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The ringing of the guitar and the Puerto Rican cuatro captivated Wilfredo “Freddy” Burgos-Nieves as an adolescent. And although he moved away from his dream, life brought him back to the musical strings that defined his existence.

After dealing in woodwork, the renowned luthier and jíbaro musician accepted that his destiny was to make string instruments, especially “our national instrument.”

Without imagining it, his pieces reached the hands of virtuosos in countless corners of the planet such as Russia, Tenerife, and Hawai’i, in addition to the validation of local talents. Among those, the esteemed Pedro Guzmán and Quique Domenech stand out.

At 68 years old, the artisan from Barrio Sonadora in Guaynabo remembers the path he took to achieve international prestige with his Coquicuatro brand.

“I worked as a woodworker for many years, making cabinets and other types of furniture. However, the urge was always there. When I was a kid, I started making one [a cuatro], but it broke apart and I lost interest. While I was working for a restaurant in Cidra [as a woodworker] I had some leftover pieces [of wood]. And I decided to make a cuatro,” he said.

“Then I went to a renowned cuatro artisan and he approved of my work. He told me: ‘This is your thing, get out of woodworking’,” he confessed.

It was then that he became interested in forging his destiny as a guitar and cuatro artisan. Over time, though, he has dedicated himself more “to the artisanal development of the cuatro, making minimal variations to the original design, and stamping out delicate finishes that make each instrument unique for the person who acquires it.”

“The features are unique, with different well-stylized designs in each pattern. They have basically the same thing, but with different details as per requests. The complexity of the details is what sets them apart. I don’t repeat jobs, I don’t make two identical rosettes. They may be similar, but they are not the same,” he highlighted.

Likewise, he mentioned that he keeps a log to document the work he has done and to whom it was sold.

This is how he spends his days, in a cozy workshop surrounded by native lumber, such as guaraguao, oak and laurel, among others.

“If you are going to make a cuatro, (it takes) about 80 hours. They’re done per request and all cuatros have a different peculiarity. Although there is a traditional shape to it, each artisan has their own template. I made my template using traditional measurements, never traced it over someone else’s,” he explained.

“I started off on the right foot: the first cuatro I sold was to the (inventor of) ‘jíbaro jazz,’ Pedro Guzmán; Quique Domenech has an electric cuatro of mine, as does Modesto Nieves, Maribel Delgado, Neftalí Ortiz and countless cuatro players,” he said, mentioning that he ventured into the electronic instrument field in order to maximize the versatility of the cuatro.

Meanwhile, he assured that he has made over 200 instruments in the last two decades. This in addition to the almost twenty projects that are “under way” at his workshop.

“What has always left its mark on me is the acceptance of my product. So far no one has returned one of my cuatros. What could be better than that? I think it’s because of the dedication I have to the instrument,” he admitted.

He highlighted that the size of his pieces are 12 inches wide and 19 inches long, “although there are others that are 18 (inches).”

“After that, I make a cut so as to not work with such a large piece. From this stage we move on to the hollow box and I stylize it. When that’s done, the top is assembled. I give it the sound, the designs they ask for, the rosettes and I try to give it variations so that each instrument is unique without losing its essence,” he explained.

“I have cuatros in Russia, Tenerife, Hawái and other places in the United States. In Russia, maestro Yury Nugmanov, a Russian concert guitarist who performed here, requested one of my cuatros after he was impressed with its sound,” he highlighted.

Likewise, he noted that he likes to include design requests that his clients make, such as the colors and styles of the rosette, and initials or other personal stamps. All with his unmistakable brand.

“I love the coquí and I combined it with the name of the instrument (cuatro) to identify myself as being from here,” he explained.

“As a Puerto Rican cuatro artisan, my goal is to help spread the cuatro, not only in Puerto Rico, but across borders to all parts of the world. This is the way I show love for culture, music and the Puerto Rican cuatro,” he concluded.

For information: www.coquicuatro.com.