6 Strings, Small Body: Meet the Guitalele

Discovering the KoAloha Guitalele: A Hybrid Worth Exploring

Recently, I had the pleasure of getting my hands on a brand new Guitalele—a fascinating hybrid instrument—courtesy of my friends at KoAloha. If you’re like me, you might not have been entirely familiar with what a Guitarlele is, so let’s explore this unique little musical marvel together.

What Exactly Is a Guitalele?

At first glance, the Guitalele looks like a slightly bulkier ukulele—but don’t be fooled. This instrument is essentially a six-string ukulele, combining the compact form of a ukulele with the tuning and chord structure of a guitar. It’s designed for those who crave the portability of a uke but want the fuller sound and range of a guitar.

Breaking Down the Strings and Tuning

The bottom four strings on the Guitarlele are the same as a traditional soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele. These are tuned to G-C-E-A, which many ukulele players will instantly recognize.

The real magic happens with the additional two strings:

• The 5th string (added below the original ukulele set) is tuned to D.

• The 6th string, at the top, is tuned to A.

This tuning means that you get extra bass notes, which adds a richer, deeper tone that’s often missing from the traditional four-string uke.

Design and Feel

The model I received from KoAloha features a tenor-sized body, meaning the body is the same size as a tenor ukulele. However, with the addition of two more strings, the neck is noticeably wider. It’s not quite an inch wider, but it does add enough real estate to make it feel a little more guitar-like.

Also worth noting—this particular Guitarlele includes a pickup, which allows for amplification, though not all models may come with this feature.

How Does It Play?

One of the coolest aspects of the Guitarlele is how it plays. If you’re a guitarist, you’ll feel right at home—many of the shapes and finger positions translate directly. However, because the instrument is tuned up a fourth, the chords sound different even though your fingers are doing the same work.

For example:

• A C chord shape on the guitar becomes an F chord on the Guitarlele.

• A G chord shape becomes a C chord.

If you’re a ukulele player, this instrument will challenge you to expand your chord vocabulary and explore the fretboard in new ways. If you're a guitarist, it's an instant way to bring a new sound to familiar chord shapes.

The Sound Experience

Beyond theory and technique, the sound is where the Guitarlele truly shines. With the added bass strings, you get deeper tonal richness, filling in those lower frequencies that a standard ukulele can sometimes lack. And because the 4th string is always a low G on a Guitarlele (as opposed to the high G on many ukuleles), the range is fuller and more versatile.

Final Thoughts

The KoAloha Guitarlele is a fantastic crossover instrument—perfect for guitarists looking to experiment with ukulele tones, or uke players wanting to stretch their musical boundaries. It’s fun, portable, and full of sonic surprises.

Whether you're jamming at home, playing on stage, or teaching a class, the Guitarlele opens up a new world of musical possibilities. I'm excited to dive deeper into it and will be sharing more lessons and explorations soon—so stay tuned!

See Available Ukuleles at Terry Carter Music Store HERE

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