Guitalele
| Other names | Guitarlele, Guilele, Kīkū' |
|---|---|
| Classification | String instrument |
| Related instruments | |
A guitalele (sometimes spelled guitarlele or guilele), also called a kīkū,[1][2] is a guitar-ukulele hybrid, that is, "a 1/4 size" guitar, a cross between a classical guitar and a tenor or baritone ukulele.[3] 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.[4]
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.[5] This is the same as the tuning of a requinto guitar, although the latter are typically larger than a guitalele.
Several guitar and ukulele manufacturers market guitaleles, including Yamaha Corporation's GL-1 Guitalele,[6][7] Cordoba's Guilele[8] and Mini,[9] Koaloha's D-VI 6-string tenor ukulele,[10] Mele's Guitarlele,[11] Kanilea's GL6 Guitarlele[12] and Islander GL6,[13] Luna's 6-string baritone ukulele,[14] the Lichty Kīkū,[1] the Kinnard Kīkū,[2] and the Gretsch guitar-ukelele.[15]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kiku, latest offspring in the ukulele family, Lichty Guitars (Dec. 11, 2014).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Birth of the Kīkū', Kinnard Ukes (accessed September 2015).
- ↑ George Rajna, What in the world in a guitalele?, Huffington Post 01/09/2013.
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- ↑ Nikkei Weekly (December 22, 1997) Small guitar can be amplified. Section: New products, science & Technology. Page 10.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Cordoba Guilele, cordoba.com (accessed 9 July 2013).
- ↑ Cordoba Mini, cordoba.com (accessed September 2015).
- ↑ Koaloha D-VI, koaloha.com (accessed 9 July 2013).
- ↑ Mele Spruce Top Guitarlele, Mele Ukelele (accessed 9 July 2013).
- ↑ Kanilea Guitarlele, Kanilea Ukulele (accessed 9 July 2013).
- ↑ Islander GL6 Guitarlele by Kanilea (accessed 19 Sep. 2015).
- ↑ Tattoo 6-string baritone ukelele, Luna Guitars (accessed 18 May 2014).
- ↑ Gretsch G9126 Guitar-Ukulele, Gretsch Guitars (access 15 May 2015).
