Prystrunky is a term used for the additional unfretted strings strung across the body of Ukrainian folk instruments such as the

kobza The kobza ( uk , кобза), also called bandurka ( uk , бандурка) is a Ukrainian folk music instrument of the lute family ( Hornbostel-Sachs classification number 321.321-5+6), a relative of the Central European mandora. The term ''kob ...

bandura A bandura ( uk, банду́ра) is a Ukrainian plucked string folk instrument. It combines elements of the zither and lute and, up until the 1940s, was also often referred to by the term kobza. Early instruments (c. 1700) had 5 to 12 strings ...

, and

torban The torban ( ua, Торбан, also ''teorban'' or ''Ukrainian theorbo'') is a Ukrainian musical instrument that combines the features of the Baroque lute with those of the psaltery. The Тorban differs from the more common European bass lute ...

. Prystrunky means "near the strings". These additional strings are thought to have appeared on these instruments as early as the 17th century. Others{{who, date=November 2021 feel that these additional strings appeared later in the mid to late 18th century. On the contemporary bandura they are now the main strings on which the performer plays, and are similar to the super treble strings on a

harp guitar The harp guitar is a guitar-based stringed instrument generally defined as a "guitar, in any of its accepted forms, with any number of additional unstopped strings that can accommodate individual plucking." The word "harp" is used in reference to ...

Bibliography

* Diakowsky, M. J. - ''The Bandura''. The Ukrainian Trend, 1958, №I, - С.18-36 * Diakowsky, M. – ''Anyone can make a bandura – I did.'' The Ukrainian Trend, Volume 6 * Haydamaka, L. – ''Kobza-bandura – National Ukrainian Musical Instrument''. "Guitar Review" №33, Summer 1970 (С.13-18) * Mishalow, V. - A ''Short History of the Bandura''. East European Meetings in Ethnomusicology 1999, Romanian Society for Ethnomusicology, Volume 6, - С.69-86 * Mizynec, V. - ''Folk Instruments of Ukraine''. Bayda Books, Melbourne, Australia, 1987 - 48с. Kobzarstvo String instrument construction * History of musical instruments