Nkoni

This is an half-spike lute in which the neck does not extend all the way through the body of the instrument, but stops at middle point inside the resonator. The long rectangular resonator body is carved from a single block of wood and is covered with animal skin. In this example, the skin was stretched and sewn in the back with leather lacing in a woven net pattern. This instrument would have the strings attached to adjustable leather hoops/strips at the neck shaft, and at the spiked end of the neck. The bridge is also missing.