The doshpuluur is a three-stringed instrument, often compared to the banjo because it is plucked or strummed, although the doshpuluur's strings are unfretted. The trapezoidal sound box is made either entirely from wood or with goat skin stretched across a wooden frame. The first two strings are tuned a fifth apart and the third string forms the octave. In a four-stringed variety of doshpuluur, an extra string doubles the fifth an octave below. Ayan-ool Sam (center) is shown playing a three-stringed doshpuluur made by Sholban Salchak.

The double-necked doshpuluur shown at right is an innovation made for Alash by Marat Damdyn. Each set of strings is tuned to a different key so that the player can quickly switch back and forth. This doshpuluur was designed specifically for the song "Oitulaash Xeveri." Bady-Dorzhu Ondar is shown at far-right playing the double-necked doshpuluur.

Hear the doshpuluur Click for demo by Ayan-ool Sam

Watch Bady-Dorzhu Ondar play the double doshpuluur [00:11]  Doshpuluur on Wikipedia