Charango purchased! Any tips? Resources?

rasputinsghost

rasputinsghost

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So I picked up a cheap Charango from Ebay (For $110). Any ukers out there have any resources for the instruments? Tips on how not to destroy it? There hasn't been a Charango thread in a while (I DID use search before I posted, haha).

Thanks!
 
I had one a couple of years ago. Tuned similary to the uke with an extra course of strings. Not too hard to play but found the fretboard cramped. Watch for humidity - solid-piece backs can crack easily. Sold mine to focus on uke playing. Recently saw a charango chord book on sale - maybe FMM? or eBay?
 
Thanks man! I took Spanish in high school and grade school so I should be able to understand it. Thanks everyone!
 
Hi, I got a charango this year- loving it.
Some good stuff on line LeoHare music on you tube is a good place to start. if you go to my channell djch123 on you tube i've faved some nice vids (not organised though- sorry). I was just searching for chord books and there is the charango chord bible on amazon seems like a good bet. please share anything you find, there doesn't seem to be a charango underground which is a shame!
 
I too recently picked up a Charango off ebay, I'm realy enjoying it. Not up to holding down ten string barres yet but my pinky gets a good workout everytime I pick it up, all this must go to improving my uke playing.

I'd thoroughly recommend Mel Bay's Charango Method by Horatio Duran and Italo Pedrotti. It's in Spanish and English and is very comprehensive. It comes with an excellent CD, which is so useful for demonstrating the rythmic strumming patterns which are played very differently from how they are written. It also includes a link to download a whole CDs worth of brilliant Charango music.

Good luck with your new aquisition.

Clifford.
 
I bought mine back in the 80's, when I was in Equador and visiting the open air market at Otavalo. Sadly, I was too goggle-eyed to have noticed that the one I selected didn't have a bridge. Now how stupid is that? Fortunately, first position stuff is do-able and the sound is amazing. The frets do need dressing. Perhaps I'll bite the bullet, one of these days, and have a luthier work some magic on it. Dollars to doughnuts says I'll be paying more on the fix-it than I did for the charango.

--Dave E.
 
man I have no words of wisdom for you except that I was at the Musical Instrument Museum today and they had some awesome, really old Charangos. Sucha cool looking instrument. Good luck!!
 
I heard about that museum. Odd question...did they get a section together for didgeridoos? A friend, who happens to be one of the top dealers of indigenous instruments was dealing with them as they were getting that museum together and I'm curious if it worked out.
 
didgeridoo2 said:
I heard about that museum. Odd question...did they get a section together for didgeridoos? A friend, who happens to be one of the top dealers of indigenous instruments was dealing with them as they were getting that museum together and I'm curious if it worked out.
Click to expand...
They had an Australia section that had a couple didgs in it, yes. I dont know how many MIM's there are, but this is the one that just opened in Phoenix (although judging by your post, I assume we were on the same page). The museum is awesome. It is still a work in progress since they just opened recently, but they have an amazing collection. I can't wait to go back in a year or so and see what has changed. I posted a ton of pics on my facebook page, if you're interested. I dont think I took any of the didgs though. I have one myself, but have never been able to play it.

Sorry for hijacking the thread....carry on :D
 
I just got a charango from ebay - fantastic big sound. I am learning this piece from the film 'Motorcycle diaries' http://www.youtube.com/user/francostella#p/u/12/V80Qv_Dm-ss - the player shows slowly how he does it (it is in spanish but its fairly easy to follow)

After playing guitar and a bit of ukulele it seemed not too difficult. I just followed some tab without trying to think what notes I was playing. The extra string (string1) is odd but I think it would be fairly quick to get used to. A friend who has played only guitar managed fine too, though found it hard to hold - it tended to slip out of his hands until he put a guitar cushion on his left knee
 
Check out Rolando Goldman's method book - truly fantastic! I really like the music in this book/CD and you'll learn a lot while playing really cool music. The book is bilingual, as I recall - it's been a few years!

http://www.rolandogoldman.com.ar/html/book-right.htm

They only speak a little english, but they are happy to send you the book from Argentina! His wife usually handles the business transactions - very nice and charming people.
 
Avoid armadillo lovers...
 
LoMa said:
Check out Rolando Goldman's method book - truly fantastic! I really like the music in this book/CD and you'll learn a lot while playing really cool music. The book is bilingual, as I recall - it's been a few years!

http://www.rolandogoldman.com.ar/html/book-right.htm

They only speak a little english, but they are happy to send you the book from Argentina! His wife usually handles the business transactions - very nice and charming people.
Click to expand...

Thanks - seems a great book. I will try to buy a copy.
 
hey. congrats. ping me if you need any additional help.

I have a bunch of spanish resources, but can get you started if you need help.

TGOE
 
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