Avilés Vázquez Cuatro: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This cuatro was made by Rafael Aviles Vazquez in Puerto Rico in 1999-2000. A type of plucked 10-string instrument (5 courses, double-strung), it is now ubiquitous in most groups playing any kind of Puerto Rican music. It is used in the manner of a first guitar: to play melodies and to “floretear” or accompany singing. The instrument is used today in salsa orchestras and plena music groups and is, of course, the king of Puerto Rican country music.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1999-2000
• maker: Avilés Vázquez, Rafael
• Object Name: cuatro
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (strings material)
• Measurements: overall: 85.5 cm x 28.5 cm x 9.5 cm; 33 11/16 in x 11 1/4 in x 3 3/4 in
• Measurements: part: scale length: 51.5 cm; 20 9/32 in
• place made: Puerto Rico
• ID Number: 2001.0014.02
• accession number: 2001.0014
• catalog number: 2001.0014.02
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.