off hand, i can't think of another example at the moment but if it could be imagined that in some deep, dark, remote area of the world a stringed instrument were to be found with 5 strings instead of 6 and two angular bouts instead of round...i don't think the anthropologist who discovered it would be discredited for calling it a "guitar." it wouldn't be hard to imagine that at some point, a conventional guitar was introduced to the area and was reproduced in accordance with local construction methods and materials.
i think south american music played on the charango is exactly that - music from south america. the instrument, however, is european in origin and if the truth were to be told...is sounding particularly sweet at the moment. strumming merrily - bill
