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String Instruments

Hora makes a full family of traditional string instruments in Romania: Irish bouzouki, octave mandolin, mandola, mandolin and domra. All share a solid spruce top, and each one is suited to a different voice and playing style.

  • Sale! Hora M1089 Irish bouzouki with solid spruce top, front viewIrish Bouzouki Hora M1089 Original price was: $249.97.Current price is: $229.97.
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  • Hora M1089 Irish bouzouki with solid spruce top, front viewIrish Bouzouki Hora M1089-EQ $259.97
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  • concert irish bouzoukiConcert Irish Bouzouki Hora M1090 $329.97
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  • Sale! concert irish bouzoukiConcert Irish Bouzouki M1090-EQ Original price was: $379.97.Current price is: $359.97.
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  • Sale! octave mandolinOctave Mandolin Hora M1087 Original price was: $249.97.Current price is: $229.97.
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  • octave mandolin eqOctave Mandolin Hora M1087-EQ $259.97
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  • mandola rg2Mandola RG2 Hora M1088 $219.97
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  • Sale! mandola rg2Mandola RG2 Hora M1088-EQ Original price was: $249.97.Current price is: $239.97.
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  • portuguese mandolinPortuguese Mandolin I Hora M1085 $199.97
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  • portuguese mandolin eqPortuguese Mandolin I Hora M1085-EQ $219.97
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  • portuguese mandolin p2Portuguese Mandolin II Hora M1086 $199.97
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  • Sale! portuguese mandolin p2Portuguese Mandolin II Hora M1086-EQ Original price was: $229.97.Current price is: $219.97.
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  • Sale! modern mandolin horaModern Mandolin Hora M1278 Original price was: $179.97.Current price is: $159.97.
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  • 3 strings domra3 Strings Domra Hora M1084 $239.97
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  • Sale! 4 strings domra4 Strings Domra Hora M1084 Original price was: $259.97.Current price is: $239.97.
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Which String Instrument Should You Choose?

Not sure where to start? Here’s how our five instrument families compare.

InstrumentTuningScale lengthPriceBest for
Irish BouzoukiGDAD / GDAE66-66.5 cm$229.97-$359.97Rhythm and accompaniment in Celtic music
Octave MandolinGDAE58.4 cm$229.97-$259.97A deeper voice bridging mandolin and guitar
MandolaCGDA44.3 cm$219.97-$239.97Warmer, deeper than a mandolin
MandolinGDAE33.2-35 cm$159.97-$219.97Bright, traditional Portuguese sound, or a budget-friendly start
Domrae’-a’-d” / GDAE35 cm$239.97A bright, percussive Russian folk sound

Our String Instrument Families

  • Irish Bouzouki – Standard and Concert sizes, acoustic or with a built-in pickup, for traditional Irish and Celtic music.
  • Octave Mandolins – Tuned an octave below a mandolin, popular in Celtic, folk and Americana music.
  • Mandolas – A fifth below a mandolin, with a warm, resonant tone.
  • Mandolins – Traditional flat-back Portuguese mandolins, or the budget-friendly laminate Modern Mandolin.
  • Domras – A traditional Russian instrument, with 3-string or 4-string versions.

What You Get with Every Hora String Instrument

  • Solid spruce top, made by Hora in Romania
  • Tuned and ready to play out of the box
  • 12-month guarantee, plus our 30-day return policy
  • Worldwide shipping, and for U.S. orders, customs duties are added to the shipping fee at checkout

Since every instrument has its own shape, a matching soft case is available separately for each one in our Accessories section.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between an octave mandolin, a mandola and an Irish bouzouki?

They differ mainly in scale length and tuning, so the octave mandolin (58.4 cm, GDAE) has the deepest standard voice, the mandola (44.3 cm, CGDA) sits between a mandolin and an octave mandolin, and the Irish bouzouki (66-66.5 cm, GDAD) has the longest scale, built mainly for rhythm and accompaniment.

Which Hora string instrument is easiest for a beginner?

Because it has a shorter scale and simpler chord shapes, the mandolin is usually the most approachable, while the Irish bouzouki and octave mandolin take a bit more hand stretch.

Do all Hora string instruments come with a case?

No, we sell a soft case separately for each instrument, but you’ll find the matching case for your model in our Accessories section.

Do you ship to the USA, and are customs duties included?

We ship worldwide, and for U.S. orders, customs duties are calculated and added to the shipping cost at checkout, so there are no surprise fees on delivery.