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Thread: guitarra baiana

  1. #1

    Default guitarra baiana

    For sure guitarra baiana (http://www.guitarra-baiana.com/) is not the center of interest on the forum but I do not thinkit to be off topic!

    A five stringed guitarra baiana is available from 300 to 500 $ and more - to much for a poor hobby player like me. In the past I used short scaled electric guitars for children for some experiments. Such electric guitars for children with a single pickup are available at about 50 to 100 $. May be that is not the high quality a professional musician needs, but good enogh for my experimants as a beginner. Strat type children guitars are available as well but more expensive.

    Such a children e-guitar has a measure of about 48 cm (that is close to 19 "). A mandola (called tenor mandola in Ireland, and UK) has a scale length of abot 42 cm (16.5 inches). So, such a children guitar is close enough to be used as a kind of mandola with the 6th string off. (I could not find such a bargain children e-guitar with a mandolin scale length.) May be someone might be inspirated for experiments as well.

    To my question:
    Because of the symmetric tuning one can use most of the standard mandolin material - should not be any problem for a skilled mandolin player. One can find tutorial books or lessons for such a five sringed guitarra baiana in portugese (may be some in spanish?) I do not understand any of these laguages. Does anybody know sources for tutorial material (or online lessons) for such a five string mandola in english? My main interest is jazz. I found some youtube videos with such a mandola like instrument and it does not seem to be totally uncommon.

    Thanks and regards btwo

  2. #2
    Registered User Petrus's Avatar
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    Default Re: guitarra baiana

    I had to look it up on Wiki. Looks interesting, not exactly a mando though but it shares the tuning. Then again, we have 4-string electric mandos, which would be almost identical to the four-string electric guitarra baiana.

    The Bahian guitar (Portuguese: guitarra baiana, pau elétrico (meaning electric pole or electric log) is a Brazilian solid-body string musical instrument. It has either 4 or 5 strings, normally tuned GDAE and CGDAE, respectively, and has the scale of a cavaco. Six strings versions are also found.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahian_guitar

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    I like this double neck 12 string / guitarra baiana!

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  3. #3
    Oscar Stern s11141827's Avatar
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    Default Re: guitarra baiana

    It's an Electric Mandolin

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Petrus View Post
    I had to look it up on Wiki. Looks interesting, not exactly a mando though but it shares the tuning. Then again, we have 4-string electric mandos, which would be almost identical to the four-string electric guitarra baiana.



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahian_guitar

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    I like this double neck 12 string / guitarra baiana!

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    The 5 String Guitarra Baiana (actually that's a Double Neck 10/5 Mandolin) is the same thing as the 5 String Mandolin, but keep in mind the scale length is longer so that the C String isn't floppy. A longer scale length allows you to get away w/ thinner strings & a brighter tone for more clarity.

  4. #4
    Oscar Stern s11141827's Avatar
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    Default Re: guitarra baiana

    The Bahian Guitar (or Guitarra Baiana) isn't really a Guitar, it's a little Electric Mandolin (Bandolim Eletrico). The sound of these instruments falls in between an Electric Guitar & a Mandolin so it's a very special sound, very melodic.

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  6. #5
    Oscar Stern s11141827's Avatar
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    Default Re: guitarra baiana

    Bahian Guitar is actually the very 1st Electric Mandolin ever made.

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  8. #6
    Oscar Stern s11141827's Avatar
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    Default Re: guitarra baiana

    The 6 string Versions add on a Low F.

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