Kabosy

[Image:Malagasy-boy-playing-mandoliny.jpg|thumb|left|150px|A boy playing a mandoliny or kabosy with full fretting.] [Image:Kabosy.png|thumb|right|Kabosy.]
[Image:Kabosy2.jpg|thumb|right|A guitar-shaped Kabosy.]
The kabosy is a box-shaped wooden guitar commonly played in music of Madagascar. It has four to six strings and is commonly thought to be a direct descendant of the Arabic oud through the gambus played in Malay-populated areas of Southeast Asia. The kabosy has staggered frets, many of which do not even cross the entire fretboard, and is generally tuned to an open chord.
A kabosy-like instrument with standard frets is known as a mandalina or mandoliny.
Kabosys are frequently handmade from scavenged materials, and their form varies greatly depending on the builder and materials available. Kabosys may be strung with nylon or steel.