century, the Martin tiple was used in jazz, blues and old-time country bands, and as a louder-volume ukulele. It was tuned similarly to a D-tuned ukulele: A4 A3 • D4 D3 D4 • F#4 F#3 F#4 • B3 B3 (wound octave-lower strings are A3, D3, and F#3). A more recent manufacturer of similar instruments recommends tuning a full tone lower, as mentioned below, similar to contemporary ukuleles. Martin produced mahogany and rosewood bodied tiples, following a model-identification system similar to its guitars: T-15 and T-17, mahogany top, back and sides; T-18, spruce top, mahogany back and sides; T-28, spruce top, rosewood back and sides; T-45, spruce top, rosewood back and sides, fancy abalone inlay. Martin's tiple production continued off-and-on into the 1970s. Similar instruments were made by Regal, Harmony, Lyon & Healy, Oscar Schmidt, D'Angelico and other companies during the early decades of Martin production. In the 21st century, the Ohana ukulele company began manufacturing an all-mahogany tiple similar to the Martin, but calling it "a vintage ukulele inspired by the Columbian Tiple." The company recommended tuning with the lowest note a C. (G3 G4 – C4 C3 C4 – E4 E3 E4 – A4 A4) In addition to its original ukulele-style tuning (above), the American tiple sometimes has been tuned like the upper four courses of the guitar, presumably with special sets of strings. Martin tiple dimensions Overall length: ″ Body length: ″ Bout width, upper: ″ Bout width, lower: ″ Body depth, upper: ″ Body depth, lower: ″ Neck width at nut: ″ Fingerboard width: ″ at 12th fret Sound hole diameter: ″ Scale length: 17″ North American tiple performers: Four Virginians Cats and the Fiddle Spirits of Rhythm Timmie Rogers Ed Askew Electric tiples Electric tiples usually follow either the Colombian (12-string) or "Martin" (10-string) tuning and string arrangement. Related instruments Spanish tiples In Spain there are similar instruments. This tiny guitar has four strings and is found in Menorca. Other types of small guitars in Spain are the guitarra, guitarro and guitarrico. Portuguese tiples Related Portuguese instruments are the cavaquinho or braguinha and the rajâo. The braguinha and the rajâo taken to Hawai'i by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira are the forerunners of the ukulele. Canary Island timple Migrating from North Africa in the 16th century to the Canary Islands and then on to Murcia, the timple has become the traditional instrument of the Canaries. In La