The tambura - šara
Pavao Štefinović
Osijek, 1863
wood (fir), iron
cutting, gouging, trimming, sawing, insertion
length = 52 cm
length of the neck = 34,2 cm
body = 7,8 x 13 x 5 cm
length of the bridge = 3,1 cm
POH-447/1920
The Collection of Musical instruments by Franjo Ksaver Kuhač
The tambura is made of fir wood. It has four metal strings, but the fourth string is rarely used, only to make the melody sharper. Approximately 20 holes are bored in the top plate.
The tambura was made by Pavao Štefinović in 1863 for Kuhač’s collection. The model he used was a three-string prime and added the fourth string. Kuhač explains this: “put four peg boards, because all primes have it now, and so the people would not think he is old school.” (Kuhač 1877: 70)