equivalent non-metal) strings, or steel (or equivalent metal) strings, depending on whether the instrument is a classical or gypsy guitar. On classical instruments the four lower pitched strings are generally wound, and the three higher strings are of plain material. On gypsy instruments five strings are wound, and the top two are plain. Measurements Proportions of Russian guitars typically do not differ greatly from those of western 6-string instruments. Since the range of both types of instrument are comparable, this makes acoustical sense. One notable physical difference, however, concerns string spacing: since Russian guitars have essentially the same neck width as 6-string guitars, the 7 strings on the Russian instruments are necessarily closer together. Comparison of dimensions: Handedness Left-handed Russian guitars exist, but are extremely rare. Tuning Traditionally, Russian and Spanish guitars are tuned differently. On the Spanish guitar the open-string chord is an Em11, while on the Russian guitar it is a G-major. While the Spanish guitar is tuned in fourths with one (major) third (G3–B3), the Russian guitar is tuned in thirds (G2–B2, B2–D3, G3–B3, and B3–D3) with two fourths (D2–G2, and D3–G3): D2 G2 B2 D3 G3 B3 D4 Derivation This tuning is thought to have been derived from the baroque cittern of the Waldzither type. According to the historical article by Valerian Rusanov, "there was a cittern player in Leipzig, named Scheidler, who enhanced the tuning by addition a bass string". These musical instruments, made by Gerard J. Deleplanque, G. Le Blond, Johann Georg Ochstermann and Johann Wilhelm Bindernagel, were delivered via Elbe river, and still awaits a recognition from lovers of Russian romance in Glinka Museum in Moscow, as well as in the Leipzig Musical Museum. Known as "Deutsche Guitarre", two hundred years ago they already had some of the hallmarks of a modern seven-string guitar, including "Viennese" bracing and a radial fretboard. One of the first performers on seven-string citterns in Germany were Johann David Scheidler and Johann Clauduis Hanff, the second later worked in St.-Petersburg in Russia. Years after Johann David Scheidler, there was another guitar player, Christian Gottlieb Scheidler who also played in open G tuning on Lute in Mainz, but there is no evidence that they were relatives. Reverberation and echoing Some guitar historians insist that the Russian seven-string tuning was invented in 1793 by Andrey Sychra, acknowledged harpist of the 18th century, in order to adapt a harp tuning for