APC Concert Ukulele CS103 Portuguese Boca de Raia

The APC CS130 is a concert ukulele with a design that shows the Portuguese roots of this popular instrument.  National manufacture.

The ukulele is a direct descendant of the Portuguese cavaquinho. The APC CS103 has the typical sound of Hawaiian chordophones but the traditional aspect of the national cavaquinhos.

The woods chosen in the construction of the APC CS103 are faithful to the origins of this instrument. The back and sides are made of solid acacia, a species of koa native to Hawaii, which gives it an identity and personality very close to the original instruments.

The top is made of two different types of wood (solid spruce and black African wood) to provide a contrast in tone, and features the traditional ray mouth of the Minho cavaquinhos.

The fingerboard is also in black African wood and the neck is in maple. It's a choice of materials that respects the ukulele's roots, and that gives the CS103 a defined, clear sound.

It is a robust and very comfortable instrument to play, capable of lasting a long time to be played over the years.

The ukulele in the concert version appeared in the 1920s. The body is larger than the soprano model, which gives it a slightly deeper and fuller sound. The neck is longer and the fingerboard is larger, with more frets and greater spacing between them. Otherwise, it is played in the same way and even the tuning is the same: A4 – E4 – C4 – G4

The ukulele descends directly from the Portuguese cavaquinho, taken by Portuguese sailors to the American islands of the Pacific to musically animate the crews on their long voyages.

It became a very popular instrument in the first decades of the 20th century, kept company with American soldiers in World War II, and has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, largely thanks to its adoption by many indie bands and some stars. of international music, such as Eddie Vedder and George Harrison.

APC was founded in 1976 by António Pinto Carvalho, who descended from a century-old school of luthiers in Porto. The company has around 45 artisans who build different types of traditional Portuguese and other chords. APC is the largest national company in this field, producing and selling instruments to more than twenty countries.

The APC CS130 brings together two rich musical traditions in one instrument, to be played and enjoyed with quality for a long time.

Specifications: 

• Top: half-tops, solid spruce and solid african blackwood

• Back and sides: solid koa

• Neck: maple

• Fingerboard: african blackwood

• Tuning machines: nickel-plated

Traditional instruments made in Portugal can present differences
to the picture shown in the website due to it's artisanal manufacturing,
specially in it's decoration.