rodacki's Reviews

Brazilian folk instrument - made of rare tone woods

The viola caipira is a tradicional Brazilian folk stringed instrument. It has 5 pais of strings, tuned in open D, open E, open G, or standard guitar tuning, among other runnings. My particular instrument was crafted in our former guitar shop (called Hootz Luthier), in 2002. It was built on solid Koa top which my late friend John Pearce gave me back in 2001. Back and sides are Brazilian rosewood 100 plus years of age, which was extracted from 19th century furniture. Neck is made of Brazilian mahogany reinforced with two beams of 60 plus years old "imbuia" wood (Ocotea porosa), extracted from an old house pillars, along with a Brazilian "red" rosewood fingerboard. How can I describe this instrument's tone? Well is the best viola caipira tone I've hear in my life.