Anatomy of the Cuatro Puertorriqueño

Acoustic cuatro—A cuatro that uses a hollow body to resonate sound instead of electrical amplification.

Binding—A strip of flexible material such as wood or plastic which is used to strengthen the body of the cuatro where the soundboard and back meet the sides.

Body—The main section of the cuatro, on which the neck and bridge are attached. In acoustic cuatros the hollow body acts as a resonator for the sound.

Bout—The waist of a cuatro divides the body into the upper bout and lower bout.

Braces—Strips of wood found on the inside of a cuatro. They are used to strengthen the body but also have an effect on tone.

Bridge—A device on the lower body of a cuatro that supports and raises the strings off the fretboard.

Cutaway—An area on the body of the cuatro that curves around to avoid the high end of the neck. This leaves easy access to the higher notes of the fretboard.

Dot markers—Fret markers that are in the form of little circles. They are the most common fret markers and they are usually found on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th fret.

Double course—A pair of strings aligned closely to one another enabling both to be sounded with one pluck. A Puerto Rican cuatro has five double courses of strings.

Electric cuatro—A cuatro that relies on electrical amplification instead of the natural resonance of the instrument. Because there is no need for the resonance of the body, electrical cuatros commonly have a solid body instead of a hollow body.

Fretboard—A thin, long strip of dark hardwood on the surface of the neck where the fret bars are placed. The strings run over the fretboard and are pushed down to change the vibrating length, changing the pitch.

Inlays—Decorative materials cut and fitted into the cuatro’s fingerboard, headstock face or body.

Neck—The wooden stem that extends from the main body of the cuatro, supports the headstock, and contains the fretboard.

Nut—The component separating the fretboard from the headstock. It keeps the strings in their correct position.Pick Guard—Plastic or metal flat cover that protects the guitars finish from scratches. Pick guards are attached to the body of the guitar.

Rosette—An inlay that surrounds the sound hole of the cuatro.

Soundboard—The top/front surface of an acoustic guitar body.

Strap pin—A round piece of metal located on the body of the cuatro to which the strap is attached.

Tuners—The metal attachments to the headstock which twist to adjust the tension in the strings, enabling you to attach and retune strings.

Waist—The middle part of a cuatro body that curves inward. The waist separates the upper bout and lower bout.

Your Turn

• Can you name the different parts of the Cuatro and explain their functions?