[LUTE] Re: machete

[Monica Hall]

Seriously, from what I've gathered from internet info, the machete in
17thC
Madeira might have been wire strung, single strings. One imagines it to
have
been very small (the one in Edinburgh University, for example, looks like
a
soprano ukulele), but there is one Portuguese guitar ms which mentions the
tuning of the machete, and according to Tyler that seems to be piched at
F,
only a semitone higher than the guitar/viola.

This instrument has 5 courses or strings actually.  It is called a machinho
in this and other 17th century sources.   There was also an instrument a 5th
higher called a requinto.

Methinks the name 'machete'
served a few instruments of different sizes, but maybe wire strung rather
than gut, a sort of smaller battente, Portuguese style. I am only
speculating, of course. Does the name 'machete' have anything to do with
the
knife/axe? Wire strings used for cutting, rather than gut?

Probably not.   I checked machinho in an online Portuguese dictionary and it 
seemed to mean "male"..

I hope the machete is not off topic?

So do I.

Monica

2008/5/7 Eugene C. Braig IV <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:

Hmm...  Double some strings, and that would seem to be treading
dangerously close to 4-course guitar.

Eugene


At 11:49 AM 5/7/2008, Rob MacKillop wrote:

Maybe without the raised fingerboard and 19thC guitar bridge?
Rob


 I think I do too now.  That's one of the grooviest uke-like bits I've
seen.  Thanks for digging that up.

Eugene



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