Anyone know about "Spanish Basses"?

[JACink]

Hi Guys (and gals),

A question out of curiosity here!

There are a few good Spanish luthiers that make guitars, and I was looking around for any that made Accoustic Basses.

However, I came accross something that interested me, but I couldn't find much info on the web.

There is an instrument, that dates back to the 18th century, called a "Bajo Español" (Spanish Bass) that it seems is still produced today by a few luthiers.

This resembles an Accoustic Bass, but with nylon strings, and I believe it is of a shorter scale than most AB´s. There are 4 string and 6 string versions, and are used mainly in spanish "folk" type music.

Does anyone know anything about these? I would love to find more info, but am failing to do so!!

Thanks (as always!).

[Crater]

I grew up near the mexican border in El Paso, Texas - right across the Rio Grande river from Juarez, Mexico. I've seen a lot of Mariachi bands over the years, they usually have a guy playing a guitar-like bass, usually fretless, usually with 6 strings and they look to be fairly short scale. I've known them to be called a "Guitarron" or a "bajo sexto"....

[JACink]

The bass I am referring to is not a Guitarron, but is actually more like a spanish guitar shape.

I have been searching for a few photos that I saw the other day, but I can´t find the right combination of "google words" to find the site again!

[nukes_da_bass]

They make these in the Philippines too. Giant bodies strung with cabling wire. Someday when I retire there I will buy one on a lark.