ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Charango

Have you ever heard of a charango? It’s like a mini guitar from South America, but instead of having 6 strings it only has 10. It’s made out of wood and has a body that’s round like a pumpkin. The strings are very thin and are made from animal guts or nylon.

To play the charango, you use your fingers to pluck the strings. It makes a very unique sound that’s kind of like a mix between a guitar and a ukulele. It’s often used in traditional Andean music from countries like Bolivia and Peru.

Some people decorate their charangos with colorful designs and patterns, which makes them even more fun to play and look at. So if you ever see a little instrument that looks like a pumpkin with 10 skinny strings, it’s probably a charango!