The laúd, a 12-string lute hailing from Spain, is also popular in diaspora nations such as Cuba and the Philippines. A plectrum-plucked chordophone, belonging to the cittern family of instruments, the laúd is an essential component of folk music traditions.
The Spanish and Cuban variants feature six double courses in unison, totaling twelve strings in pairs. Its counterpart, the bandurria, shares similarities but with a smaller body and a shorter neck.
Traditionally, the laúd is a staple instrument in folk string ensembles like Spanish or Filipino rondalla groups, often accompanied by the guitar and bandurria. Like the bandurria, it is tuned in fourths, but its range extends one octave lower.
