What is a Guitalele and should I buy one?
A Guitalele is described by many as something of a hybrid instrument, bridging that gap between a ukulele and a guitar. I would argue that this description perhaps does it a disservice and it is very much a distinctive sounding instrument in its own right! It has 6 strings, and typically a scale length which is the same as a baritone ukulele and is commonly tuned like a guitar transposed up to ‘A’ – basically like playing a guitar with a capo on the 5th fret.
For Ukulele players
Over the years, some ukulele players that I have spoken to have said that they found the idea of playing 6 strings a bit scary / intimidating – but, you need not be afraid! Essentially, the skills that you build up as a ukulele player are easily transferrable to a 6 string instrument – to begin with it is basically a case of learning different chord shapes and familiarising yourself with both them and the fact that you have 2 extra strings to work with. Once you start to do that you can really enjoy the different sound and possibilities that these extra strings provide.
For Guitar players
If you’re a guitar player and wondering what the fuss is about, I would urge you to give a guitalele a go. They have a wonderfully, unique sound and work equally well when finger-picked or strummed. A huge advantage of a guitalele is the portability that they offer – you can easily put one in the car or even take one on to a plane. My guitalele has accompanied me on numerous trips, and if you’re after a travel guitar then a guitalele could be just what you’re looking for.
Here’s a video from last Summer of me playing my Noah Guitalele in a cave, whilst on holiday in France.
The Noah Guitalele
After a successful introduction to the Noah range in 2017, the Noah Guitalele is back in stock and now available with a cutaway and choice of finish – satin or gloss – for £299. It was reviewed by Got a Ukulele and received a high score and some great feedback. You can watch the full review here.