Vietnam

Vietnamese

Wood, steel string, mother-of-pearl, bamboo
Mid 20th century
Length: 44 inches
Chordophones – Zithers

The đàn bầu (“gourd zither”) is a Vietnamese stringed instrument, in the form of a monochord (one-string) zither.  It consists of a rectangular resonator box that is open on the bottom.  The top soundboard is made from paulownia ngo dong wood, while the sides are made of tulipwood and inlaid with mother-of-pearl.  At one end is a flexible bamboo rod that passes through a small wooden gourd-shaped shell and is vertical and attached to the soundboard.  A steel string is tied to the bamboo rod and feeds through the wooden gourd-shaped shell. It is then stretched laterally across the resonator board to the opposite end, where it is tied to a peg on the side. 

The dan bau is a major instrument used in Vietnamese folk music and is also a traditional instrument used to accompaniment poetry readings.