Each flute I sell [...]]]> I sell quite a few Andean flutes here on Street Musician and go to great lengths to make sure my customers get the best quality quena flutes, quenachos and traverse flutes that I can source from the skilled Bolivian luthiers of La Paz, via my family in Boliva.

Each flute I sell makes an incredible journey to reach my customers, covering over 6 000 miles (10 000 km) across the North Atlantic Ocean from Bolivia to the U.K. and then from my shop on to many destinations around the world to finally end up in the hands of my clients.

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Many Andean flute players around the world already have a good level of knowledge and experience in caring for wooden flutes and understand the importance of treating them in the correct way, but for those of you who’ve never owned one before or perhaps are thinking of buying one in the future, I’ve put together a quick guide to help you get the most out of your wooden flute and keep it in good nic.

Follow the guide below and ensure you complete the first few stages until your flute is nicely played in, from then on you can relax and enjoy the sounds of your Andean quena, quenacho or traverse flute, safe in the knowledge you’re caring for it in the best way possible.

So to ensure you get the very best from your woodwind instrument and to maintain it’s beautiful sound and tonal qualities for years to come, please ensure you carefully follow the instructions below.

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Andean flutes are beautiful, but fragile instruments and need to be cared for correctly, especially in their first few days of play when conditioning to their new environment is vital. Failure to do so will invalidate your guarantee and could result in cracking or split wood due to uneven moisture retention in the instrument.

Flute Care

Caring for your flute in the correct way will minimise the risk of damage, improve it’s tonal qualities and make the instrument much more robust in the future. A well cared for flute can last hundreds of years.

It is essential for all new wooden flutes to be oiled and then ‘played in’ very gently over a period of time until the moisture content in the wood stabilises, having spread evenly throughout the instrument.

Oiling Your Flute

When you first receive your flute and before playing it for the first time, it must be thoroughly oiled inside and out using either almond oil or linseed oil. This can be done using an oil soaked, lint free cloth or preferably a sponge passed gently over the outside of the flute. Then using a thin rod, carefully pass the sponge through the inside of the instrument ensuring a good coating on the inner surface.

Be sure to oil the holes, mouthpiece and each end of the flute, achieving an even coating throughout.

Once you have oiled your flute leave to dry for a few hours.

Playing In Your Flute

The process of ‘playing in’ your flute, is to allow it to adjust gradually to it’s new conditions over a number of days, allowing the moisture absorbed from the breath and surrounding environment to spread evenly throughout, stabilising over time and minimising the risk of cracking or warping.

Conditioning Your Flute

Day 1 – When your flute is dry you can now play the flute gently for 5 minutes only on it’s first session. You may then play it on two more occasions throughout the first day, preferably leaving equal gaps of a few hours between each session.

After each session, be sure to dry out excess moisture from inside the flute and around the mouthpiece with a lint free cloth to prevent excess moisture absorption.

Day 2 – On the second day you may play your flute on three further occasions, increasing your playing time by 5 minutes per session, again leaving a good time limit between each play.  This will result in a maximum of 3 x 10 minute sessions evenly spaced throughout the day.

There after you should increase your playing time for each session by 5 minutes each day over the next two weeks i.e

Day 3 – 3 x 15 minutes

Day 4 – 3 x 20 minutes

Day 5 – 3 x 25 minutes

…and so on, until the flute can be played at your leisure.

Be sure to wipe excess moisture from the mouthpiece and inside of the flute after each session.

Ideally the flute should be oiled after every 5 – 10 hours of playing. Good practice would be to oil the flute once a day for the first few days until it appears the wood can no longer absorb any more oil and there after every once in a while throughout the duration of the flute’s lifetime.

The frequency at which you do this depends on the type of oil used. Linseed oil is heavier than almond or peanut oil and can be used less frequently. Be sure to use a good quality oils and not low grade industrial oils.

Storage

When your flute is not in use, always store it in it’s protective case to shelter it from temperature and humidity changes in the surrounding environment. Never expose your flute to direct sunlight or a heat source such as a radiator or excessive lighting.

Be careful when passing from one environment to another and if conditions vary considerably, allow a reasonable amount of time, say 1 – 2 hours for your flute to adjust to it’s new surroundings before removing it from it’s case and playing.

Sudden changes in temperature and humidity will cause the wood to expand or contract very quickly and may easily result in cracking. Excessively dry conditions should also be avoided.

If your flute is to be left for longer periods without playing, it should be stored in it’s protective case and placed inside a plastic bag to help prevent drying whilst in storage. When reviving your instrument, be sure to gradually play your flute in again over time as if it were new, as the moisture content in the wood will have undoubtedly dropped over extended periods.

Above All – Have Fun

A well cared for flute will last a lifetime and a little common sense will go a long way in ensuring it’s longevity, but try not to become too obsessed with moisture levels, oiling and temperature issues once you have successfully ‘played in’ your flute as this could become detrimental to your enjoyment of the instrument. As long as you treat it well over the first few weeks of ownership and take the basic precautions described above, your flute should last you very well and provide many years of enjoyment.

If you are thinking of buying an Andean flute, take a look at my flute page here on street musician or even better check out my Woodwind instruments section on my Andean website Original Artisan where you will find a good range of Andean flutes of all types.

I’m in the process of redesigning my site and expanding my collection to include native flutes, tunable flutes and all sorts of weird and wonderful instruments to ensure we have one of the best collections in Europe, so keep checking back to see what’s new.

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Take a look at my extra special bone concert quenas.

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Thanks a lot.

