Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele"

[Steve Freides]

I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up to me
tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down to guitar
tuning.

Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's designed
to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

Wasn't half bad, really, and they're $99 brand new.

-S-

[RichL]

Post by Steve Freides
I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up to me
tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down to guitar
tuning.
Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's designed
to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

Yep:

"...is commonly played like a guitar transposed up to "A" (that is, up a
4th, or like a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret). This gives it tuning
of ADGCEA, with the top four strings tuned like a low G ukulele."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitalele

[gtr]

Post by RichL

Post by Steve Freides
I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up to me
tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down to guitar
tuning.
Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's
designed to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

"...is commonly played like a guitar transposed up to "A" (that is, up
a 4th, or like a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret). This gives it
tuning of ADGCEA, with the top four strings tuned like a low G ukulele."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitalele

Sounds like a new name for a requinto.

[Steve Freides]

Post by gtr

Post by RichL

Post by Steve Freides
I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up
to me tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down
to guitar tuning.
Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's
designed to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

"...is commonly played like a guitar transposed up to "A" (that is,
up a 4th, or like a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret). This
gives it tuning of ADGCEA, with the top four strings tuned like a
low G ukulele." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitalele

Sounds like a new name for a requinto.

I have been working with an older student from Puerto Rico on songs by
Trio Los Pachos, who apparently use a requinto - would explain some of
what I've heard on the recordings.

-S-

[hank alrich]

Post by Steve Freides

Post by gtr

Post by RichL

Post by Steve Freides
I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up
to me tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down
to guitar tuning.
Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's
designed to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

"...is commonly played like a guitar transposed up to "A" (that is,
up a 4th, or like a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret). This
gives it tuning of ADGCEA, with the top four strings tuned like a
low G ukulele." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitalele

Sounds like a new name for a requinto.

I have been working with an older student from Puerto Rico on songs by
Trio Los Pachos, who apparently use a requinto - would explain some of
what I've heard on the recordings.
-S-

"The requinto guitar has six nylon strings with a scale length of 530 to
540 millimetres (20.9 to 21.3 in), which is about 18% smaller than a
standard guitar scale. Requintos are tuned: A2-D3-G3-C4-E4-A4 (one
fourth higher than the standard classical guitar).

It was first introduced in popular music in 1945 by Mexican
guitarist/vocalist Alfredo Gil of romantic music trio "Los Panchos"[4]
Requinto guitars are also used throughout Latin America.

Requintos made in Mexico have a deeper body than a standard classical
guitar (110 millimetres (4.3 in) as opposed to 105 millimetres (4.1
in)). Requintos made in Spain tend to be of the same depth as the
standard classical."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requinto#Small_guitar

My picking pal Dave Johns has a lovely requinto built in Paracho.

[Steve Freides]

Post by hank alrich

Post by Steve Freides

Post by gtr

Post by RichL

Post by Steve Freides
I played a student's Yamaha GL-1 "Guitalele" today. It showed up
to me tuned 1/2 step higher than a guitar, so I just took it down
to guitar tuning.
Anyone know if they make thicker strings for these? Seems it's
designed to be tuned up to Uke pitch.

"...is commonly played like a guitar transposed up to "A" (that is,
up a 4th, or like a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret). This
gives it tuning of ADGCEA, with the top four strings tuned like a
low G ukulele." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitalele

Sounds like a new name for a requinto.

I have been working with an older student from Puerto Rico on songs
by Trio Los Pachos, who apparently use a requinto - would explain
some of what I've heard on the recordings.
-S-

"The requinto guitar has six nylon strings with a scale length of 530
to 540 millimetres (20.9 to 21.3 in), which is about 18% smaller than
a standard guitar scale. Requintos are tuned: A2-D3-G3-C4-E4-A4 (one
fourth higher than the standard classical guitar).
It was first introduced in popular music in 1945 by Mexican
guitarist/vocalist Alfredo Gil of romantic music trio "Los Panchos"[4]
Requinto guitars are also used throughout Latin America.
Requintos made in Mexico have a deeper body than a standard classical
guitar (110 millimetres (4.3 in) as opposed to 105 millimetres (4.1
in)). Requintos made in Spain tend to be of the same depth as the
standard classical."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requinto#Small_guitar
My picking pal Dave Johns has a lovely requinto built in Paracho.

When you look at the piano-vocal of their music, the lines you hear
being played on "guitar" sound like they're at concert pitch, which
makes them pretty high on the neck of a regular guitar - half an octave
less so on a requinto. That's where it started to make sense to me.

Also of interest, the "see also" link from the above Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavaquinho

-S-