Plucked idiophones is one of the categories of musical instruments found in the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification that is usually referred to as (lamellophones). These idiophones are equipped with one or more tongues or lammelae that produce sound by being plucked by the performer. The most commonly known examples of these types of instruments are the jaw harp, the Mechanical music box and the African mbira or thumb piano.
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Lamellophones are categorised as 12 in the Hornbostel-Sachs system. There are two main categories of plucked idiophones, those that are in the form of a frame (121) and those that are in the form of a comb (122)
In the form of a frame (121)
The lamellae vibrate within a frame or hoop
121.1 Clack idiophones or Cricri - The lamella is carved in the surface of a fruit shell, which serves as resonator.
121.2 Guimbardes and jaw harps - The lamella is mounted in a rod- or plaque-shaped frame and depends on the player's mouth cavity for resonance.
121.21 Idioglot guimbardes - The lamella is of one substance with the frame of the instrument.
121.22 Heteroglot guimbardes - The lamella is attached to the frame.
121.221 Individual heteroglot guimbardes.
121.222 Sets of heteroglot guimbardes.
In the form of a comb (122)
The lamellae are tied to a board or cut out from a board like the teeth of a comb. 122.1 With laced on lamellae.
122.11 Without resonator.
122.12 With resonator.
122.2 With cut-out lamellae