Mandolin

Stringed musical instrument of the lute tribe. especially popular in Italy, where it is generally used to produce the melody to guitar accompaniment. Its body is gourd IMG:content-1231.jpg:[graphic] IMG:content-1232.png:[graphic][subsumed] IMG:content-1233.png:[blocks in formation] Mandolin. shaped: it is strung with 4, 5 or 6 pairs of unison metal strings, timed in fifths. A plectrum of tortoise-shell is used in plucking them. The finger-board is fretted like that of a guitar.