Cello inexpensive wood that has been blackened or "ebonized" to look like ebony, which is much harder and more expensive. Ebonised parts such as tuning pegs may crack or split, and the black surface of the fingerboard will eventually wear down to reveal the lighter wood underneath. Historically, cello strings had cores made out of catgut, which, despite its name is made from sheep or goat intestines which are dried out. Most modern strings used in the 2010s are wound with metallic materials like aluminum, titanium and chromium. Cellists may mix different types of strings on their instruments. The pitches of
Music history of the United States during the colonial era on the State of Virginia", which refers to it as a "banjar", and notes that the instrument came from Africa. Other names included "bangoe", "banshaw", "bangelo", "banza", "bangil" and "banjer". The instrument was described in West Africa as early as 1620 by Richard Jobson, but was present for some time before. In North America, the banjo was typically made by hollowing out a gourd or calabash and attaching a long neck. The slaves then stretched a piece of animal hide, usually raccoon, over the bowl and attached four strings. Jefferson claimed that the "banjar" with which he was familiar was