Kier

12.02.10

Street Musician is now proud to be able to offer our readers a small range of handmade classical guitars from South America, made by the same expert luthier and musician who has been touring South [...]]]> Welcome to our new classical guitar section.

12.02.10

Huge Sale Now On – £50 – 75 off

Street Musician is now proud to be able to offer our readers a small range of handmade classical guitars from South America, made by the same expert luthier and musician who has been touring South America and the rest of the world, performing and making professional instruments including charangos, quena flutes and classical guitars for over 30 years.

The classical guitars featured on this site now and in the future are all quality instruments that have been made using rare woods native to South America, and in true Street Musician style have been tested, inspected and vetted by one of Britain’s most respected luthiers and classical musicians – Colin Thompson.

Guitars Vetted by Colin Thompson - Musical Engineer

A master craftsman, musical engineer and expert in his field, including all types of stringed and woodwind instruments, Colin is also a  respected musician, classical guitarist and author of ‘The English Fiddle Tutor’. He has spent his life dealing with instruments of this nature and has clients from all over England travelling to see him, seeking his advice and expertise.

He has kindly agreed to vet the classical guitars, charangos and flutes you see here on Street Musician to ensure my buyers receive good quality instruments at a fair price.

After many years of working from his own home workshop, Colin has now moved and works in association with Harmony Music in Dorchester, one of the largest independent music shops in the country.

The instruments featured on this site have also been checked by the proprietors of Harmony Music and have been given the green light to be displayed in their shop for sale to the public if we would like them to.

I would like to thank Colin and the proprietors of Harmony Music in their support of the instrument sales here on Street Musician and hope to continue to have a successful relationship, ensuring the quality of the instruments I sell and the complete satisfaction of my buyers.

These handmade guitars have been tested for sound quality, construction, action, intonation and thoroughly checked to ensure they have been set up correctly by the producer.

All of our guitars have gained good reviews, been given a clean bill of health and have subsequently been priced at their true values.

Even better, you will find the true prices of these guitars have been slashed even further to ensure these guitars reach my customers at a truly unbelievable price.

Classical Guitars

In the future, Street Musician will be mostly featuring classical guitars in the traditional full body style along with the odd the cut out body shape as well.

The three guitars shown here all feature cutouts and were originally made after receiving a few requests for cut out guitars after a short offline survey. As the guitars shown here are all priced between the £250 – £500 mark, I figured I’d see how they fared as opposed to the traditional full classical shape.

My next few guitars will probably be considerably more expensive and I will also be featuring different makers from other well established luthier families in South America, after getting them vetted and checked for sound quality and good workmanship of course.

Guitar 1

Handmade Classical Guitar & Case

The first guitar featured is the most expensive model of our three and after being thoroughly inspected, played and tested has been classified as a nice, well crafted, balanced guitar with a great sound. It is set up well and has very good intonation, action and sustain for its price bracket. This guitar has been professionally valued at £500 by Colin and Harmony Music.

As a special offer here on Street Musician, I am offering this guitar for sale at £449

NOW HUGE CLEARANCE – £ 75 OFF

12.02.10

SALE PRICE £ 374

This guitar features an Ebony fretboard, the body is constructed of Bolivian Jacaranda wood, the soundboard is German Albeto Pine and the neck is constructed of Mara wood.

This guitar also comes with a free hard/semi hard case. More details below.

A quality instrument.

This handmade classical guitar, along with a free hard/semi hard case is professionally valued at £500, but is listed here for sale here on Street Musician for £449

NOW HUGE CLEARANCE – £ 75 OFF

12.02.10

SALE PRICE £374

Dents, Faults and Abrasions

If you study the photos above, on the 8th row down you will notice a slight fading of the rosette that travels for about a third of the circumference. This is not hugely visible when first viewing the guitar but can definitely be noticed once the issue has been pointed out. The guitar has been somewhat over varnished on the front of the soundboard, resulting in some varnish and a few streak lines. There are also 3 slight varnish blemishes on the back. These can’t really be seen on the photo’s but in true Street Musician fashion, what you get here is the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

I believe these varnishing faults have arisen due to the fact that I requested extra special attention to be placed on the finish of the guitar due to the UK market this instrument is aimed for. This particular guitar took two months to build and on time of collection had been sent to another guitar finisher due to the nature of the request. I think maybe the guitar has been over varnished and then an attempt has been made to correct the error, resulting in the partial fading of the rosette and some streaking.   These cosmetic blemishes in no way affect the main elements and sound quality of this guitar, and it’s original valuation of £500 has already taken into account these issues. This instrument would be valued at a slightly higher price had these issues not arisen.

According to Colin, the cosmetics relating to the finish of this guitar are not of much concern, the consensus is that all the important elements that combine to create a good classical guitar, being the tonal quality, volume, intonation, sustain, action and playability are present and correct in this instrument. Also, the rare woods from which it has been made and the way it has been constructed are to a high standard.

Please take your time to study the images above and if you have any questions about this instrument then feel free to contact me by email or the comment form below.

The Case

The case was made by a separate case manufacturer and is made of aluminium and plastic. It was bought mainly to protect the guitar during importation. Although it it is a hard case, I would say it’s level of construction lies somewhere in between the solidity of a semi hard case and a hard shell case.

The case looks nice and the finish is adequate, but on close inspection is a little rough in places. It does come free with the guitar and will last well but as I am somewhat of a perfectionist, I would ideally have liked it to have had a slightly better finish. However, those who have seen and inspected the case have expressed the fact that it looks fine and is satisfactory for the purpose.

