Guitalele

A guitalele (sometimes spelled guitarlele or guilele), also called a ukitar,[1] or kīkū,[2][3] is a guitar-ukulele hybrid, that is, "a 1/4 size" guitar, a cross between a classical guitar and a tenor or baritone ukulele.[4] The guitalele combines the portability of a ukulele, due to its small size, with the six single strings and resultant chord possibilities of a classical guitar. It may include a built-in microphone that permits playing the guitalele either as an acoustic guitar or connected to an amplifier. The guitalele is variously marketed (and used) as a travel guitar or children's guitar. It is essentially a modern iteration of the Quint guitar.[5]

A guitalele or guitarlele
Guitalele
Other namesGuitarlele, Guilele, Ukitar, Soprano Guitar, Petite Guitar, Kīkū'
Classification String instrument
Related instruments

A guitalele is the size of a ukulele, and 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.[6] This is the same as the tuning of the requinto guitar, although the latter are typically larger than a guitalele, and as the most common tuning for the guitarrón mexicano, albeit at a higher octave.

Several guitar and ukulele manufacturers market guitaleles, including Yamaha Corporation's GL-1 Guitalele,[7][8] Cordoba's Guilele[9] and Mini,[10] Koaloha's D-VI 6-string tenor ukulele,[11] Mele's Guitarlele,[12] Kanilea's GL6 Guitarlele[13] and Islander GL6,[14] Luna's 6-string baritone ukulele,[15] the Yudelele, the Lichty Kīkū,[2] the Kinnard Kīkū,[3] and the Gretsch guitar-ukulele.[16]

Some manufacturers' (e.g., Luna) use of the term "6-string ukulele" (or the like) in describing their six-string, six-course guitaleles can lead to confusion with the common six-string, four-course ukuleles that are typically referred to by the same name.[17] These four-course "6-string ukuleles" are usually strung with a single G string, a closely spaced course of two (often octave-tuned) C strings, a single E string and a closely spaced course of two (often unison-tuned) A strings. This means that chord formation is more akin to a traditional four-string ukulele, while the Guitalele's is more akin to a six-string guitar.

Terminology

In Latin America, Brazil, Portugal, and Spain, this instrument type is often referred to as a kind of Requinto. In that sense, the new English portmanteau word Guitalele is a commercial brand used to promote a locally unfamiliar variant of the guitar. Despite the Hawaiian origin of the word Kiku', the term is also a commercial, Anglo-Saxon creation.

Perhaps for these reasons, many sellers avoid naming the instrument altogether, preferring instead to use descriptive terms like '6-string ukulele' or 'Guitar-Ukulele'.[18] In English, the alternative term Ukitar emerged in parallel, but its usage is not widespread among instrument vendors.

References
  1. "Want to mess up my acoustic..." Ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  2. Kiku, latest offspring in the ukulele family, Lichty Guitars (Dec. 11, 2014).
  3. Birth of the Kīkū', Kinnard Ukes (accessed September 2015).
  4. George Rajna, What in the world in a guitalele?, Huffington Post 01/09/2013.
  5. Anderton, Craig (July 1, 2002). "Guitar Player". Freaks of Frankfurt. p. 27.
  6. "Guitarlele | Ukulele Review". Ukulelehunt.com. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  7. Nikkei Weekly (December 22, 1997) Small guitar can be amplified. Section: New products, science & Technology. Page 10.
  8. "GL1". Yamaha.ca. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  9. Cordoba Guilele, cordoba.com (accessed 9 July 2013).
  10. Cordoba Mini, cordoba.com (accessed September 2015).
  11. Koaloha D-VI Archived 2013-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, koaloha.com (accessed 9 July 2013).
  12. Mele Spruce Top Guitarlele Archived 2015-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, Mele Ukulele (accessed 9 July 2013).
  13. Kanilea Guitarlele Archived 2013-07-13 at the Wayback Machine, Kanilea Ukulele (accessed 9 July 2013).
  14. Islander GL6 Guitarlele Archived 2015-11-18 at the Wayback Machine by Kanilea (accessed 19 Sep. 2015).
  15. Tattoo 6-string baritone ukulele, Luna Guitars (accessed 18 May 2014).
  16. Gretsch G9126 Guitar-Ukulele Archived 2015-05-09 at the Wayback Machine, Gretsch Guitars (access 15 May 2015).
  17. "Ask Ukulele Underground: 6-String Ukulele vs. Guitalele". Ukuleleunderground.com. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  18. "Folk & Bluegrass :: G9126 A.C.E. Guitar-Ukulele, Acoustic-Cutaway-Electric with Gig Bag, Ovangkol Fingerboard, Fishman® Kula Pickup, Honey Mahogany Stain". Gretschguitars.com. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
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