Generic depiction of the instrument model, not the specific item offered on a linked platform.

Ukulele

Yamaha GL-1

Name: Yamaha GL-1
Brand: Yamaha

Yamaha · GL-1

Price: 62 EUR – 374 EUR

Price history

Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

Availability: 9/10 (Common)

A quarter-size nylon-string instrument tuned a fourth above standard guitar tuning (ADGCEA), letting guitarists play familiar chord shapes on a ukulele-sized body rather than learning ukulele's re-entrant tuning.

Where available? Go to the best price – 82 EUR About this instrument

About the Yamaha GL-1

The guitalele occupies a specific niche between guitar and ukulele: six single nylon strings like a classical guitar, but tuned ADGCEA - equivalent to a standard guitar with a capo on the fifth fret - rather than the four-string, re-entrant GCEA tuning of a real ukulele. That means a guitarist can pick up the GL-1 and play any chord shape they already know, just transposed up and compressed into a much smaller body, rather than learning an entirely different instrument.

Construction is a laminated spruce top over laminated meranti back and sides, keeping cost down since the instrument competes on portability and price rather than tone quality against premium classical guitars or ukuleles. The nato neck carries a rosewood fretboard at a 17-inch scale and 1 7/8-inch nut, with chrome tuners and a maple bridge, finished in an unadorned matte look. A gig bag is included.

Where to buy

Platforms

eBay 19 Reverb 9

Price

–

Sort:

eBay 82 EUR Best price View details
Reverb 87 EUR View details
Reverb 90 EUR View details
Reverb 90 EUR View details
Reverb 90 EUR View details
Reverb 93 EUR View details
Reverb 93 EUR View details
Reverb 93 EUR View details
eBay 93 EUR View details
eBay 93 EUR View details
eBay 93 EUR View details
eBay 94 EUR View details
eBay 94 EUR View details
eBay 109 EUR View details
Reverb 119 EUR View details
Reverb 119 EUR View details
eBay 154 EUR View details
eBay 346 EUR View details
eBay 353 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details
eBay 374 EUR View details

Some links below are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Source: https://reverb.com/item/39476868-yamaha-guitalele-gl-1-nat-bag

Sound character of the Yamaha GL-1

Laminated spruce over laminated meranti keeps costs down but also dampens resonance compared to solid tonewoods, giving a fairly dry, present tone rather than a lot of ringing sustain. Because the ADGCEA tuning sits a fourth above standard guitar pitch, chords played in familiar guitar shapes come out noticeably brighter and tighter than on a full-scale guitar.

Bright Delicate Mellow

Technical data for the Yamaha GL-1

Top	Laminated spruce
Back/Sides	Laminated meranti
Neck	Nato
Fretboard	Rosewood
Scale length	17" (432mm)
Nut width	1 7/8" (47.6mm)
Tuning	ADGCEA

Price history for the Yamaha GL-1

Cheapest seen: 62 EUR · Most expensive seen: 374 EUR

Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

The history of the Yamaha GL-1

Yamaha's GL-1 popularized the guitalele concept commercially, aimed at guitarists wanting a compact travel instrument or a stepping stone for beginners intimidated by full guitar scale length and string tension, rather than at dedicated ukulele players.