Existing instruments of this type have 8 very thin unison strings and four strings tuned an octave lower on the front side, played with a steel rather shorter than that used with the Megalyra Contrabass. A special Drone instrument was built for Glen Prior,which had the triplet of drone strings at the bagpipe pitches, and another triplet a fifth above, and on the front side the fret-lines showed only the peculiar Highland Bagpipe scale and repeated it an octave lower. This is the smallest member of the Megalyra Group, not much larger than a regular Steel Guitar. It bears the same colored-line pattern on both sides of its board as the Contrabass does, although the highest lines may be simplified because they will be so close together. Four chords are generally provided for, two on each side.
Chords are usually in just intonation.
They can be strung and tuned for any scale the owner wishes, however.