This particular make of case is very commonly used in Bolivia and around South America and you will find many exporters supply this exact case as a standard for international export and local use. It is for this reason I selected this model for my guitars.

I would much rather show you these instruments in person and am willing to travel reasonable distances to accommodate potential buyers. You are also welcome to personally view or collect the instrument from my residence.

Please use the contact form below or email me to arrange a viewing.

Handmade Classical Guitar & Case

Handmade Classical Guitar

Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer Over 30 Years Experience Making and Performing Fine Instruments Handcrafted with Ebony, Jacaranda, Albeto Pine and Mara Wood Vetted by Professional UK Musician, Luthier and Musical Engineer Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia Expertly valued at £500, priced at £449 100 % Money Back Guarantee.

Payment Details

For this handmade concert guitar and case.

Was £449

Sale Price – Now

£374

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 14.99

Total

£388.99

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

For residents in the UK – Click below to purchase.

Please contact me to arrange purchase of this instrument.

Kier.

If you live outside the UK, I am also willing to post this guitar anywhere in the world providing payment is made first. Please contact me to discuss price and international postage requirements.

This product comes directly from the artisans own hands and was bought with a fair trade and with the greatest respect.

Remember – If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Guitar 2

Handmade Classical Guitar & Case

Here is the second of our featured handmade classical guitars.

This second guitar is the mid priced model of our three and has also been thoroughly inspected, played and tested by  Colin Thompson.

Although this guitar is a cheaper model and features a Rosewood fretboard instead of an Ebony one, it is also very well balanced, is correctly set up and has great intonation, action, sustain, volume and a comparable sound to the guitar above.

This guitar has been professionally valued at at least £375 by Colin and Harmony Music.

As a special offer here on Street Musician, I am offering this guitar for sale at £349

NOW HUGE CLEARANCE – £ 50 OFF

12.02.10

SALE PRICE £ 299

This guitar features a Rosewood fretboard, the body and neck is constructed of Bolivian Jacaranda wood, the soundboard is Oregon pine.

This guitar also comes with a free hard/semi hard case. More details below.

This handmade classical guitar, along with a free hard/semi hard case has been professionally valued at £375, but is listed here for sale here on Street Musician for £349

CLEARANCE SALE – £ 50 OFF

12.02.10

NEW PRICE £ 299

Dents, Faults and Abrasions

If you study the photos above, on the 5th row down you will notice a small slice in the rosette that travels for about a 5 ml into the pattern. The fault is visible but not hugely noticeable when viewing the guitar. In my opinion the photo’s that depict this cut do make it appear more prominent than it does in real life and I think it’s visibility depends on the light reflection and the angle at which the guitar is viewed. Obviously, in my photo’s I have tried to depict the fault as clearly as possible in order to give the viewer the best chance of making the correct purchase decision.

Apart from this, the finish is quite good across the rest of the guitar, although there is a pooling of vanish just beside the left hand side of the saddle.  This can be seen on the 4th photo down on the main section of photos. This pooling of clear varnish can’t really be seen easily on the guitar unless you look for it or view it in the light at the right angle, but as always, what you get with Street Musician is the whole truth and nothing but the truth right across the board.

These cosmetic issues in no way affect the playability, action, intonation and beautiful tonal qualities of this guitar, and it’s original valuation of £375 has already taken into account all these minor faults. The guitar would be valued at a slightly higher price had these issues not arisen.

Please take your time to study the images above and if you have any questions about this instrument then feel free to contact me by email or the comment form below.

The Case

The case was made by a separate case manufacturer and is made of aluminium and plastic. It was bought mainly to protect the guitar during importation. Although it it is a hard case, I would say it’s level of construction lies somewhere in between the solidity of a semi hard case and a hard shell case.

The case looks nice and the finish is adequate, but on close inspection is a little rough in places. It does come free with the guitar and will last well but as I am somewhat of a perfectionist, I would ideally have liked it to have had a slightly better finish. However, those who have seen and inspected the case have expressed the fact that it looks fine and is satisfactory for the purpose.

This particular make of case is very commonly used in Bolivia and around South America and you will find many exporters supply this exact case as a standard for international export and local use. It is for this reason I selected this model for my guitars.

I would much rather show you the instrument in person and am willing to travel reasonable distances to accommodate a buyer. You are also welcome to personally view or collect the instrument from my residence. Please use the contact form below or email me to arrange a viewing.

Handmade Classical Guitar & Case

Handmade Classical Guitar

Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer Over 30 Years Experience Making and Performing Fine Instruments Handcrafted with Jacaranda, Rosewood, Oregon Pine Vetted by Professional UK Musician, Luthier and Musical Engineer Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia Expertly valued at £375, priced at £349 100 % Money Back Guarantee.

Payment Details

For this handmade concert guitar and case.

Was £349

Sale Price – NOW £299

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 14.99

Total

£313.99

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

For residents in the UK – Click below to purchase.

Please contact me to arrange purchase of this instrument.

Kier.

If you live outside the UK, I am also willing to post this guitar anywhere in the world providing payment is made first. Please contact me to discuss price and international postage requirements.

This product comes directly from the artisans own hands and was bought with a fair trade and with the greatest respect.

Remember – If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

I also have other instruments for sale on this site and will have much more to offer in the near future. Check out my instruments page for details. I am currently in the process of setting up another web site to promote these and many other weird and wonderful items from South America and I also have a few auctions running on Ebay if you would like to take a look.

