i saw several of those 10-string (5x2) things... and yep, the back was an armadillo shell...
didn't get a chance to try one.also saw small 12-string (6x2) lutes (laúdes).and huge guitaróns.but the thing i got is a mando with 3 strings per
note... i got a tiny booklet of instructions which were made for both mando and tricordio.found this on the web:
The charango is often referred to as "the mandolin of the Argentine cowboy," though I would more accurately call it the "ukulele of the pampas." It's a tiny
little thing traditionally made from the body of an armadillo - presumably the most common indigenous material the cowboy had at hand. The roughly
guitar-shaped body of the instrument is actually the hollowed out "shell" of the unfortunate mammal. If that makes you a little squeamish, you can buy a
modern charango, which is carved out of wood (both types are featured here). They're strung in nylon (I don't even want to know what they were originally
strung with), with five double courses tuned g'g',c"c",e"e',a'a',e"e", and played with the fingers in flamenco-like rasqueado style.
¡charanga!
willis
location: jemez mountains
listening to: quickened heartbeats
registered: 2002.11.17
posts: 251
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willis
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i saw several of those 10-string (5x2) things... and yep, the back was an armadillo shell...
didn't get a chance to try one.also saw small 12-string (6x2) lutes (laúdes).and huge guitaróns.but the thing i got is a mando with 3 strings per
note... i got a tiny booklet of instructions which were made for both mando and tricordio.found this on the web:
The charango is often referred to as "the mandolin of the Argentine cowboy," though I would more accurately call it the "ukulele of the pampas." It's a tiny little thing traditionally made from the body of an armadillo - presumably the most common indigenous material the cowboy had at hand. The roughly guitar-shaped body of the instrument is actually the hollowed out "shell" of the unfortunate mammal. If that makes you a little squeamish, you can buy a modern charango, which is carved out of wood (both types are featured here). They're strung in nylon (I don't even want to know what they were originally strung with), with five double courses tuned g'g',c"c",e"e',a'a',e"e", and played with the fingers in flamenco-like rasqueado style.
The charango is often referred to as "the mandolin of the Argentine cowboy," though I would more accurately call it the "ukulele of the pampas." It's a tiny little thing traditionally made from the body of an armadillo - presumably the most common indigenous material the cowboy had at hand. The roughly guitar-shaped body of the instrument is actually the hollowed out "shell" of the unfortunate mammal. If that makes you a little squeamish, you can buy a modern charango, which is carved out of wood (both types are featured here). They're strung in nylon (I don't even want to know what they were originally strung with), with five double courses tuned g'g',c"c",e"e',a'a',e"e", and played with the fingers in flamenco-like rasqueado style.
