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Un guitarrón

#2
Guitarron is used mainly in Mexican music like mariachi and trio music. This acoustic bass has a HUGE, round body, a real short neck, and six strings. It is not tuned anything like a guitar or an electric bass. With the right hand, you chord, but also use the thumb to grab the lowest string over the top of the neck. The right hand plucks two strings at a time using the thumb and index finger, and plucks a bass and octave note. Full, fat sound! This instrument will give you calluses on BOTH hands, and when mastered, runs and cool riffs can be played. I have played one rarely, though my nephew and brothers are masters on the guitarron.
 
#3
Rob Martinez said:
Guitarron is used mainly in Mexican music like mariachi and trio music. This acoustic bass has a HUGE, round body, a real short neck, and six strings. It is not tuned anything like a guitar or an electric bass. With the right hand, you chord, but also use the thumb to grab the lowest string over the top of the neck. The right hand plucks two strings at a time using the thumb and index finger, and plucks a bass and octave note. Full, fat sound! This instrument will give you calluses on BOTH hands, and when mastered, runs and cool riffs can be played. I have played one rarely, though my nephew and brothers are masters on the guitarron.
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This subject has come up a few times before and you seem to have some knowledge on these things - where would somebody go about finding a high-quality guitarron? Would they have to go all the way to Jalisco? Because I don't think pro musicians use the cheap ones I've seen in Tijuana...
 
#4
Rob Martinez said:
Guitarron is used mainly in Mexican music like mariachi and trio music. This acoustic bass has a HUGE, round body, a real short neck, and six strings. It is not tuned anything like a guitar or an electric bass. With the right hand, you chord, but also use the thumb to grab the lowest string over the top of the neck. The right hand plucks two strings at a time using the thumb and index finger, and plucks a bass and octave note. Full, fat sound! This instrument will give you calluses on BOTH hands, and when mastered, runs and cool riffs can be played. I have played one rarely, though my nephew and brothers are masters on the guitarron.
Click to expand...

It's been ages since I played one, but I do remember the Guitarrón is tuned just like a guitar, an octave lower. And I believe you meant the left hand for chording.

I believe part of the full, fat sound comes from the fact that most players rest their instrument on their belly, purpose grown :D.
 
#7
Yeah, left hand for chording. Not tuned like a guitar at all. Doesn't mean you can't tune it like a guitar, I did that once to get through a ten day cruise gig, I played guitarron in a mariachi and I know my way around a guitar, so I HAD to re tune it like a guitar to do that.

Morales are the expensive ones from Guadalajara. I hesitate to recommend getting a cheap one, since they are pretty difficult to play to begin with. I believe Pimentel and Jerry Star here in Albuquerque make them, but they can be pricey. I'd get a cheap one first to see if you even like the concept, the go for a better one if you do.
 
#9
At first glance, the traditional guitarron does indeed appear to be tuned much like a standard 6-string guitar.

The notes ADGCEA have the same relationship to each other as EADGBE.

They are both tuned to ascending perfect fourths, with an exception between third and second strings, which is a major third.

The REAL difference with the traditional guitarron tuning is that the first string (A) is tuned a full octave lower than you would expect it to be.

That low A plays a big part in the guitarron's unique sound.
 

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