Guitarra de golpe
The Guitarra de golpe is a stringed musical instrument from Mexico. It has 5 nylon strings in 5 courses. The headstock traditionally has a traditional shape that is designed to look like a stylised owl with wooden pegs, but nowadays this is sometimes replaced with a guitar or vihuela style headstock with machine heads. For a while during the 20th century, the Guitarra De Golpe fell into disuse in traditional Mariachi groups, and was replaced by the Classical guitar. It has now however been revived. It is still an essential part of the "conjuntos de arpa" from Michoacán.
 Guitarra de golpe, front view | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Guitarra Colorada, Quinta De Golpe, Mariachera |
| Classification | String instrument |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | (Composite chordophone) |
| Developed | Jalisco and Michoacán, Mexico |
| Related instruments | |
| Mexican vihuela, Guitarrón mexicano, Huapanguera, Jarana huasteca, Guitar. | |
Like the vihuela, it often only has a few frets, but unlike the Vihuela, the frets are made of metal or wood, instead of the vihuela's tied on nylon.
Tuning
Standard Michoacán tuning: D3, G3, C4, E3, A3.
Tecalitlán tuning: D3, G3, B4, E3, A3.
Urbana Arriba tuning: G3, C4, E4, A3, D4.
Urbana Abajo tuning: G3, C4, E3, A3, D4.
Vihuela tuning: A3, D3, G3, B4, E3.
Names
The Guitarra de Golpe has many names.
- Guitarra de Golpe: Golpe is the name of the strumming pattern used for this and other Mexican instruments.
- Guitarra Colorada: Translates as 'red guitar'. The literal translation is "colored guitar".
- Quinta De Golpe: Fifth strum.
- Mariachera: A reference to Mariachi music.