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Hear Evanito play one of our Charangos. Click Here for audio only sound sample.  You can buy our charangos here

The Charango

The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, which probably originated in the Quechua and Aymara populations in post-Columbian times, after European stringed instruments were introduced by the Spanish during colonialization. The instrument is widespread throughout the Andean regions of Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, northern Chile and northwestern Argentina, where it is a popular musical instrument which exists in many variant forms.

About 65 cm [26 inches] long, the charango was traditionally made with the shell from the back of an armadillo (quirquincho, mulita),but also it can be made of wood, which some believe to be a better resonator. Wood is more commonly used in modern instruments. Charangos for children may also be made from calabash. Many contemporary charangos are now made with different types of wood. It typically has 10 strings in five courses of 2 strings each