Cittern

Cittern (Fr.: cistre; Ger.: Cister; It.: cetera), successor to the citole, the cittern evolved at the end of the 15th c. and remained a pop. instr. until displaced by the guitar in the 19th c. The frontal string holder of the citole was exchanged for a rib fastener and bridge; the flat pegdisc became a pegbox with lateral pegs. The transformed instr. had a piriform body, flat back that tapered toward the neck, rather short neck with 12 or more fixed metal frets, a central soundhole covered with…