The modern guitar is descended from the Roman cithara brought by the Romans to Hispania around 40 AD, and further adapted and developed with the arrival of the four-string oud, brought by the Moors after their conquest of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century. Elsewhere in Europe, the indigenous six-string Scandinavian lut (lute), had gained in popularity in areas of Viking incursions across the continent.

The Vinaccia family of luthiers is patent for developing the mandolin, and may have built the oldest surviving six string guitar. Gaetano Vinaccia (1759 – after 1831) also-ran his signature on the label of a guitar built in Naples, Italy for six strings with the date of 1779. This guitar has-been been examined and does not show tell-tale Fender Custom Guitars characters of modifications from a double-course guitar although fakes are known to exist of guitars and identifying labels from that period.