Can someone give me some more info on my new ukulele?

BaileyandGeorge

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Hello everyone!
I'm absolutely brand new to the ukulele and I'm starting to learn much about it as time progresses.
My husband stopped by a local music shop and bought me a ukulele because I had mentioned my interest in learning how to play. He bought me this ukulele from a guitar store, it was around $159 and it's a Giannini CSA-2 BK. It's wood with black laminate, and looks and feels really well made.
It looks like and is sized like a ukulele, but it has steel strings on it. Is this a true ukulele, because I was under the impression they're typically not metal strings.
I've includes some pictures and some replies and information sounds wonderful. I have it tuned to the GCEA tuning, but it sounds like there's a ringing happening when I play. (I have read elsewhere that it may get better as the strings stretch as they're played more often.)
image.jpgimage.jpg
 
As Lloyd said, it's a Cavaquinho. It's braced for steel strings, so it may not sound very well with regular uke strings, even if you get the right length. It should not have been sold as a ukulele. It can, however, be tuned as one with the right strings. If you want a regular uke, perhaps you can return it and buy a uke.

http://www.giannini.com.br/novo_eng/produto.asp?id=1420
 
Ahhh, thank you so much. I think I might just keep it and try to learn on it, something felt out of place when I was learning how to play it so now it clicked. It's an awfully pretty instrument, and the fact that I have it now will make me venture out of my comfort zone and attempt to learn it.
If anyone has some sources to some good literature and tutorial about learning it, I would be eternally grateful.

Also, this means I will just go pick up a starting ukulele and browse the threads on that subject.



Edit: as an after thought, can anyone tell me if it is a good Cavaquinho? Is it a cheaply made or mid range instrument?

Thanks
 
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Welcome to UU. The Cavaquinho is tuned DGBD. This is an open G tuning and very similar to the 5 string Banjo. If you are unhappy with the way it sounds in uke tuning change it back to its "normal" tuning and get together with a banjo player. You will be able to play competently fairly quickly. You would use Banjo tabs to learn songs. It is relatively easy to switch from playing banjo to ukulele; And a reentrantly tuned D string is just different enough from the banjo, so that you will have a unique sound!
 
Oops! The Cavaquinho is not reentrantly tuned. KamakOzzie's suggestion is a very good one. I am getting too Ukucentric.
 
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