unsigned ukulele

[sugarcube5419]

ok need any help on this ukulele I found today at the thrift store.  the decorative center is a sticker..back maybe rosewood?   all is original

[bigwull]

What makes you think this is a ukulele.....if it is then it is a Unique one...as a ukulele only has 4 strings....not 5 ...this is a small guitar...probably Spanish/Mexican....i think its a The Mexican vihuela..on closer inspection...i see that although it  has 5 strings...there are 6 machine heads...which makes me believe it has been used as a Vihuela...but it is in fact a guitar...

[bigwull]

I think you,ll find that this is in fact a Mexican Guitarron....simila r in style to the Vihuela...and its used by the Mexican street musicians....the ones that come to play at your table when you are on holiday...see link
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=guitarron&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=C79lUveJBKLO0QWO2YH4Bw&ved=0CDoQsAQ&biw=1198&bih=767

[sugarcube5419]

a guitar?  I'm shocked--it is only 20 1/2 inches long.

and yup--you are right I didn't even notice that it had five strings and six string holders..

do you have any idea about the age or how popular it would have been?  Still used today??

[mart]

No clue !!!

[bigwull]

I,m of the opinion that its maybe been made for a child....if you look at my link to the guitarron...you,ll see that they are big...big body, short neck....whereas this one is a midget compared to them...its either a childs...or a tourist buy....i seem to remember ..once when we were in Spain..I saw something similar...but ended up buying the wooden clackers.. ..castinets.....to everyone else...

[bigwull]

No clue !!!

Whatdoyamean....no clue....is that ....you don,t have a clue what it is...or is it...you,re clueless....look at my link....its as plain as them $1 cheaters hanging on the end of yer nose... ....come to think of it..you of all people should know...as you are closer to Mexico...than i,ll ever be....

[sugarcube5419]

big wull--this has a good sound quality, don't think it would have been massed produced for tourists and it has the qualities of the larger guitarron but tiny tiny sized so I have to think perhaps you're right and maybe made for the smaller person in a group?  

How common would one be made this small??  do you think it was factory made?

[bigwull]

if it was factory made...there would normally be a sticker inside the body...if you look inside the hole..check to see if there has been a sticker...if on the other hand it was hand made...then without a mark...its another needle in a haystack....

[sugarcube5419]

no mark--

wish it could talk

thanks

[bigwull]

On the neck are those cross bars raised slightly...if they are then this is not a guitarron...as guitarrons are fretless...which would then make this a small guitar....

[bigwull]

no mark--

wish it could talk

thanks

if you pluck the strings in a certain way...it,ll sing its head off

[sugarcube5419]

On the neck are those cross bars raised slightly...if they are then this is not a guitarron...as guitarrons are fretless...which would then make this a small guitar....

raised ever so lightly...

[bigwull]

Well its Not a guitarron..as they are fretless...i.e. from the bridge to the machine heads....the neck is smooth....so it has to be a small guitar...for a short armed guitar player....

[mart]

http://www.samash.com/opncms/opencms/samash/library/main/Flamenco_Guitar_or_Classical_Guitarx_How_Do_They_Differx.html

Thought from the low frets you might have a flamenco guitar but doesn`t seem to match !! Think this is the classic but the neck looks much wider than it should !!  You can read and see if it matches !! I think the back of your guitar is mahogany !! Pretty sure !!