billkilpatrick - 8-18-2006 at 04:55 AM
as a follow-on from the "carrying an oud on transatlantic flights" thread, i'd like to take this opportunity to - once again - awaken you to the
wonders of the delightful, plucky, over-head luggage compartment sized charango:
http://www.boliviamall.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=421&p...
no, it is not an oud - yes, it has frets ... but if you are like me and begin to twitch if a chordaphone of some sort is not within easy reach and are
unlike me in that you are unfortunate enough to be forced onto an airplane, sometime soon ... the charango could be just the job.
though worthwhile - each in their own way - the mandolin is tuned in confusing 5ths and the ukulele lacks gravitas - whereas the charango is
delightfully familiar to both fingertips and brain and simply resonates with stringfellow credibility.
i can recommend the instruments listed on the site above - even the "cheap" ones are beautifully hand-made and sound great; they're serious
instruments.
if you're into arabic instruments exclusively, there's a theory that the canary island timple - closely related to the charango - was introduced to
the islands by north african laborers, brought over to work the spanish mines. though i generally play mine with a soft nylon pick - risha too - i
consider it to be a mini-vihuela, well suited for rasguedo and the spanish/andalusian style of play.
happy trails to you - bill
Arto - 8-18-2006 at 08:57 AM
Oh Bill, my friend, you dangerous man... your posts here and on Mandolin Cafe have inspired me buy a charango (I didn´t know anything about the thing
before) and an oud... What next? Hopefully something cheap or my wife will go for my throat... PLEASE, not a 20 grand $ double harpsichord...
Arto
billkilpatrick - 8-18-2006 at 01:36 PM
golf ...