Top & Best Cavaquinho Review 2022 – How to Select Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

Cavaquinho: What is the best model of 2022?

Today’s subject is: cavaquinho, an important musical instrument in the history of samba, pagode and choro. Nowadays, there is no wheel of these musical styles that does not have the cavaquinho.

The chip, affectionately called in the diminutive, is a 4-string instrument that can be acoustic, electric or electroacoustic. The cavaquinho is made of several types of wood that influence their sound, usually soft and dancing, but which can also be more intense.

If you are interested in buying a ukulele model, but do not know the characteristics of this instrument, what are the best models, how much they cost and where to buy, then you have come to the right place.

In this article we will tell you everything you need to know before buying your ukulele.

First, the most important

• The ukulele has four strings, they can be made of nylon or steel. Nylon strings are suitable for those learning, as they are softer, while steel strings produce a more powerful sound, but they hurt your fingers a little.
• The ukulele can be acoustic, electric or electroacoustic. Acoustic is ideal for those who are learning, as it is cheaper. The electric model is indicated for those who will perform with this instrument, since the electroacoustic is a hybrid and can be used in both ways.
• The price of the cavaquinho varies according to the model, brand, wood used, and whether it is acoustic or electric. The lowest price you will pay is R $ 250 and the most expensive is R $ 5,000 (professional model).

Ranking: The 4 best ukulele models

The cavaquinho is an instrument that cannot be missed in samba, pagode or choro circles. This instrument was present in the creation of these musical rhythms so important in the history of music. To facilitate your search we have gathered here the best models for sale on the market:

Buying Guide

The cavaquinho is a very important instrument. He is present in the samba, pagode and choro circles. Whether for fun or even to perform, there is a right ukulele for each person.

In addition to presenting the best models, as we did in the ranking above, we want to bring all the information so that you know how to buy the best chip for you. Come on?

What is a ukulele and where to use it?

The cavaquinho is a small stringed instrument that played an important role in the creation and development of samba and choro, important rhythms of popular music.

Also called a chip, this instrument has four strings that are tuned in D, Si, Sol and D, these strings can be nylon or steel. Nylon strings have the softest sound while steel strings are more powerful and have a metallic sound.

The dimensions of this instrument vary slightly from model to model, but in general they are 52 cm long, 12 cm for the head, 17 cm for the arm and 23 cm for the case. The width of the largest bowl (bottom of the box) is 15 cm and the smallest 11 cm. The vibrant part of the strings, from the lash to the easel, measures 33 cm.

To choose a good ukulele model, pay attention to the finish, which must be free of bends in the neck or cracks in the wood, the head with a chime must tighten and loosen the strings just as easily, and the instrument must be half-top, as it is dirty and spoils less.

But the main characteristic that you should observe is if the cavaquinho has a clear and very alive sound in all the strings. To discover this, play string by string and see if the sound it produces has the ideal vibration.

We have prepared a table with the main pros and cons for those who are learning to play the ukulele. This table does not refer to the advantages and disadvantages of the instrument, but to learn about it, check out:

Benefits

• The ukulele is light and small, which makes it very easy to hold and transport
• It’s a cheap instrument
• Musical versatility: this instrument makes solos and accompaniment
• Can be used to play various musical rhythms such as pagode, samba and choro

Disadvantages

• Distance between strings and small arm width, difficult to fit fingers
• Fingers slide
• Pains at your fingertips when you are starting to learn

What is the difference between the ukulele and the ukulele?

Before we talk about the differences between the ukulele and ukulele, let’s talk about a characteristic that varies between ukuleles: whether the instrument is acoustic, electric or electroacoustic.

The acoustic cavaquinho is a model widely used by those who are learning to play, as it is a little cheaper and there is no need to purchase a sound amplifier.

Agora se você for comprar um cavaquinho para fazer apresentações, tocar em eventos, bares, entre outros, é preciso ligá-lo em um amplificador, logo você deve escolher um modelo elétrico ou eletroacústico.

Os modelos elétrico ou eletroacústico podem ser ligados diretamente no amplificador, o que faz bastante diferença no som caso seja em um espaço amplo e aberto.

Agora vamos falar um pouco sobre um instrumento que se parece tanto com o cavaquinho que tem pessoas que até confundem os dois: o ukulele, de origem havaiana.

Ukulele

Apesar de ser parecido por fora, o ukulele tem o som bem diferente do cavaquinho, é bastante suave, tanto que esse instrumento é usado nas calmas músicas havaianas, pop, indie e jazz.

Ele também tem o braço um pouco menor do que o cavaquinho e as cordas têm um espaçamento maior entre elas e são feitas de nylon, que garantem o som mais suave. Além disso, os músicos costumam tocar o ukulele com as pontas dos dedos.

ukulele é feito de um tipo de madeira típica do Havaí, que é a Koa, essa madeira garante um timbre diferente, mais suave e delicado.

