Giannini Guitars GN-R N Natural Finish Acoustic Guitar

I'd like to add another fair review here. First, yes, this is a very small guitar, and the measurements Amazon lists are probably based on the packaging rather than the instrument. It's a 19 inch scale, and it's about 31 inches long - for perspective, it's very close to the size of my baritone ukulele. Buy this expecting it to be smaller than the 1/2 size guitars you might see in a store.Second, the tone really is quite good for a small guitar with a laminate spruce top. Surprising volume, good tone - nothing toy-like here. Yes, nylon strings stretch, so you'll need to retune often for a week or two.So what's the best way to approach this instrument? If you think of it as a "small student guitar" you might be disappointed unless the student in question is on the small side, too. I think the best thing to do is think of this as a "mini" or "travel" guitar (I've actually seen this model marketed elsewhere as a "travel" guitar) or as a guitalele (nod to Aaron Minnick for this idea)... or even as a requinto or alto guitar. Note that these are typically tuned higher than a standard guitar: ADGCEA (A-A) for mini/travel guitars and guitaleles (equivalent to a guitar with a capo at the 5th fret), A-A or ADGBEA for requintos, or B-B (guitar with a capo at the 7th fret) for alto guitar -- if you try to use standard strings and standard tuning, the tension will be very low, and the strings will buzz. As an entry level requinto or alto guitar I think this is a decent instrument. As a mini/travel or guitalele this is a great option: solid top mini/travel guitars and guitaleles are considerably more expensive, and with a laminate top you actually have less to worry about with humidity and durability issues as you cart it around.What if you don't want to tune it higher than standard so you can keep the same names for your chord shapes? Well, you have a few options. The body resonance on mine is lower than the low A string, so the body will support a low E string reasonably well - it's just the scale length that's an issue. One option is to use a heavier string for the low E (and essentially move all the other strings over by one). The D'Addario string tension calculator suggests that you'd need a .050 or .052 string for the low E... pretty big, but it seems that least they make one. Another option would be reentrant tuning, e.g., instead of a low E string, use a string you can tune to E an octave above that. That would preserve all but 5 semi-tones of total guitar range, and it would keep the chords the same (or just be a rock star and lose the low E entirely like Keith Richards). You can also use EFS or Kiku tuning (described at southcoastukes.com - these have either 2 or 3 strings that are tuned up an octave) or even Nashville tuning. So there's quite a few options for staying in E-E and still getting good sound and string tension.What's not to like here? Well, it's very inexpensive, and it shows a bit in a couple fit & finish issues. First, the action and intonation isn't actually too bad, but I might adjust it in the future. Also, I can tune it, but the nut slots on mine seem a little tight so filing to widen them a bit will help. The insides of the head slots aren't completely painted, and the overall finish on mine is VERY glossy - it almost looks plastic in the right light. There are wet sanding techniques for reducing the gloss, and I'll probably try that. Last, it needed to be aired out a bit because the glue used had a pretty strong off-gassing scent at first - maybe set it in a (somewhat insulated) garage for a couple days with some baking soda or rice or something in it.If you approach this instrument with the right perspective, I think you'll enjoy it.

Dimensions were completely messed up. It was a "MINI guitar", so I had to return it and spend $30 more dollars to do so.

This guitar has a lovely tone and is so similar to the first guitar I got when I was sixteen. It is superbly crafted. It is a little small, but that does not bother me, since I am a little small myself. I saw that it is made in China, but has the label of Giannini inside. I wonder who makes these in China. Whoever it is they do a superb job. I would like to get a case for this guitar, but it is small and does not fit the larger cases. If you can direct me to a source for the smaller guitar cases, I would be grateful. It is an excellent product.

The product dimensions were listed ast 27 x 44 x 4 inches. The packaging for this guitar only measures 13 x 31 x 4 inches. Unfortunately we will be returning. If you need a small guitar this one is very nice though.

I was looking for a "guitalele" or "guilele" alternative and found this little guitar here. I love it! Great appearance, great sound, well-crafted. I tuned it to standard guitalele/requinto tuning (up a fourth, ADCGEA) and that works very well. The factory strings are nothing special, but perfectly adequate. Even though it's small, the nut width is adequate for adult players.One quibble: this is listed as a 1/4 size guitar but with a 19" scale (about the same as a baritone ukulele) it is more accurately described as a 1/8 size instrument.

Priced expensively for an ugly guitar.

About as good as it gets for the price. It's just a notch above a toy guitar but it isn't a toy guitar. It's a good little (very little) travel or small child's guitar. As others have mentioned, it's not the size of a typical 1/2 scale guitar. It's much smaller, maybe a 1/8 and about the same size as my baritone uke. When I first saw it, I thought, that is a real crapper of a toy guitar. Then I played it and I thought it was still a little crapper but for some reason I kept playing it and playing it. Fun! No, it's not a great sounding guitar at all but for the size and price, it's a home run. It's really way too small for daily use and practice for all but the smallest of children. I'm talking toddler size. That said, want a beater for car trips? You found it. It's so small that you could play this thing in the front seat of a sports car without hitting the driver. Sure, the small scale will make it hard to play intricate chords and such but that's not what this is for IMHO and I teach children guitar for a living.So why only three stars? This quitar is a marketing trap for parents not familiar with the instrument. Sure, there is worse out there but this little guitar isn't being marketed right IMHO. While it has exceeded my expectations as a beater, beach, travel, six string uke sounding crapper, it's still a little Chinese crapper and should be skipped by all purchasers who plan on using it any other way. Despite the marketing target audience, this is NOT a good beginner guitar for most children. Spend another 50-100 and get something MUCH nicer and easier to play and that can be grown into. Save your money a few more weeks or months and buy something worth buying. Maybe this is good for a few months for a new player and then it gets lost in the closet. It just plain has growth limitations for a new player. Want a really good beginner guitar for a student? Buy a used Taylor GS Mini on eBay for about $300 or something similar. Even pro players love them. It will make the guitar learning experience much better and enjoyable and possibly more successful as well. Guitar is the most popular instrument in the world and with that comes tons of demand and with that comes tons of cheap choices. This option isn't the worst option, but there are far better options for just a little more money. Happy learning and playing!

Very well made,NICE ACTION,AND GOOD SOUND FOR SUCH A SMALL INSTRUMENT