings start to unravel early and replaced it. Zero problems. After break in it holds tune as good or better than my other string instruments. That alone is saying a lot. The climate here in the Puna District on the big island plays he'll with stringed instruments. Most go sharp sitting overnight, and flat sitting during the day. This little guy is built very well. I wish it had come with an active pickup with tuned and equalizer, but it's still a keeper!