It may take a while, but there’s going to be some great stuff coming this way. So keep checking back for more great offers here on Street Musician.

Thanks for looking.

Kier

Other Posts of Interest

Instruments For Sale Why Do I Sell Bolivian Instruments ? The South American Charango Flutes – Quenas and Quenachos Street Musician Guarantee Postage & Packaging Details

Posted 10.11.09

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These particular charangos were made in his traditional Bolivian workshop and I have been lucky enough to obtain these [...]]]> Here we have two hand made professional charangos for sale. These charangos were crafted by a professional Bolivian musician and luthier who has been making fine concert grade instruments for over 20 years.

These particular charangos were made in his traditional Bolivian workshop and I have been lucky enough to obtain these beautiful pieces to sell here on Street Musician. They have come all the way from South America and as a bonus, for each charango I have separately obtained a semi hard charango case, two sets of charango strings, a beautifully made woven strap and an instruction booklet on how to play, which includes chord diagrams and scales etc.

Also included is a duel language Spanish/English instructional cd on how to play the charango.

The instruction/chord book is written in Spanish but is easily understandable and so should not pose a problem to anyone familiar with chord diagrams.

Professional Charango with case, strap, strings, instruction book and cd.

The great thing about buying an instrument here on Street Musician, is you get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The photos taken below show this instrument in all it’s detail from just about every angle possible and in true Street Musician style includes close ups of any faults the instrument may have.

It is important to state the difference between this particular charango and the ones you may see for sale on Ebay for a few dollars. Those are not professionally handmade precision instruments, but cheap bottom line charangos designed to barely hold a note and to be sold as souvenir pieces for the South American tourist market.

Other charangos you may see for sale on the net include the armadillo (quirquincho) charango. Unbeknown to most buyers, the quirquincho is now an endangered species and the use of them for past traditional and cultural purposes is now illegal. Any products made from them are banned from export and you should always avoid purchasing one so as not to contribute to the once thriving quirquincho’s struggle for survival. See my charango page for more details. Armadillo charangos also produce a much more inferior sound quality compared to that of the wooden madera charango you see here.

These professional charangos were specifically designed for use by professional musicians. They were created by one and the sound these instruments produce is worthy of concert performance.

These charangos are beautiful pieces and the only ones I have for sale.

Please take your time to study the images below and if you have any questions about these instruments then feel free to contact me by email or using the comment form below.

Professional Charangos for Sale

Charango 1 Has Now Been Sold

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Charango 2

Sorry ! Charango 2 Has Now Been Sold

Both my excellent charangos have now been sold and we hope to have more from the same maker coming in soon.

If you would like a professional quality charango, just like the ones you see here and made by the same luthier, please contact me and we can discuss your requirements and pricing.

The time it takes to construct, ship to the U.K, be vetted and then finally given the all clear to be shipped to my clients varies greatly from order to order, but you can always be assured you will receive the best quality charangos, guaranteed by a hugely experienced musical engineer and safely shipped to you with absolutely no risk what so ever.

If you are not completely happy with your charango when you receive it, you are always covered by the Street Musician – 14 day money back guarantee – to ensure your complete satisfaction.

The charangos in the photo’s below have already been sold but I will continue with the listing to give you an example of the sort of top quality instrument you can expect from Street Musician

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The headstock, neck and body of this acoustic charango is made out of one piece of Naranjillo wood.
The soundboard is made from German Albeto pine and the fret board and bridge are made from Ebony. Featuring a beautiful Jacaranda plated headstock and a bone saddle.

Please excuse the quality of some of the photos. They were taken using a different camera than I usually use to photograph my instruments.

Please Note : This charango has been professionally vetted and valued at £425

As a special price, this charango, along with a hard/semi hard case, instruction booklet (in Spanish, see above), duel language instructional c.d, two sets of charango strings and a woven strap is for sale for -

£395.

This instrument is slightly larger than my first charango and measures :

67cm long  x 18 cm wide and 18.5 cm high from back to soundboard.

The case was made by a separate case manufacturer and is made of aluminium and plastic. It was bought mainly to protect the charango during importation. Although it is a hard case, I would say it’s level of construction lies somewhere in between the solidity of a semi hard case and a hard shell case.

The case looks good and is perfectly adequate for the job, the finish is nice but on close inspection might be a little rough in places

This particular make of case is very commonly used in Bolivia and around South America and you will find many exporters supply this exact case as a standard for international export and local use. It is for this reason I selected this case for my charango.

The case does come free with the charango and should last well.

Back to the Charango…

I can’t stress enough how beautiful this instrument is, and everyone I have shown it to expresses the same opinion. I would much rather show you the instrument in person and am willing to travel reasonable distances to accommodate a buyer. You are also welcome to personally view or collect the instrument from my residence. Please use the contact form below or email me to arrange a viewing.

These charangos made by our professional Bolivian luthier are constructed with the best materials such as Ebony, Naranjillo wood, German Albeto pine and Jacaranda.

Professional Opinion

These charango’s have also been vetted and valued as usual by Colin Thompson, Dorset’s finest musical engineer and luthier, who’s professional opinion has certified these instruments as top quality and in a different league than most.

Also a  respected musician, classical guitarist and author of ‘The English Fiddle Tutor’, Colin has spent his life dealing with instruments of this nature and has clients from all over England travelling to see him. His advice and expertise are second to none.

He has kindly agreed to vet the classical guitars, charangos and flutes you see here on Street Musician to ensure my buyers receive good quality instruments at a fair price.

