Bandola: Colombian musical instrument

The bandola is one of the versions of small the pear shape chordophone found in Venezuela and Colombia. 

source: wiki.educacionmusical.es

They are linked with the bandurria and mandolin. The musical instruments that are known as Bandola include:

1.    Bandolallanera: conventionally with just seven frets and four gut strings. Venezuelan musicians Moises Torreaelba and Saul Vera have used 10 and 14 fret versions, correspondingly.

2.    Bandolaandinacolombiana: the instrument has just six courses of string in many different arrangements. The musical instrument may have 12 strings in doubled courses, it could have 14 strings with the first two courses tripled and the rest of the strings doubled, it might also have 16 strings with the first four courses tripled and the last two doubled or can be of 18 strings in triple courses.

3.    Bandola oriental: similar to the bandolallanera but with a deeper body and four double courses with eight strings in all, with both the gut string and metal strings.

Luise Alberto Paredes Rodrigues and Manuel Bernal Martinez constructed a range of bandolabajo. The musical instrument has 12 strings in six courses as well as a fanned fret board

Several mandolin players change their instruments to a bandola oriental by adding up a fixed bridge and stringing with gut strings.