Can anyone help on this? I always thought the guitar came from Spain and the mandolin from Italy; I've never discovered the origin of the cittern (Oh you mean the sitar, mate!). And the 12 string guitar from Mexico. A recent visit to the V&A museum in London showed an amazing collection; among them 12 string English guitar (early 16th century ?) which looked like a big mandolin; and much else. No experts to help and we were shoo'ed out as it was closing time so couldn't take it all in. Cards in glass cases quite hopeless, descriptive with no history. Could anyone help with history and development of these instruments. Dr John. PS recently discovered that the men (Wheatstones brothers) who developed the electric telegraph invented the concertina!