Antônio Maria Cavaquinho, 1998 (SOLD)

It is rare for us here at the Choro Shop to come across an instrument we really like from a luthier we'd never heard of. Well, here's such a rarity - a cavaquinho made by Antônio Maria Mendes da Silva.

This instrument caught our attention with a simple online posting that it was for sale. Curiosity piqued, a little research was in order. Though there wasn't much information about the luthier easily accessible online, what we found was encouraging. According to this video by Danilo Brito  Seu Antônio moved to Brasil in 1950 at the age of 25 and lived in São Paulo until his death at 92.  He built the bandolim that Brito used for his recording, "Da Natureza das Coisas." 

A few other traces of information led us to think this cavaquinho was worth taking a chance on, and we were right. It is a distinctly different build than others we've seen: a smaller body and a deeper "D-shaped" neck.  Adam's first text to me upon receiving it at his shop in São Paulo read, "Excellent sound! Very clean and balanced. Awesome for accompaniment. ... Great buy!"  

Luthier: Antonio Maria Mendes da Silva
Top: European Spruce
Back & sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Neck: Cedro Rosa (Cedar)
Fingerboard: Brazilian Rosewood
Nut: bone+zero fret
Saddle: bone
Scale length: 340mm
Nut width: 33mm
Body depth: 74mm
Widest body width: 234mm
Finish: PU
Tuners: import
Pickup: no
Strings: Dinâmico São Paulo cavaco
Case: gig bag
Recent work: Setup