How to restring a charango
A charango has ten nylon strings in five courses, tied at the bridge like a classical guitar. The middle course is the tricky one: a thick E4 and a thin E5 an octave apart, while the other four courses are unison pairs.
Charango standard tuning, course by course
From the 5th course to the 1st, at A 440 Hz; the 3rd course is an octave pair.
| String | Note | Hz |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | G4 | 392.00 |
| 4 | C5 | 523.25 |
| 3 | E4 + E5 | 329.63 + 659.26 |
| 2 | A4 | 440.00 |
| 1 | E5 | 659.26 |
How to use it
- Open the Charango guide and tick each step; progress is saved on this device.
- When every step is ticked, the page scrolls to the tuner in standard G C E A E.
- Pluck one string at a time and turn its key until the needle centers. Start over clears the list.
Help and explanations
Tick off the steps as you go. At the end, the tuner checks every string in G C E A E, from G4 (392.00 Hz) to E5 (659.26 Hz).
Which string goes where
Charango sets are numbered from the 1st course, the high E5 farthest from your face, to the 5th, G4. Follow the labels on the set. In the La Bella C80, the 1st course is two .019, the 2nd two .028, the 3rd a .020 on E5 with a .033 on E4, the 4th two .024 and the 5th two .030.
The thick E4 of the 3rd course is the lowest note on the instrument. Fit it in the same position as the old one: mixing up the octave pair changes how strummed chords sound.
New nylon needs time
New charango strings take one to three days to settle. Aquila advises pulling each string gently at the middle, around the 12th fret, and retuning until it stops going flat. While the strings are off, check the nut and saddle slots: deep or sharp-edged slots can bind or cut nylon, and fine 600-grit paper or 000 steel wool smooths them.
Tips
- Never cut a string under tension; slacken it first.
- Comparing sets? See the gauge and tension of each string in the charango string tension calculator.
- Once the strings stop stretching, check the octave at the 12th fret with the intonation checker.
Frequently asked questions
How do you restring a charango?
One course at a time: tie each string at the bridge with a simple knot plus 2 to 3 wraps of the end around itself (3 on the thinnest strings), thread it through the tuner, wind it and tune. Then stretch and retune over a day or two.
What are the charango string notes?
From the 5th course to the 1st: G4 + G4 (392.00 Hz), C5 + C5 (523.25 Hz), E4 + E5 (329.63 + 659.26 Hz), A4 + A4 (440.00 Hz) and E5 + E5 (659.26 Hz), at A 440 Hz.
How many strings does a charango have?
Ten, in five double courses. Only the 3rd course is an octave pair; the others are in unison.
Why do my new charango strings keep going out of tune?
Nylon stretches for one to three days. Pull each string gently at the 12th fret and retune, repeating until the pitch holds.
Do charango strings have ball ends?
No. Charango strings are tied at the bridge, so the ends are plain.