...who thinks he has everything!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ARMADILLO-8-STRI...item2eabf588fa
NFI
...who thinks he has everything!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ARMADILLO-8-STRI...item2eabf588fa
NFI
Put a set of Grovers on it and your ready to go!
Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band
That didn't exactly start the MAS juices flowing...
D C Blood Mixt Company
'96 Ratcliff Silver Eagle/Angel
'09 Silverangel F5 distressed
'09 Ratcliff A model distressed
..Blue Chip pick user...
www.facebook.com/davidcblood
www.facebook.com/silverangelmandolins
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=109 photo album url
It's a charango, from Bolivia not the "southern bayous." I have an armadillo-shell charango. Small, 10-string, 5-course instrument, closer to the ukulele than the mandolin.
My charango is the only instrument I own that has hair and ears.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Well, I guess Allen does have everything!
I find that repulsive. I guess you could hang it next to your shrunken heads and your last pet that you had stuffed. Mongo sing you little sick puppy song and give you good nose puke.
Well, I hate to think how many calves died to donate their hides to drum and banjo heads, or how many sheep went to their reward to string up "gut strung" guitars and violins in past centuries. And those tortoise-shell picks that some mandolinists still covet -- many a sea turtle carapace got chopped into plectra, not to mention ladies' combs and costume jewelry. Why do you think blown instruments are called "horns"? The original ones came off the heads of animals; maybe they were shed naturally, maybe they were the byproducts of slaughter. Maybe your mandolin has a bone nut; the bone didn't grow on a "bone tree."
Armadillo shells were the original basis for charango bodies; whether the armadillos were killed for that purpose, or for food (yes, armadillos are eaten), or succumbed to old age, I don't know. Nowadays, the bodies are mostly carved out of wood, in the armadillo-shell shape. I happen to have acquired one of the older ones, with the a-shell body. Acoustically, probably little difference between wood and shell. The top's wood, in either case.
A Druid would probably lament the slaughter of spruce and maple trees to produce the mandolins we play. If you find the traditional-style charango "repulsive," Hank, don't buy one. Hope no cows or pigs died to make your belts or shoes -- or mandolin strap, for that matter. I make no apologies for owning a charango made in the "old style."
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Ever seen a gut string fiddle or bass?
Mike Snyder
as allen says, it's a charango - 5c. vihuela brought by the spanish to the new world - a late renaissance/baroque "travel" instrument. subsequent developments in spain made it redundent but it thrived in south america. here are some european relatives:
... and here's me playing mine:
they're wonderful little instruments and - yes - perfect for the mandolin player who has everything.
don't know what happened to the images - try again: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7738680@N05/2501611152/
Bill-
What are you playing that with, a pen???
it's called a risha or mizrab - a thin, narrow strip of horn (in this case) - medieval musicians used quill. primarily used for playing oud.
here's another diminutive european ancestor of the charango:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7738680@N05/458506229/
with my delicate sensibilities, the armadillo shell is ghoulish for me as well but it wasn't intended to be. armadillos get eaten in southamerica and indian luthiers used what was at hand - call it a handy, prudential use of what would otherwise be waste material.
The seller can't count. As noted above, not a mandolin and not 8 strings.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I think it's the hair that gave me that warm fuzzy feeling. I guess with some pickups and electricity you could feel that hairy back purring against you. No offence meant Allen. A hairy back instrument just kind of weirded me out. Maybe I could grow to love it over time?
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Personally, I like the "inlaid parka."
I think it's an 1880's Ovation Tiple.
All the Best
Michael
I have one and if you think geting 8 strings is tough try 10 got strings from Elderly and I think it sounds more like a Uke than a mandolin
fred davis
Where is the tone-gard when you need it? That hairy back could be downright uncomfortable...
A set of strings and a shave and ....voila
The charango is increasingly popular in Iceland [!!!!!!], thanks to the music of Olof Arnalds:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=124771829
Olof makes it sound pretty darn good. I'm guessing Klara is charango but Englar Og Darar is guitar. Do you have armadillos in Iceland? Are you within sight of the volcano?
Last edited by hank; Mar-25-2010 at 10:42pm. Reason: I wanna go home with the armadillo
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