A brief history: During the old days many Spanish and Indigenous instruments had wooden tunings although they have almost been replaced by the guitar like gear mechanisms found on almost all of today's stringed instruments. After its unique and brief existence this guitar has fazed out of use. Of course one can see why, the materials, dimensions, specifications and such are very unique to this instrument the other factor plays into this is the tension of the neck.
Name: (General classification), 18-string guitar
Type: Chordophone; lute, flat back, plucked, strummed.
Region: Peru, limited traditionally to North-western Peru.
Tuning: DDD-GGG-Cc,C'-FFF-AAA-CCC three semitones below standard 6-string guitar tuning.
Source: Custom, made by Huaman a luthier in Cuzco now gone out of buisness. This guitar is made through a pre-oredered through Rene Hugo Sanchez,
Acquisition date: circa 2002, Christmas.
Description: The 18-string guitar is a rare instrument even in "today's" Peru. If one wishes to acquire this instrument. They should have it made by a luthier. My guitar was made by a luthier known by the name Huaman, who originally is from Northern Peru. Currently to date, resides in Cuzco Peru (the once Inca capital and now cultural capital of Peru) the official capitol in Peru is Lima. This instrument slightly came after the guitar roughly 1700s to 1800s Peru. Although the original 18 string guitars had wooden tunings and must have been incredibly difficult to tune.
Personal Acquisition: I acquired this instrument through a design, concept and pre-order of the 18-string guitar. Bear in mind that one cannot obtain this instrument (in any music store chain). This 18-string guitar was also designed under supervision by my teacher Rene Hugo Sanchez. My teacher commissioned the maker Huaman who is based in Cuzco (Rene tells me that Huaman is now out of business or may have moved to another location).
Playing techniques for the 18 string guitar: The instrument is traditionally played solo and or accompanies the vocals. Currently I have been adapting traditional tunings, playing and fingering techniques to this instrument in respect to the traditions of this instrument so that the research of the instrument can continue. I am one of the only few musicians who owns this instrument out side of Peru to the best of my knowledge [if any other musician has one I would like to meet them and discuss the research we have learned]. The anatomy of the 18 String Guitar works like this.
Citations: Rene Hugo Sanchez > http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=75612140