Need help identifying an instrument

[bueno bob]

So, my son (quite the blooming guitarist) just inherited this from his Grandmother's estate just recently...I have NO IDEA what it is, there are no markings, brand names or anything...I don't even know what kind of strings to put on this....

Can anybody help?

[bueno bob]

[Nitro Express]

That's a strange one. It almost looks home made. Is there any markings on it? There are four string guitars that people open tune to the key of E and play slide on. The headstock looks like something you would see in the orient.

[jhale667]

The headstock looks like something you would see in the orient.

Or in the hands of an elfin creature...



I guessed a lute of some sort maybe...

[Nitro Express]

Get this babe on a electric guitar. She might get something out of it. She's got awsome vabrato and dexterity.

[Dave's Bitch]

It's a lute

[ashstralia]

I'd like a go on it. I once lived in a share house with a communal sitar. That was fun. Dulcimers are cool, too.

[ZahZoo]

I was thinking Dulcimer too... You might want to create and account and go ask about it here...

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/index.php

[bueno bob]

Thanks for the help, gang. My girl went article through article on stringed instruments on Wikipedia, but nothing really seemed to fit. I was wondering if it's not a homemade body of some sort, although the headstock in that clip Nitro posted looks almost identical. Maybe the body's a shop project of some sort.

[jhale667]

Did you look for any identifying info inside the soundhole, by chance? If not, maybe you'll luck out and there will some manufacturer info in there...

[bueno bob]

Did you look for any identifying info inside the soundhole, by chance? If not, maybe you'll luck out and there will some manufacturer info in there...

We don't even have it in our possession yet, it's still down in Las Vegas - I'll see if we can find out.

Thanks!!

[indeedido]

Looks like a Lute to me too.