His opinion on these charangos was that they were extremely well crafted and beautiful instruments. The action, sound and construction are excellent and the maker is a fine craftsman who knows his trade very well.

Colin Valued these instruments at around £425

Dents, Faults and Abrasions

The charangos advertised on this page will also come with detailed descriptions and photographs of all faults, scratched and abrasions that appear on the instrument, to ensure know everything you need to help you make the  correct purchase decision.

..

Slight minor faults are reasonably common in hand made guitars and charangos imported from South America. Most of the instruments I have obtained from many different makers have always had one or two slight imperfections.

The good thing about our listings is that the customer is always made aware of all minor imperfections before purchasing the instrument as opposed to most sellers who refuse to include these details.

Professional Concert Madera Charango

Made by a Traditional Bolivian Luthier & Musician
Over 20 Years Experience Making Fine Instruments
Handcrafted with Naranjillo, Alberto Pine, Ebony and Jacaranda Wood
Vetted by top U.K Luthier & Musical engineer
Body, Neck and Headstock Fashioned in One Piece
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
100 % Money Back Guarantee.

Payment Details

For this professional charango, case, strap, two sets of charango strings and an instruction booklet and cd.

Price

SOLD

Postage & Packaging U.K

…

Sorry ! Charango 2 Has Now Been Sold

…

If you are interested in buying a charango similar to the one you see here – or would like one hand made especially for you with the woods of your choice at no extra cost, drop me an email or comment in the box below and we can discuss your requirements.

It may take a while to get your perfect charango – but it will definitely be worth the wait.

Thanks

Kier

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept postal orders

For residents in the UK – Click below to purchase.

Please contact me to arrange purchase of this instrument.

Kier.

If you live outside the UK, I am also willing to post this charango anywhere in the world providing payment is made first. Please contact me to discuss price and international postage requirements.

This product comes directly from the artisans own hands and was bought with a fair trade and with the greatest respect.

Remember – If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

…

I also have other instruments for sale on this site and will have much more to offer in the near future. Check out my instruments page for details. Take a look at my other web site with more of these and many other weird and wonderful items from South America. I also have a few auctions running on my Ebay shop Original Artisan if you would like to take a look.

We’ve got some great stuff coming this way, including our new range of Bolivian Zamponas.

Keep checking back for more great offers here on Street Musician.

Thanks for looking.

Kier

Other Posts of Interest

Instruments For Sale
Why Do I Sell Bolivian instruments ?
The South American Charango
Classical Guitars
Flutes – Quenas and Quenachos
Street Musician Guarantee
Postage & Packaging Details
Original Artisan

Back Home

The quena or kena as it is also known, is a traditional Andean flute used commonly in all areas of traditional Peruvian music. The quena produces an exceptionally beautiful sound [...]]]> Featuring beautiful native South American flutes for sale. The quena and the larger more deeper sounding quenacho.

Quena (Kena) Flute

The quena or kena as it is also known, is a traditional Andean flute used commonly in all areas of traditional Peruvian music. The quena produces an exceptionally beautiful sound and has been played by the indigenous tribes of South America and their ancestors for countless generations, once being revered as a sacred icon. Although originating from the mountains of South America, the quena is a favourite of musicians and woodwind players all around the world.

Quenas are often made of bamboo and can have 4, 5 or 6 holes in the front, one at the back, and a u shaped notch at the mouth of the instrument. The six hole quena has a musical span of 3 octaves.

Take a look at this excellent video by Eric the flute maker. A true flute genius and master flute maker who really expresses the true nature of the Andean flute in his own special way.

Check out his excellent website for some truly amazing flutes and other instruments. While you visit his site, please take a look at his amazing  book – Bumping Into God. The story of his adventures throughout Central and South America from which all proceeds go to the Kids of Cascabel.

The professional quenas you see here are also exceptional instruments and are made from beautiful woods native to South America such as Jacaranda and Wayacan wood. They have been created by a professional Bolivian musician and luthier who has been making instruments and playing and touring South America for many years. The precision instruments he makes in his workshop are renoun worldwide.

As with the Charangos and all other instruments sold on this site, these flutes are of exceptional quality and should not be confused with other South American souvenir type tourist flutes that are of substandard quality and manufactured on mass with no attention to sound quality and tuning.

These quena flutes are precision concert tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em). I have many types available including Jacaranda quenas, Wayacan quenas, bone quenas and a few extra special ‘tweaked’ concert quenas. I also have a few transverse or side blown flutes available for purchase.

All quena, quenacho and transverse  flutes purchased here on Street Musician come with a beautiful woven cover worth £6.99 absolutely free.

Below we have several types of professional handmade quenas made from native South American materials and also featuring a very special ‘tweaked’ concert quena made especially for Street Musician for the flute connoisseur.

Professional Andean Wayacan Aymara Quena – Kena Flute

All these products come directly from the artisan’s own hands and are bought with a fair trade and with the greatest respect.

Measuring 14.75 inches long x 1 inch wide, this is quena is a beautiful instrument made of Bolivian Wayacan wood.

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this quena, click this link to visit my Bolivian website and take a look at my wayacan quena section. You will also be able to select your free quena cover to go with your flute.

Andean Wayacan Aymara Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Wayacan Wood
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£33.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 36.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this Wayacan quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £33.99 + £5.99 = £39.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

The next type of professional quena flutes we have for sale are made of Bolivian Jacaranda wood and also measure 14.75 inches long x 1 inch wide.

