Puerto Rican cuatro

[zhyla]

So I picked up a Puerto Rican (10-string) cuatro for cheap ($82 shipped) on ebay last week. I figured it would be the cheapest P.O.S. China could glue together but was just kind of curious what it would sound like. It actually turned out to be pretty nice and sounds good. I made a recording of it, check it out:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=538074&songID=4078253

I had a mic shoved in the soundhole so that's what you hear wobbling around... need to get better at recording stuff :).

Well, see what you guys think. In addition sounding interesting these are really fun to play. It's got the speed of a mandolin but with less tension and easier chords.

[kmarcher87]

I gatta say, sounds like ****.

[Crumbumonkey5]

thatwas foc'n brilliant!

[zhyla]

thatwas foc'n brilliant!

Which? My recording or Kmarker's attempt to MAKE ME INSANE WITH SADNESS???

[Manticore Guy]

I like how it sounds for the most part.

[zhyla]

I made a 2nd recording in a different tuning, I think it sounds a bit better.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=538074&songID=4106571

[Crumbumonkey5]

No I mean the recording i really enjoyed it

[Samuel]

I like how it sounds. You're using a finger slide or something on it, right?

How is the instrument played in general? Like a guitar or mandolin?

[zhyla]

I like how it sounds. You're using a finger slide or something on it, right?

How is the instrument played in general? Like a guitar or mandolin?

Yes, big fat brass slide.

Standard tuning is in 4ths (bBeEAADDGG) so you play it more or less like a guitar. You can play barre chords on the bottom or top 4 strings (can't do all 5 since it lacks the guitar's flatted 4th 'B' string). I'm sure 7-string players would be right at home.

It's got some of the speed of a mando but the neck is wide like a classical guitar and the frets are bigger so you end up moving around a lot more.