A charango inspired by, and in tribute to, the musician and luthier Chiquito Rodríguez.

For years, many musicians asked me to build this design with the sound holes on the side, a hallmark of Chiquito's instruments that Gustavo Santaolalla made very popular. I resisted because I never liked copying, but while talking with his daughter and sharing stories about Chiquito, she told me it was a way of keeping his legacy and memory alive.

The distinctive sound hole design is an inspiration, not a copy: the structural design and the sound are still those of my own charangos.

Chiquito Rodríguez was a musician, founder of the group Raíces Incas, and a builder of charangos and ronrocos for more than 40 years.

Body and neck: raulí, laurel, oak, cedar.
Top: spruce.
Upper top and armrest: mahogany.
Fretboard and bridge: pau ferro.