The Mandolin(European originated instrument). The early Mandolins look more like a modern day Banjo to me than the African banzar or bangar or whatever they called it. I think the Mandolin may have influenced the creation of the Banjo more than any African instrument which was most likely introduced to Africans by the Portuguese slave traders in the first place. Often times Bluegrass players use mandolins instead of banjos. My cousin plays the mandolin, so does his dad, their whole family has been playing mandolin and guitar since before they migrated up here to Michigan from the Ozarks in Arkansas looking for work wayyy back in the early 1900s. It's a family traditon for them.    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ndolin1921.jpg  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Mandolin1a.jpg    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../Mandolins.jpg  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...FlatironA5.jpg  Mandolin, stringed instrument derived from the lute about 1700 in Italy.    Composers for the mandolin include Ludwig van Beethoven, W. A. Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi, and Igor Stravinsky.   http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_.../Mandolin.html  the pictures I took from wikipedia.