String instruments are musical instruments that produce sound when their strings are plucked. The strings of a musical instrument can be plucked by fingers, a wooden bow, or a plectrum. A plectrum is a small item made from metal, ivory, or plastic. It is used to pluck the strings of a guitar in place of the fingers to provide a layer of safety for the fingers and protect the strings from getting worn out.

Most string instruments have an empty space or hollow area that permits the vibration of the strings which then produces the sound. String instruments are lovely to play and listen to. String instruments also tend to last quite long.

Take a look at the thriving market for vintage guitars. String instruments like the guitar and ukulele have a more accepting nature than their classical counterparts, the violin, and cello. The culture surrounding string instruments is also open and accepting. Some examples of string instruments include the sitar, guitar, rebab, violin, banjo, cello, mandolin, stick dulcimer, and ukulele.

If you’ve ever expressed an interest in learning an instrument but don’t know which instrument to learn, then we’d suggest trying out string instruments. To help you make a decision, here are our three favorite string instruments.

Stick Dulcimer

The dulcimer is a type of the zither which is a class of string instruments. The dulcimer exists in many cultures and has different names across these cultures. Some varieties of the dulcimer include the hammered dulcimer, the Appalachian dulcimer, the Banjo dulcimer, the resonator dulcimer, the mountain dulcimer, bowed dulcimer, and the electric dulcimer.

The stick dulcimer is a type of dulcimer. It is one of the easiest string instruments to learn for several reasons. The first is that it only has three strings and the second is its petite size. The stick dulcimer is a great stepping stone to learning other string instruments like the guitar.

Ukelele

The ukulele has a reputation for being a very adorable instrument. Perhaps it’s the sound it produces or the people who tend to play the ukulele. Regardless, if you’re easily intimidated then the ukulele is the perfect string instrument for you.

The ukulele is a member of the lute family and a variety of the guitar. The ukulele usually has four strings. It is a relatively easy instrument to learn because they are so many songs you can play after learning 3-4 chords. The ukulele can be learned in 3 to 6 months depending on how serious you are.

The basics of playing the ukulele are also very easy to grasp. It takes a day or two to understand the basics of a ukulele. The ukulele was heavily associated with hippie culture and that still prevails to date. Perhaps this is why the ukulele is a chill and feel good instrument.

Guitar

Last but certainly not least, we have the guitar. The guitar is arguably the most popular string instrument. It is also one of the first string instruments to be invented. The ukulele and the dulcimer were invented in the 1900s. The guitar was invented in the 13th century which is 500 years before the ukulele and the dulcimer.

While the guitar may not be the easiest string instrument in this list it certainly has the most resources. You can order a guitar online or purchase a vintage guitar from your local charity/thrift shops. Vintage guitars are often a lot sturdier and they have rich histories.

If you purchase a vintage guitar there’s a chance you’re holding one of the last few hundreds of that guitar. Vintage guitars can be found at your local thrift shops at really affordable prices or you can purchase one online at Gruhn Guitars or Guitar Center.