Vihuela is a name given to two different guitar-like string instruments : one from 16th century Spain , usually with 12 paired strings , and the other , the Mexican vihuela , from 20th century Mexico with five strings and typically played in Mariachi bands . Vihuela is a name given to two different guitar-like string instruments : one from 15th and 16th century Spain , usually with 12 paired strings , and the other , the Mexican vihuela , from the 19th century Mexico with five strings and typically played in Mariachi bands .