Stringed instruments have been around for a long time. A very long time. They probably evolved in prehistoric times as a primal musician recognized beauty in sound of the twang of a bow as he loosed the arrow towards his prey. Over the millennia that sound has been improved on, as craftsmen sweated over subtle varieties in material, dimensions and design. As a result we have a whole family of stringed classical instruments, not to mention the harp, the lute and the Arabic ud. And the guitar.