The guitar is one of the most popular folk instruments today. After it was brought to the New World by the Spanish in the 1600s, the guitar was used often by slaves in the deep south. Steel guitar strings were introduced in the 20th century, giving the guitar a stronger sound. From then it gained popularity in American folk music and has been used ever since. There are many variations of the guitar. Double--neck guitars are popular in folk music, as well as the Portuguese guitarra, both of which have 12 strings. The charango is a variation of the guitar that originated in South America. The 10--stringed instrument is best known for having a body made of an armadillo shell.
The harp is known as Scotland's oldest instrument, and has been spotted of pictish stones that date to the eighth century. Harps were the featured instrument of the Gaelic court until the introduction of the bagpipe in the 1400s. The harp remained an essential part of Gaelic court music until the 1700s. The tradition of harp playing was lost after the Jacobite rebellion. Gaelic harp players did not transcribe their music, making many believe that it was lost forever after the rebellion. It was not until the 1970s that researcher discovered old harp techniques of the past survived in manuscripts of the lute, fiddle and piping instruments. The rediscovery of the harp techniques lead to its renaissance in folk music.
The fiddle is the British name for the violin. Fiddles are commonplace in folk music and have a rich history in music. Ancestors of the fiddle include the rebec and the viol (also known as the viola de gambas). The rebec had only two strings, while the more advanced viol had six strings and a shorter bow. Popularity of the fiddle boomed in the 17th century in Ireland and Scotland.
The banjo originated in Africa and was most likely brought to America by slaves. The banjo became very popular in the Appalachian mountains and is now a signature instrument in American folk music. The banjo is commonly played alongside the fiddle. Banjos come in many different forms. The most popular banjos have five strings, but other versions have four, six, seven and eight strings.