I've been enjoying all the small luthier shops around this area... this afternoon / evening we were walking through the San Blas area, and found another one.
Marimacho - a 16 stringed instrument with 4 courses
This luthier has all sorts of instruments, but the one which impressed me the most is a 16 string variant of the Bandurria with 4 courses (4 strings in each course) which the luthier calls the "Marimacho", seen above.
Apparently this variant is native to the Cusco area. This particular one is tuned the same as I tune my 6 string baritone ukulele (DGBE) so I could just pick it up and play it. The sound is very rich, with lots of overtones.
16 strings in 4 courses
Here's a Youtube video that I found showing the Marimacho in use - I am not sure if this is the same luthier or not (I didn't catch his name - given my lack of Spanish and his lack of English all communication was via Monica), but it does look like him, and the building style seems similar.
Some other instruments he has in his shop include some charangos, mandolins, guitars, a harp, etc.
A finished Charango
Terran holding an unfinished Charango
It was pretty cool to see a charango in progress - it is carved out of a single chunk of wood:
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These are cool! You took notes? ;)
ReplyDeleteSo neat! Can’t wait to see Wyatt make one! Björn is drooling over here!
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