c.1900 Viola Da Terra
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A Portuguese-derived instrument, this type of "viola" it associated with the Azores Islands. This particular one probably dates c.1890s to c.1920s, and originally had wooden tuner pegs. There are a whole variety of different "violas" of these types -- ie, steel-strung, octave-tuned, guitar-shaped instruments coming out of Portugal -- and you can take a look at some others by clicking here. They're essentially related in sound and playing style to the Portuguese guitar (a cittern-like 12-string instrument with a mandolin-ish body shape), but feature a more guitar-oriented tuning (typically ADGBD like a guitar's "top five" with the E tuned down) and also a baroque guitar body shape.
The bridges on Portuguese instruments like these are terribly cool -- being in two parts with the larger part acting as string anchor and also a top-mounted brace, and the second part being the actual bridge where the strings transfer their energy into the top. This gives a tone somewhere between that of a tailpiece-load instrument and a guitar-load (ie, glued bridge) instrument -- warm and sweet but also punchy and strident.
The bridges on Portuguese instruments like these are terribly cool -- being in two parts with the larger part acting as string anchor and also a top-mounted brace, and the second part being the actual bridge where the strings transfer their energy into the top. This gives a tone somewhere between that of a tailpiece-load instrument and a guitar-load (ie, glued bridge) instrument -- warm and sweet but also punchy and strident.
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My work on this fella included regluing the bridge, crafting of a new bone saddle, new nut, installation of 12 new friction tuners (uke style), and also regluing of some bracing and the center seam of the top.
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It's come out really nice and plays fantastically, despite a slightly peculiarly back-bowed neck, though I do have to cut a new saddle that's --slightly -- taller on the lowest course.
Scale length is 21.5" and the strings are arranged 3-3-2-2-2 from bass to treble.
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Rosewood fretboard, original frets.
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Fun bridge(s) and inlaid marquetry on the lower bout. Top is bound with wood (maple?) binding and also purfled with b/w/b wood.
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Cool twin-heart soundholes with inlaid rosette.
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These instruments are both folky-looking and stately-looking at the same time. Very fun stuff.
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I'm not sure what the back, side, and neck woods are, but there's a chance that they're cypress or something similar under that dark red stain.
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These tuners look like a hassle but they're not all that bad. They're simple Grover uke tuners but get the job done without alteration to the instrument.
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Simple eye-hook end pin. I may actually drill out a hole and put a wood one in at some point. My wifey's leaning towards my holding onto this instrument... and I can't complain! I've passed up a few Portuguese guitars that I loved and this thing has the best of both worlds --- a guitar-like body and neck with the sound of the guitarra -- and retunes easily from ADGBD to "guitar" ADGBE or "banjo" (or Keith Richards g-tuning) GDGBD quite easily.
Comments
this one is really great.
Thank you,
Rene Reed
rmreed07@yahoo.com
California