Best Guitalele Brands

The Guitalele is a small stringed instrument that’s essentially a hybrid between a classical guitar and a
ukulele. It’s tuned just like a guitar, and the sound is often described as being similar to that of a classical
guitar with a capo at the 5 th fret.

Quick Look at Our Top Pick:

Editor’s Choice
Yamaha GL1 Guitalele, Natural
Our Top choice is the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele, Natural due to the high quality of the materials and the overall precision of the Guitalele construction
FEATURES
  • Simple design appeals to most players
  • soft Gig Bag Included
  • Made by a reputable company
  • Affordable
  • High precision

Top 5 Best Rated Guitalele Brands

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Just like other instruments, guitaleles come in varying degrees of quality, and at different prices. We’ve
searched hundreds of reviews to provide this list, which offers five of the best guitaleles in terms of
quality and affordability.

Yamaha GL1 Guitalele, Natural

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An attractive instrument that’s ideal for teaching a child to play guitar, the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele is also a great choice for guitarists who want to play on the go without putting a more expensive guitar at risk. The volume and tone are excellent for the instrument’s size, making for a pleasant playing experience. A complimentary carrying bag is included.

Pros:

 

  • Easy for kids to learn and play
  • Beautiful color
  • Suitable for playing a variety of musical genres from classical to rock

Cons:

  • Neck is narrower than a guitar’s neck; players with large hands may have some difficulty with fingering
  • Stock strings may take a long time to break in; consider replacing with better strings

Telisii 28” Guitalele

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The Telisii 28” Guitalele is beautifully crafted, with a cedar top and rosewood plywood back and sides. A laurel wreath motif surrounds the sound hole, adding visual interest and providing a balanced appearance. The neck is made with mahogany, and the bridge and fretboard are crafted of rosewood. Cupronickel fret and real ox bone nut and saddle complete the look. This guitalele comes complete with a travel bag, and a tuner is included for added convenience.

Pros:

  • Crisp, bright sound
  • Lightweight
  • Travel-friendly size

Cons:

  • Description states that an audio cable is included; this is incorrect as the instrument is acoustic rather than electric or acoustic/electric

Donner Guitalele DGL-1

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The Donner Guitalele DGL-1 offers surprising quality, considering the price; however, this manufacturer has an excellent reputation and this instrument lives up to it. With die-cast steel tuning machines and 17 frets, it’s a pleasure to play – and once the strings have settled in, it holds its tune very well. The body top is made of AAA African spruce, and the contrasting neck, back and sides are crafted of AAA African mahogany. The bridge is like that of a classical guitar, lending an attractive appearance and a good feel.

Pros:

  • Excellent quality for the price
  • Good sound and nice sustain
  • Arrives with lots of extras including a padded gig bag, tuner, strap, and extra guitalele strings

Cons:

  • Frets may be sharp; easy to fix with a file

Cordoba GP100 Guilele Pack

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With a natural spruce top, contrasting mahogany back and sides, and a silky satin finish, the Cordoba GP100 comes as part of a value package that includes a handy gig bag, two picks, a lesson book, and a digital clip-on tuner. Players love the unique sound that this instrument produces, and enjoy the ability to take it along when traveling. It’s suitable for picking and fingerpicking alike, making for a fun playing experience.

Pros:

  • Excellent deal, lots of extras included
  • Arrives pre-strung with premium Italian Aquila Nylgut strings
  • Included literature is helpful for beginners and experienced guitarists/ukulele players who are new to the guilele

Cons:

  • Some buyers report high action on the C-string, which can be easily fixed with a file
  • A few buyers complain of minor flaws in the finish

Hadean GLL-30 Guitalele

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A beautiful instrument with a solid spruce top, a rosewood fretboard, and mahogany back and sides, the Hadean GLL-30 guitalele offers a classic appearance that most players will appreciate. The sunburst finish lends an attractive look, hinting at the guitalele’s overall quality. Thanks to a built-in preamp, you can play the guitalele as an acoustic or electric instrument. It is tuned the same way as a guitar (E, A, D, G, B, E in low to high order), making it easy for guitar enthusiasts to pick up and play.

Pros:

  • Lightweight: Weighs just 3 ½ pounds
  • Arrives pre-strung with high-quality Aquila Nylgut strings
  • Easy to play

Cons:

  • Costs a little more than some other guitaleles

What to Look for When Buying a Guitalele

If you’re new to the world of musical instruments, then you’ll appreciate these tips for choosing a guitalele. Keep in mind that higher price doesn’t necessarily indicate higher quality, and consider comparing features as you make your choice.

Size

Most guitaleles or guileles are similarly sized, ranging from 27 to 28 inches in overall length. Smaller than a guitar and about the same size as a large ukulele, they’re portable and perfect for traveling.

New or Preowned?

Since many people travel with their guitaleles, and as others give them to their children to learn on, these instruments are sometimes prone to damage. Because guitaleles – even mid-level ones – tend to be fairly inexpensive, it probably pays to purchase a new instrument.

The Best Strings for Your Guitalele

Use guitalele strings if you want to enjoy the classic guitalele sound. If you’d like a sound that’s a bit more like that of a classical guitar, then you might want to try guitar strings instead. Choose a good brand like Aquila and you’ll be far happier with the sound your new instrument produces!

With just a little bit of comparison shopping, you’ll find it’s very easy to find a nice guitalele that you will enjoy playing. This is truly a unique instrument that many people find irresistible! We wish you all the best in your search, and hope that you enjoy every minute you spend playing the Guitalele.