mandoline

A stringed instrument from the Portuguese tradition, which is also called ‘guitarra’ there and is played for fado music.
It has a total of 8 strings, 4 of which are double strings.
The tuning is G - G - D - D - A - A - E - E

This is the same tuning as the cister or Irish bouzouki in folk or medieval music. As it is also the same tuning as the violin, it is sometimes called a ‘plucked violin’.

The instruments are very carefully crafted. The back and sides are made of maple wood, the top is made of spruce. Each top has an inlay of walnut wood.