Professional Andean Aymara Jacaranda Quena – Kena Flute

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this type of quena, click this link to visit my Bolivian website and take a look at my Jacaranda quenas. You will also be able to select your free quena cover to go with your flute.

Andean Jacaranda Aymara Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£31.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 34.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this Jacaranda quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £31.99 + £5.99 = £37.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional Andean Bone Quena – Kena Flute w. Metal Mouth Piece

Free Quena Cover

This beautiful quena is made purely from donkey bone and features metal mouth and end pieces which reinforce and strengthen the flute and also add to it’s beauty. This flute also comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

There are many more detailed photo’s of the quena on my Andean website. I only have one of these special flutes in stock. Click here to visit the bone quena page. You can also select your free woven flute cover.

Andean Bone Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Beautifully Hand Crafted from Bone
Reinforced Mouth & End Pieces
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£84.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 87.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this bone quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £84.99 + £5.99 = £90.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional Andean Bone Quena – Kena Flute w. Ebony  Mouth Piece

Free Quena Cover

This beautiful quena is made purely from donkey bone and features Ebony mouth and end pieces which reinforce and strengthen the flute and also add to it’s beauty. This flute also comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

There are many more detailed photo’s of the quena on my Andean website. I only have one of these special flutes in stock. Click here to visit the Ebony bone quena page. You can also select your free woven flute cover.

Andean Bone Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Beautifully Hand Crafted from Bone
Ebony Mouth & End Pieces
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£84.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 87.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this bone quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £84.99 + £5.99 = £90.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional Andean Huajoh Jacaranda Quena – Kena Flute

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you like this Huajoh quena, click here to visit my Andean website Original Artisan and check out my Huajoh page which features many more detailed photographs of this type of quena. Make sure you choose your free woven cover.

Andean Jacaranda Huajoh Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£26.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 29.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this Jacaranda quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £26.99 + £5.99 = £32.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional ‘Tweaked’ Aymara Concert Quena – Kena Flute

Jacaranda

All the flutes sold on Original Artisan are professional instruments and operate at a high standard, but these particular flutes have been specifically ‘tweaked’ by the producers to ensure they are exceptional instruments and perform to the highest possible standard.

These flutes are for the quena connoisseur or the flute perfectionist as you might say.

As you can see, they are quite plain and have no frills. A beautifully simple, yet perfect instrument.

Free Quena Cover

This quena comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this special quena flute, click this link to visit my tweaked concert quena section. You will also be able to select your free quena cover to go with your flute.

Aymara Tweaked Concert Quena Flute

Professional Quena – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Tweaked for Exceptional Performance
Tuned to the scale of Sol Major (G) / Mi minor (Em)
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quena Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional quena flute and a free woven case

£41.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 44.68

Click below to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this tweaked concert quena and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quena anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quena is £5.99 (signed for). Click above to view this quena’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quena + Postage – £41.99 + £5.99 = £47.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Free Quena Covers

All quena and quenachos purchased on this site come with a stunning colourful free woven cover which can be chosen from the quena covers page on Original Artisan.

Due to the small quantities of flutes I have in stock, only a limited amount of  flutes and cases are available and they will be sent out to customers on a first come first served basis.

Visiting this pages post links that relate to your flute purchase will lead you through to the selection of your free cover. You may also click here and follow the instructions given. Please remember to give 3 preferences to ensure you have the best chance of recieving a flute cover of your choice.

Professional Andean Aymara Quenacho Flute – Jacaranda

Made by the same professional musician and luthier as the quena above, this quenacho is a longer, deeper sounding flute than the quena. This particular quenacho is made from Bolivian Jacaranda wood.

Precision concert tuned to Re Major (D) /Si minor (Bm)

This quenacho measures 19 3/4 inches long, 1 1/4 inches wide and is a little lighter in weight than the wayacan quenacho below. A really nice looking instrument with stunning grain lines that run it’s length.

Free Quenacho Cover

This quenacho comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this quenacho flute, click this link to visit my Jacaranda Aymara quenacho page. You will also be able to select your free cover to go with your flute.

Andean Aymara Quenacho Flute

Professional Quenacho – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Tuned to the scale of Re Major (D) / Si minor (Bm)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quenacho Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional Quenacho flute and a free case

PRICE – £ 42.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 45.68

Click the link to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this Jacaranda quenacho and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quenacho anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quenacho is £5.99 (signed for). Click below to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quenacho + Postage – £42.99 + £5.99 = £48.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional Andean Wayacan Quenacho Flute

Made by the same professional musician and luthier as the quena above, this quenacho is a longer, deeper sounding flute than the quena. This particular quenacho is made from Bolivian Wayacan green wood.

Precision concert tuned to Re Major (D) /Si minor (Bm)

This quenacho measures 20 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide. It is a beautiful instrument and in reality appears a little lighter in colour than the photos depict. As it turns in the light, you can detect a very slight greenish tint from the Wayacan wood.

Free Quenacho Cover

This quenacho comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this quenacho flute, click this link to visit my Wayacan quenacho page. You will also be able to select your free cover to go with your flute.

Andean Quenacho Flute

Professional Quenacho – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Wayacan Wood
Tuned to the scale of Re Major (D) / Si minor (Bm)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quenacho Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional Quenacho flute and a free case

PRICE – £ 44.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 47.68

Click the link to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quenacho anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quenacho is £5.99 (signed for). Click below to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quenacho + Postage – £44.99 + £5.99 = £50.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional Andean Quenacho Flute – Jacaranda

Here we have another stunning quenacho. Again this instrument has a much deeper sound than the quena and is six inches longer. This particular quenacho is made from Bolivian Jacaranda wood.

