Armadillo shell ukulele

Wonder if the maker knew he/she was exposing him/herself to leprosy when he killed that poor critter.
No interest here.
 
Armadillos can contract leprosy, but they do not all have it. The shell is the traditional body of the Andean charango.
 
I did not know that Rick. Thank you for the info; I love to learn stuff like that.
 
Of course, there are studies on genetic markers that indicate (now in science we always have to look at who is FUNDING these studies) that 1/3 of human cases are from contact with infected Armadillos (funded by Armadillo Haters of West Texas or something like that). I am not sure how one would come in contact with an Armadillo (they are not too cuddly) unless they were a charango builder...but the research seems to be there. Good thing we have bored grad students.
Regardless of whether they have it or not (infection rate is between 6 and 20% it seems), until there is a way to ask them if they have it-avoid. Pro tip of the day.
 
I have a Charango....Can't play it for anything, though. Regardless, I had choice, and I got one that is a full wood body. The armadillo ones freak me out a little bit, and I also am not into killing animals. It just does not seem to be very healthy to have a dead animal shell laying around the house like that. I know we all have leather goods, and so forth, but those are treated differently and as far as I am aware, cows are not known to carry diseases that make appendages fall off....
 
I have a mandolin someone made out of an armadillo shell. I found it for sale in a pawn shop in the '80s. I strung it as a uke, and it sounded pretty nice, but eventually the soundboard cracked. The link below has some pictures that I posted here in April. I think I've lined up someone to rehab it and convert it fully to a uke. I'll update the Luthier's board thread when I have the details more firm.

Armadillolele Thread on Luthier's Board
 
For the record, it is really hard to contract leprosy. Over 90% of the people have a natural immunity to it, and no one knows why. Also, I both ate armadillo and played an armadillo-shell charango while in Bolivia, and I can truthfully say I am not a leper.
 
i have played lots of charangos, made from armadillo and from wood

armadillo is not good sounding at all.

they keep killing and selling armadillos cause tourists buy them.
all pro players use wood charangos
 
Well, I keep learning from this thread.......You can actually eat armadillo ?!?!?! Tastes just like chicken ? ;)
 
i have played lots of charangos, made from armadillo and from wood

armadillo is not good sounding at all.

they keep killing and selling armadillos cause tourists buy them.
all pro players use wood charangos
That is so sad. I was in Texas years ago and there were lots of souvenir shops selling stuffed armadillos. :(

I suppose if there was a time people killed them for food and then tried not to waste any parts, using an armadillo shell for a musical instrument seems resourceful, like how cigar box instruments were often homemade by poor people who couldn't afford to buy a "real" guitar, for example.

I wouldn't want one. Wouldn't want to be holding a dead animal shell against my body, and I never want anything with a round back again.*

I have a Baroquelele with a round back and the thing is nearly impossible to hold, even with a strap it slides all over your gut.

*I will say I have both a Fluke and a Flea, and I don't consider them round backs. They just have rounded edges and aren't hard to hold at all.
 
i do hear armadillo is delicious...also keep in mind that you don't need jesus to cure leoprosy these days....a pretty simple dose of antibiotics will clear it right up, people carry MRSA you know...and HIV, Hep, herp, kuru, ect.... I think that dillo uke looks great...if i had the cash it'd be mine! Next i want a squirrel uke...(they carry the plague....)
 
coriandre and bornagainjeeper, I've heard armadillo referred to as "poor man's pork".

I wouldn't want one. Wouldn't want to be holding a dead animal shell against my body, and I never want anything with a round back again. I have a Baroquelele with a round back and the thing is nearly impossible to hold, even with a strap it slides all over your gut.
The mandolin I have made from an armadillo shell doesn't have a round back at all. Here's a picture:

IMG_0314.JPG
 
Not entirely sure how to quantify the moral issues but that uke is as ugly as sin in my view.
 
I've had a couple of armadillo-shelled instruments, two made near Quito. They sounded great, they played well. In the end, I sold both to a player from Guyaquil who really wanted them, and I wasn't playing them as much as I used to.

Bob Brozeman is a charango proselytizer, and to hear him play it you want to get one, too.
 
Top Bottom