Cordoba Venezuelan Cuatro

I came across this picture of what looked like a Baritone Ukulele with a nice Golpeador, investigated further and found it was a Cordoba Venezuelan Cuatro. Cordoba, despite the name, are a Chinese brand, (well technically the head office is in California but the firm is owned by a Chinese man and most of the instruments are made in China), but they are well regarded and I thought this would make an interesting addition to Ukulele Corner, so I've got one. It took a bit of locating because you don't, for some reason, get Cordobas in the UK? In the end I got it from Germany and I'm very pleased with it. It is very well made with a nice slotted headstock, a proper Golpeador, (not just stained wood) and all in all a very nice looking and sounding instrument; plus it came with a good semi hard case.

I think I would like to try Baritone string on it one day and see how it sounds as a Baritone but I think if I do I will put the Cuatro strings on a Baritone Ukulele and see how that works as a Cuatro; or better yet get a second Cuatro - possibly one that actually comes from Latin America.

I don't know who made the strings but they are Cuatro strings. Cuatro's are tuned A~D~F#~B - similar to D tune Ukulele tuning except the A & B strings are an octave lower. I have tuned mine this way at the moment and it gives a very interesting sound, a bit like the Lili'u. It does make it interesting if you try and play lead on it though, the low A really throws things out