fretted instruments

members of the family of fretted instruments

Brazilian Cavaquinho

A four steel string cousin to the Hawaiin Ukelele. Commonly used in playing samba or choro music in Brazil.

Hawaiian Ukulele

Strung with four nylon strings the ukulele is made in four different sizes. This tenor model is made of Koa wood which is common to the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Taro-patch

A ukulele with eight strings traditionally made of Koa. This one appears to have been made by Leonardo Nunes around 1920, son of the inventor of the ukelele Manuel Nunes.

American Mandolinetto

An eight steel string mandolin with a guitar shaped body popular in the early 1900’s.

Mexican 12-String

Portuguese Viola da Terra

This instrument originates from the island of Saint Miguel in the Azores. The twelve strings have two groups of three for the low strings and three pairs for the high strings.

English 10 String Cittern

This instrument made by Oakwood, Leed, U.K. has five double courses.
The first four are tuned like a mandolin. DGDAE

Argentine, Bolivian, peruvian, Chilean Charango

A small 10 nylon string instrument from the Andes. This one is carved to resemble an armadillo shell traditionally used. The tuning pattern is “re-entrant”, meaning the pitches of the strings do not rise steadily from one course to the next. This allows the sound of the up and down strum to be similar.

Banjo Ukulele

Popular during the 1920’s and 30’s with Vaudeville entertainers it combines the short scale and tuning of a ukelele with the louder metal string sound of a banjo.

Parlor Guitar

Here is an example of guitars popular in the 19th century. This one may have been made in the mid 1800s.

Lute Guitar
In the early 1900s the interest in early music prompted guitar makers to make lutes. They applied elements of classical guitar construction to lute making such as fixed metal frets, wood binding, bridge pins and tuning machines. This one may was likely made in Germany.