Cavaquinho

O cavaquinho tem o som mais forte e com bastante volume, o que ajuda a manter o ritmo da música e também pode ser usado para fazer solos. Para tocá-lo você pode dedilhar ou usar uma palheta.

Esse instrumento tem o som melodioso e dançante, por isso é muito usado em rodas de samba, pagode e choro.

O espaçamento entre as cordas é um pouco menor e elas são feitas de nylon ou aço (é o tipo mais comum). O material de fabricação varia, ele pode ser feito de vários tipos de madeira, depende do modelo, marca e preço.

Preparamos uma tabela comparativa sobre as principais diferenças e similaridades entre esses dois instrumentos, confira:

Quanto custa?

The price of the cavaquinho varies according to the model, brand, wood used, and whether it is acoustic or electric. The cheapest models cost less than R $ 200, the best quality ones (acoustics and materials for manufacturing the piece), cost around R $ 500.

The professional use models are a little more expensive, the minimum you will pay is R $ 3,000 and the highest price reaches R $ 5,000.

Did you know that choro is a musical genre that emerged in the middle of the 19th century? It originated from the process of joining musical elements from popular folk songs, with European dances such as polka and lundu musical elements, a type of song and dance of African origin.

All of these influences resulted in a hybrid musical language: chorinho. Choro has always been a musical style of oral tradition, that is, musicians used to transmit their knowledge orally, long before spreading it through writing.

Where to buy?

You buy a ukulele at own musical instrument stores, where you can try them out. You can buy in big stores, You can also buy online, in e-commerces, such as Amazon,

We recommend Amazon, because on this site you can compare prices, models, brands, see several photos of the product, read the opinion of other consumers and have the confidence that you will receive an original, quality product and delivered quickly to your home.

Purchasing criteria: Factors to compare the different ukulele models

When buying a musical instrument you should keep in mind that some characteristics make all the difference in the type of sound and the quality it has. This is no different with the cavaquinho, the acoustic quality is directly linked to the following characteristics:

• Wood type
• Acoustic or electric
• String Type
• Design

We will explain each of these characteristics, so that you do not have any doubts about what to take into account when buying a ukulele.

Wood type

The type of wood used in the ukulele defines not only the quality and durability of the product but also the type of sound that comes out of the instrument, which can be thicker or thinner depending on the vibration they cause in the wood.

Generally, manufacturers use different types of wood for different pieces of the chip. The bottom and sides are made of a type of wood, while the top and the arm are from others.

The most used types of wood are: cedar (for the arm), rosewood, mahogany, marupá, imbuia, linden, fir and dark maple for the sides, bottom and top. Cedar is one of the highest quality types of wood, it highlights bass sounds and has excellent durability.

There are also plywood cavaquinhos, they are simpler, cheaper and ideal for those just starting out, but they create a higher pitched sound and have less durability, especially if it is not so well taken care of

Acoustic or electric?

The ukulele can be acoustic, electric or electroacoustic. For those who are learning to play or will play only in a circle of friends, we recommend the acoustic cavaquinho, as there will be no need to use amplifiers and it is a little cheaper.

The electric cavaquinho is the most suitable type for professional musicians or for people who will perform in public, because it is coupled to a sound amplifier.

Finally, the electroacoustic model can be used in both acoustic and electric modes. It should be noted that the amplifiers are sold separately and they are a little expensive, so weigh the pros and cons of each option before defining your choice.

Rope type

The ukulele has four strings, and like any other string instrument, they can be made of nylon or steel. Check out the differences:

Nylon Ropes

Nylon strings are suitable for people who are learning to play, as they are softer than steel and therefore will not hurt your fingers. You should exchange nylon strings for steel when your fingers are calloused with nylon strings.

But nylon strings are not only suitable for those who are learning, because of the soft timbre, they are ideal to be played individually (strumming) and stand out in the choro rhythm.

The instrument must be suitable for nylon strings, make sure that the screwdriver (part where the strings are attached) is plastic and thick. If you put steel strings in dies of this material they will destroy the plastic part and bend the instrument by the tension of the string, in some cases they can even release the easel from the chip body.

Steel Ropes

This type of string is ideal for those who want to play a slightly stronger sound, because as the strings are thicker, the sound they produce is more intense and louder.

It is best to play steel string instruments using reeds to avoid hurting your fingers so much, but you can play with your fingers too.

Steel cavaquinhos suitable for steel strings have a finer die and made of metal, which does not spoil in contact with steel. It is not suitable for nylon strings, because they will not be as firm and will never be well tuned.

Design

And last but not least, the cavaquinho style. An instrument that says a lot about the personality of the musician, and with the chip would be no different.

There are options for light, medium or dark wood. You can even buy a white, black, colorful and even printed ukulele. The colors of the flag, and even the coat of arms of our country are possible alternatives to be found.

 

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