What's the diff between an ukulele and a cuatro?

Nickie · Dec 22, 2011

http://www.samash.com/p/Cordoba_Cuatro%20with%20Gig%20Bag_-49945315

PoiDog · Dec 22, 2011

The spelling, mainly.

FiL · Dec 22, 2011

I think a (Venezuelan) cuatro is usually tuned A-D-F#-B, with both the A and the B an octave lower than they would be on a comparably tuned standard uke. (Kind of a reverse-re-entrant tuning.) Scale length is around 20/21 inches.

- FiL

lonsilog · Dec 22, 2011

The Venezuelan cuatro has a similar scale length and overall size as a baritone ukulele (~20 in). They are typically tuned to standard A,D,F#,B which is somewhat similar to reentrant D tuning with the ukulele but the A and B are an octave lower, which gives it a very distinct sound. It can also be tuned GCEA like a baritone ukulele (using baritone strings). Most of the cuatros I've seen only have 14 frets. Hope that helps.

OldePhart · Dec 22, 2011

One of them I can pronounce and the other sounds like a German automobile ca 1980's...

mds725 · Dec 23, 2011

Nickie said:
http://www.samash.com/p/Cordoba_Cuatro%20with%20Gig%20Bag_-49945315

The website did something odd with your link. Here it is again.
http://www.samash.com/p/Cordoba_Cuatro%20with%20Gig%20Bag_-49945315

The text for the cuatro being sold by Sam Ash states, in part: "The Cuatro is tuned to the standard Ukulele G-C-E-A and comes with a deluxe padded Cordoba Gig Bag."

FiL · Dec 24, 2011

mds725 said:
The text for the cuatro being sold by Sam Ash states, in part: "The Cuatro is tuned to the standard Ukulele G-C-E-A and comes with a deluxe padded Cordoba Gig Bag."

I was in my local Sam Ash today, and they had one of these Corboba Cuatros. It was indeed tuned GCEA, with a low G, but the A string was a regular ukulele A, not the octave lower that you would expect on a cuatro. Strings were Aquillas. Both the G and C strings were wound.

- FiL

adrianifero · Jan 4, 2012

It is strange, normally the typical tuning of a cuatro is A D F# B with the particularity on the B string, tuned an octave lower.

The GCEA tuning is not very usual for the cuatro, even though it could be tuned that way, but the important thing is to maintain the octave lower on the last

Here's a video I made playing the venezuelan cuatro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSoey34VtQQ

And here are two links in english about the venezuelan cuatro:

http://camburpinton.org/eng/
http://tucuatro.com/en/

Check them out and let me know what do you thing about this instrument

FiL said:
I was in my local Sam Ash today, and they had one of these Corboba Cuatros. It was indeed tuned GCEA, with a low G, but the A string was a regular ukulele A, not the octave lower that you would expect on a cuatro. Strings were Aquillas. Both the G and C strings were wound.

- FiL

RyRod · Jan 4, 2012

adrianifero said:
It is strange, normally the typical tuning of a cuatro is A D F# B with the particularity on the B string, tuned an octave lower.

The GCEA tuning is not very usual for the cuatro, even though it could be tuned that way, but the important thing is to maintain the octave lower on the last

Here's a video I made playing the venezuelan cuatro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSoey34VtQQ

And here are two links in english about the venezuelan cuatro:

http://camburpinton.org/eng/
http://tucuatro.com/en/

Check them out and let me know what do you thing about this instrument

Thanks for posting those sites. Dirk, from SOUTHCOAST just sent me a set of Cuatro strings to put on my baritone and I've been looking for some online resources to learn from. I'm loving it so far. So many right hand techniques to learn!

What's the diff between an ukulele and a cuatro?

Nickie

Well-known member

PoiDog

Well-known member

FiL

Well-known member

lonsilog

Well-known member

OldePhart

Well-known member

mds725

UU VIP

FiL

Well-known member

adrianifero

Member

RyRod

Well-known member

Similar threads