Berkeley 10 string Cuatros (lute family of chordophones)Puerto Rico

The cuatro is the national instrument of Puerto Rico. It belongs to the lute family of chordophones (or string instruments). However, very little is known about the exact origin of the Puerto Rican cuatro. Most experts believe that the cuatro has existed on the island in one form or another for about 400 years.

The Spanish instrument that it is most closely related to is the vihuela poblana (also known as the Medieval/Renaissance guitar), which had 4 courses, 2 strings each for 8 strings in total as well as the Spanish Medieval/Renaissance 4 course and the Spanish Laúd, the last of which is still found in the Canary Islands.

The Puerto Rican cuatro has ten strings in five courses, tuned in fourths from low to high B-e-a-d'-g',54321, with B and E in octaves and A, D and G in unisons.

The cuatro is the most familiar of the three that make up the Puerto Rican orquesta jibara (i.e., the cuatro, the tiple and the bordonua).