This is a Brazilian Cavaquinho, so steel strung and tuned like a Portuguese one but the body is a bit bigger and fatter, (the scale is the same). Also the more I look at the Brazilian Cavaquinho the more I see the Brazilians actually refer to it as a Cavaco so I shall do this too.

Rozini is, I believe, Brazil's biggest maker of fretted instruments, (though they don't make Ukuleles?), so this is actually from Brazil, unlike my Cordoba Venezuelan Cuatro which is from China. However I got it from a Chap from Tooting on eBay, (not quite so exotic though it came with a nice spare set of exotic Brazilian colour coded strings).

The Cavaco itself has a much thinner more Mandolin type neck than my other Cavaquinhos, which I didn't expect but the body is much bigger, which I did. The soundboard is pine with that lovely pine lumber yard smell. With the steel strings and the narrow neck I find it much harder to play than a Ukulele or even the other cavaquinhoes?

It is marked inside as the "Estudante" model and is dated 2007. When you look at today's range there is an Estudente but it doesn't have a slotted headstock or a pine soundboard, so this is probably better quality than the current one? The closest now is the Classico or the Studio but neither of those are quite right either?

Having resided in the corner for a while, where it was much loved, if not much played, (with the steel strings but more so the narrow neck I always had trouble playing it) It has moved on for a career in "Show Business" with a local Brazilian music band. the new custodian says he is going to retro-fit a pickup for stage work. Well we all wish it all the best and if the "Show Bizz" thing doesn't work out its welcome back at Ukulele Corner.