Precision concert tuned to Re Major (D) /Si minor (Bm)

This quenacho measures 19 3/4 inches long, 1 1/4 inches wide and is a little lighter in weight than the wayacan quenacho above. A really nice looking instrument with stunning grain lines that run it’s length.

Free Quenacho Cover

This quenacho comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this quenacho flute, click this link to visit my Jacaranda quenacho page. You will also be able to select your free cover to go with your flute.

Andean Quenacho Flute

Professional Quenacho – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Tuned to the scale of Re Major (D) / Si minor (Bm)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quenacho Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional Quenacho flute and a free case

PRICE – £ 38.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 41.68

Click the link to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this Jacaranda quenacho and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quenacho anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quenacho is £5.99 (signed for). Click below to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Quenacho + Postage – £38.99 + £5.99 = £44.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Professional ‘Tweaked’ Concert Quenacho Flute – Jacaranda

All the flutes sold on Original Artisan are professional instruments and operate at a high standard, but these particular quenachos have been specifically ‘tweaked’ by the producers to ensure they are exceptional instruments and perform to the highest possible standard.

These flutes are for the quenacho connoisseur or the flute perfectionist as you might say.

As you can see, they are quite plain and have no frills. A beautifully simple, yet perfect instrument.

This stunning flute has a much deeper sound than the quena and is six inches longer. This particular quenacho is made from Bolivian Jacaranda wood.

Precision concert tuned to Re Major (D) /Si minor (Bm)

This quenacho measures 19 3/4 inches long, 1 1/4 inches wide and is suited to the more experienced concert quenacho player. A beautiful looking instrument with subtle grain lines that run it’s length.

Free Quenacho Cover

This tweaked quenacho comes with a stunning woven case, absolutely free.

If you would like see more detailed photos or purchase this quenacho flute, click this link to visit my ‘tweaked’ Jacaranda quenacho page. You will also be able to select your free cover to go with your flute.

Aymara ‘Tweaked’ Concert Quenacho Flute

Professional Quenacho – Beautifully Constructed
Made by a Famous Andean Musician, Luthier & Composer
Hand Crafted from Bolivian Jacaranda Wood
Tweaked for Exceptional Performance
Tuned to the scale of Re Major (D) / Si minor (Bm)
Fair Trade, Directly from the Artisan in Bolivia
Free Woven Quenacho Case
100 % Money Back Guarantee

Payment Details

For this professional tweaked Quenacho flute and a free case

PRICE – £ 56.99

+ Postage & Packaging anywhere in the UK – £ 2.69

Total – £ 59.68

Click the link to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar.

Click here to view or purchase this ‘tweaked’ Jacaranda quenacho and case from my artisan site.

International Buyers

If you live outside the UK, I am willing to post this quenacho anywhere in the world.

International postage for this quenacho is £5.99 (signed for). Click below to view this quenacho’s product page on my artisan site. Click ‘Add To Cart’ then select ‘Checkout’ from the ‘Pages’ menu in the right hand sidebar. Select your country from the postage calculator menu.

International Buyers
Tweaked Quenacho + Postage – £56.99 + £5.99 = £62.98

I accept the following payment methods.

PayPal is my preferred method of payment, but I will also accept cheques and postal orders.

Take a look at my Postage & Packaging pages for more details on my posting policy.

Remember If you are interested in purchasing this instrument, you are always covered by the Street Musician guarantee.

Free Quenacho Covers

All quena and quenachos purchased on this site come with a stunning colourful free woven cover which can be chosen from the quenacho covers page on Original Artisan.

Due to the small quantities of flutes I have in stock, only a limited amount of  flutes and cases are available and they will be sent out to customers on a first come first served basis.

Visiting this pages post links that relate to your flute purchase will lead you through to the selection of your free cover. You may also click here and follow the instructions given. Please remember to give 3 preferences to ensure you have the best chance of receiving a flute cover of your choice.

I will be posting more quenacho and transverse flutes on this page over the next few days, but if you would like to view more of these wonderful Andean instruments they are available for sale in the woodwind section of Original Artisan.

I also have a few other instruments for sale on this site and will have much more to offer our readers in the near future. Check out my instruments page for details.

I am currently in the process of building my artisan web site to promote these and many other wonderful instruments and products from South America. I also have a few auctions running on Ebay if you would like to take a look. Click the link to view my Ebay ‘About Me‘ page.

It may take a while, but there’s going to be some great stuff coming this way. So keep checking back for more great offers here on Street Musician.

Thanks for looking.

Kier

Other Posts of Interest

Instruments For Sale
Why Do I Sell Bolivian instruments ?
The South American Charango
Professional Charangos
Classical Guitars
Street Musician Guarantee
Postage & Packaging Details
Original Artisan

Back Home

Since the creation of this blog, Street Musician has spread itself out in many different directions over the last year and being a relatively new blog I still have many great things in mind for it’s future. I guess [...]]]> So how did this site come to sell handmade Bolivian instruments ?

Since the creation of this blog, Street Musician has spread itself out in many different directions over the last year and being a relatively new blog I still have many great things in mind for it’s future. I guess you could say we haven’t even begun yet.

It was never my original intention to start selling instruments as a way of providing an income for the thousands of hours work that go into creating this site, but as you can imagine, being a musician, selling instruments has always been something I would have loved to get involved with, especially as it perfectly compliments my own career.

