Six Strings, Ukulele Soul
The Ibanez AUP10N is hard to put in a box — and that's exactly what makes it interesting. It's got six nylon strings tuned like a guitar (A-E-C-G-D-A), a tenor-sized body you can wrap your arms around, and construction that throws out every assumption you had about how a ukulele is supposed to be built. If you've been curious about a guitalele but wanted something with a little more personality than your average entry-level option, this is worth a serious look.
The Open Pore Light Brown Sunburst finish gives it a warm, understated look — the kind that lets the wood do the talking. No high-gloss plasticky sheen here, just a natural feel that's easy on the eyes and comfortable in the hand.
Whether you're a guitarist looking for a compact travel companion or a ukulele player ready to explore six-string territory, the AUP10N has a lot going on under the hood — starting with how the body itself is put together.
A Body Built Differently
Most stringed instruments are assembled from separate pieces — a top, sides, and a back all joined together. The Ibanez AU series takes a different approach: the back and sides start as a single solid block of Paulownia wood that's carved and routed out, creating a chambered body with the structural integrity of a solid instrument. A spruce top is then added to complete the body.
Paulownia is a lightweight wood known for well-balanced tone and good note definition — it's an interesting choice that helps keep the overall weight down without sacrificing resonance. The spruce top brings the tonal clarity that spruce is traditionally known for in acoustic instruments. The result is a body that feels substantial without being heavy, and produces a focused, balanced voice across all six strings.
Player-Focused Comfort Features
Ibanez built some genuinely thoughtful ergonomic touches into the AUP10N. The Elevated Comfort Armrest keeps your forearm lifted off the body top, which lets the instrument vibrate more freely while also being more comfortable during longer playing sessions. The beveled cutaway opens up access to the upper frets, and the Edgeless Comfort Heel means your fretting hand transitions smoothly without catching on any sharp angles at the neck joint.
The Stereo Sound Port System places dual sound holes along the waist of the body rather than in the traditional position. This gives you a more direct, surround-style monitoring experience when you're playing — you hear yourself better without needing to crane your neck toward the soundhole. It's a subtle thing, but once you try it, it's hard to go back.
Neck, Fretboard, and Hardware
The Okoume neck is comfortable to play and works well with the compact scale length of 432mm (about 17 inches). Bone nut and compensated bone saddle are welcome details at this price point — they contribute to better intonation and sustain compared to plastic substitutes. The Purpleheart fretboard is visually striking with its deep reddish-purple hue, and it has a naturally dense, smooth feel under the fingers. Black die-cast tuners round out the hardware.
Factory tuning is 1A, 2E, 3C, 4G, 5D, 6A — standard guitalele tuning, which is essentially guitar tuning transposed up a fourth. If you already know guitar chord shapes, you can pick this up and start playing right away.
Product Features:
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Body: Chambered AU tenor body — solid Paulownia back and sides carved from a single block, spruce top
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Neck: Okoume with a comfortable feel and 432mm (17") scale length
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Fretboard: Purpleheart with 19 frets and a 400mm radius
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Nut & Saddle: Bone nut and compensated bone saddle for improved intonation
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Tuning: 6-string guitalele tuning (1A, 2E, 3C, 4G, 5D, 6A) with Ibanez ICLS6NT nylon strings
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Stereo Sound Port System: Dual waist-position sound holes for enhanced player monitoring
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Elevated Comfort Armrest: Keeps arm off the top for better resonance and comfort
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Beveled Cutaway & Edgeless Comfort Heel: Easy upper-fret access with no sharp edges
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Hardware: Black die-cast tuners, Purpleheart double-hole bridge
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Finish: Open Pore Light Brown Sunburst top, Natural Open Pore back and sides
Brand: Ibanez
Model: AUP10N
SKU: AUP10NOLB-2ND
Condition: B-Stock
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
