Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 3:56 amHi all.
Ive had much positive feedback relating to my guiro's both by musicians at gigs and also on here, so I thought I would post up step by step instructions and pics for those who would like to take up the challenge and make a guiro, but not too sure on how to go about it.
Now, I do not claim to be an expert on making guiros or chekeres, and by no means do I consider my way the definitive and only way to go about it, it is merely how I have gone about it and come up with what I think is a pretty good result.
Feel free to add comments/suggestions and questions.
Im posting this in order to share some knowledge and creativity and maybe even learn a thing or 2 myself about these wonderful instruments.
I hope you enjoy.
Ok... The beginning.
I had the pleasure of growing my own gourds, once I had planted them, several months later a small seedling popped out and eventually a few weeks later took over most of my back yard, here is a pic of the crop from a few years back.
If growing your own, hopefully you wont go through the heartbreak I went through of seeing several gourds not survive the drying process or die prematurely while on the plant.
A sad thing for a gourd grower.
Of all the gourds, 3 survived at this size.
You need to hang them somewhere securely and let them dry naturally somewhere away from the exposed elements, but allowing it to get air and sunlight.
Here is a pic, several months later, now fully dried out and weighing a fraction of what it did when it came off the plant.
Below: The gourd is removed from its hanging position now fully dried out and hard.
Edited By ABAKUA on 1124786715
Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... CN1175.JPG
Ive had much positive feedback relating to my guiro's both by musicians at gigs and also on here, so I thought I would post up step by step instructions and pics for those who would like to take up the challenge and make a guiro, but not too sure on how to go about it.
Now, I do not claim to be an expert on making guiros or chekeres, and by no means do I consider my way the definitive and only way to go about it, it is merely how I have gone about it and come up with what I think is a pretty good result.
Feel free to add comments/suggestions and questions.
Im posting this in order to share some knowledge and creativity and maybe even learn a thing or 2 myself about these wonderful instruments.
I hope you enjoy.
Ok... The beginning.
I had the pleasure of growing my own gourds, once I had planted them, several months later a small seedling popped out and eventually a few weeks later took over most of my back yard, here is a pic of the crop from a few years back.
If growing your own, hopefully you wont go through the heartbreak I went through of seeing several gourds not survive the drying process or die prematurely while on the plant.
A sad thing for a gourd grower.Of all the gourds, 3 survived at this size.
You need to hang them somewhere securely and let them dry naturally somewhere away from the exposed elements, but allowing it to get air and sunlight.
Here is a pic, several months later, now fully dried out and weighing a fraction of what it did when it came off the plant.
Below: The gourd is removed from its hanging position now fully dried out and hard.
Edited By ABAKUA on 1124786715
Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... CN1175.JPG