Over the last few months however, I have been extremely fortunate in finding myself in the position of having a close family network across the globe who are now able to personally seek out these instruments from genuine artisan sources and under strict regulation and instruction from me, can help provide them for sale to my readers through this blog.

My intention is to provide musicians such as myself with good quality instruments at prices way below that of a shop or manufacturer, as I believe music should come at an affordable price to all those who seek it’s rewards.

At the moment I only have a very limited choice of goods for sale, but if this project becomes successful over the next few months, then the choice and range of instruments I will be able to provide will become much greater and more elaborate as the site expands.

Hopefully we will be able to build a strong ethical business model which will help support the artisanean communities from which these instruments are made and help improve the lives of all those involved in bringing them to you.

This project will also help provide an income for this site and help maintain and improve Street Musician to ensure it’s long term future.

Together, we can help spread the music across the globe.

Thanks.

Kier

Other Posts of Interest

Instruments For Sale
The South American Charango
Buy A Professional Charangos
Classical Guitars
Flutes – Quenas and Quenachos
Street Musician Guarantee
Postage & Packaging Details
Original Artisan

Back Home

The charango is a member of the lute family and is said to have descended from the Spanish vihuela which had six pairs of double strings and was most commonly used [...]]]> The charango is a small traditional South American stringed instrument that resembles a ukulele and has 5 sets of paired strings.

The charango is a member of the lute family and is said to have descended from the Spanish vihuela which had six pairs of double strings and was most commonly used around the 16th century to entertain the upper classes of Spanish aristocratic society.

An angel playing a six course vihuela de mano, from an altarpiece by Italian painter Girolamo dia Libri in 1520.

By the end of the 17th century, the vihuela was over taken in popularity by the guitarra Espanola, a new instrument which unlike the vihuela (whose strings were predominantly plucked) had four sets of double strings and was more widely used for playing chords. This later developed into 5 sets of double strings and then eventually six as in the modern guitars we have today.

During the development of the guitarra Espanola and following it’s introduction to South America, the use of five sets of double strings became increasingly accepted as a common standard and variations of these instruments spread throughout South America and the Andes. Instruments such as the Venezuelan and Colombian cuatro or tiple, the Mexican jurana, the Andean guitarrilla (also known as charango mediano) and many others such as the chitarra battente, laud and bandolina emerged from the integration and migration of new cultures mixing with the colonising Spanish conquistadors.

Venezuelan Cuatro

Chitarra Battente

Materials used in the construction of the charango varied depending on the resources available to the indigenous people in their local surroundings. Those living near tropical forests tended to fashion their charango’s out of single pieces of wood, whereas those in other districts fashioned the sound boxes out of the shells of armadillo’s and in some instances pumpkin shells or bull’s hides.

The modern day standardised charango is generally made from either wood or the shell of a native armadillo called the quirquincho. Those with bodies constructed from wood are known as charango de madera and those constructed from armadillo shells are called charango de quirquincho.

These wild quirquincho’s are native to certain regions of South America, particularly in the La Paz and Oruro districts and were traditionally hunted by the indigenous population for many reasons including the making of charms, being used as a source of food, for use in magic rituals, folk law and fortune telling and also in the making of musical instruments such as the charango and matraca. The matraca is a percussion instrument of great importance used by dancers to create rhythm at events and festivals. They are mainly exported to regions of Chile, Argentina and Peru.

Armadillo Charango’s (Charango de Quirquincho)

Due to it’s over exploitation in the local and tourist industries, the quirquincho is now officially an endangered species and Bolivia has placed a complete and permanent ban on the capture and use of quirquincho’s for any of these practices.

As a musical instrument, a charango made from the shell of a quirquincho is of substandard quality and although quite playable, does not have great musical integrity. They generally possess a much more inferior sound quality to that of one made of wood.

The main exportation of quirquincho charangos are not as professional instruments but as tourist souvenirs and wall mounted trophies. If you are considering buying a charango, avoid purchasing one made of armadillo shell as exportation and domestic trade of these animals is now illegal. Please buy a wooden one and give the poor quirquincho a break.

All the charango’s you will find on this site are all high quality professional instruments and are made by and for performing artists and musicians.

The Charango de Madera

Professional Charango

Achieving almost mythical status, the charango is a true icon of South American music and is also extremely popular across the rest of the world. The charango plays a huge role in the events and everyday lives of millions of people, taking centre stage at festivals, celebrations, weddings, funerals, religious events and common family occaisions.

It’s popularity spans all cultures and classes and is played by farm workers, concert players, artisans, businessmen, the young, the old and men and women alike. It is often commandeered by courting lovers and played to win the affections of a loved one.

This versatile instrument can be played solo or in duet with one or more guitars and can take centre stage or be played in accompaniment with flutes, pan pipes, drums and many other instruments.

When picked the charango portrays an almost harp like quality and when strummed it’s colourful, vibrant energy comes into it’s own. The charango’s rhythmic capabilities stand out from the crowd along with it’s unique sound.

A Ninja Playing a Charango

I will soon be posting a ‘How to Play The Charango’ section which will contain loads of info on different tunings, stringing, lessons etc. to help you get to grips with this instrument. It will also feature more videos from other great charango players on You Tube.

If you would like to hear more music from the charango I’ll be posting a charango music page in the near future. In the meantime, take a look at some of my other posts below.

Other Posts of Interest

Instruments For Sale
Why Do I Sell Bolivian instruments ?
Buy A Professional Charango
Classical Guitars
Flutes – Quenas and Quenachos
Street Musician Guarantee
Postage & Packaging Details
Original Artisan

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