Just wanted to let you guys now that, for those who play Electric Bass guitar and often wanted to double-up on a higher-pitched, lead instrument, there is the option of the Puerto Rican Cuatro.
http://www.cuatro-pr.org
The Puerto Rican Cuatro is a 10 stringed instrument (5 sets of doubled strings, tuned to the same tuning of a 5-string electric bass, G, D, A, E, B). The fretboard is smaller than an acoustic guitars, so one has to become used to smaller fingerings, and a much tighter, plectrum-plucked technique, but, if properly practiced, the same scales and chords of the electric bass can be replicated on the
PR Cuatro. The sound is sweet, yet metallic...like a mix of ukelele and Mandolin.
Many of Puerto Rico's top Cuatro players are also excellent electric bassists. An example is Pedro Guzman, who began his career as an electric bassist influenced by American jazz and funk, and later immersed himself in the folkloric music of Puerto Rico, took up the Cuatro, and now is mostly known for his jazz and latin-jazz records featuring the Cuatro as the lead improvisation instruments (his series of CDs is called Jibaro Jazz).
So, for those out there looking to easily learn a new, lead-capable instrument that matches known chord/scale/fretboard relationships, give the Puerto Rican Cuatro a try.
Anyone else know other string instruments that match the electric bass' tuning?
