Ukulele History

Hi Folks,

I know that the Ukulele was adopted from an instrument that was played by the Portuguese many moons ago - or so the story goes, but do the Portuguese still make them?

And if they do are they any good?

I do believe so. the instrument to which you refer is called a cavaquinho.

It was also called a "machete" - pronounced "mah-shet". There was a lot about the history of the ukulele on John King's old website, Nalu Music. I don't know if that site is still running since he passed away. I am not sure if the cavaquinho is exactly the same, or just very similar. Both are small 4 string, gut-strung instruments in the same family. Another similar instument is called a "quatro" - I think it might be a little bigger, in the same size range as a baritone uke.

Witters said:

Hi Folks,

I know that the Ukulele was adopted from an instrument that was played by the Portuguese many moons ago - or so the story goes, but do the Portuguese still make them?

And if they do are they any good?

Click to expand...

The "braguinha" is considered by most "ukulele historians" as being the instrument that became the "ukulele". The Portuguese still make ukes... "Cordoba" is the first name that comes to mind, but I am sure there are a few more.

That Cavaquinho looks interesting - a sort of Concert Uke with different tuning, although on youtube the noise that the players play is, well, terrible lol.

Is the Cordoba similar or more Uke like?

Modern versions can be bought at reasonable cost:
http://www.ukes.com/lehua.html
http://www.ukes.com/cordoba-ukuleles.html
http://www.lehuaukulele.com/

Witters said:

I know that the Ukulele was adopted from an instrument that was played by the Portuguese many moons ago - or so the story goes, but do the Portuguese still make them?

Click to expand...

The ukulele is not a direct descendant of any particular instrument; rather it is a hybrid, most likely of the four-stringed machete (sometimes called a machete de Braga after the city and district in northern Portugal where the instrument originated) and the five-string rajão - or (depnding on who you read) possibly a braguinha (a nickname for a cavaquinho).

But yes, these and similar small-scale guitars are still made in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Brazil and and other Latin countries. Most are steel-stringed, not nylon.