If you didn't know Africa is a hotbed of six-string wizardry, don't feel bad.

NPR: African Guitarists Have Arrived at a New Style

Their rich tone and big sound have been championed by such six-string greats as Gene Autry, Eric Clapton and Elvis Costello.

FORBES: Stringing them along

And, indeed, all it takes is a twist of a knob to go from a six-string Martin to a 12-string Guild or even a Gibson banjo.

NPR: The Variax: Many Sounds from One Guitar

Ms. COLLINS: I have played a lot of different guitars, but always in the last 40 years I've played Martins, and I did play six-string Martins when I could finger-pick in the old days, but I can't do that anymore.

NPR: Judy Collins, From Both Sides Now

Even a six-inch string could be potentially harmful to a baby in a crib, where pull toys sometimes wind up.

FORBES: The Most Dangerous Toys

An accomplished musician, Guthrie plays piano, harmonica, a six and twelve-string guitar and at least a dozen other instruments.

NPR: Arlo Guthrie in Concert

It has echoes of Jamaica's Trelawny district, another rugged rural setting which has produced a string of sprint champions, including six-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.

CNN: Born to run: Ethiopia's golden girl Dibaba

In her three six-year terms Mrs Oku used her position in parliament to gain attention to a string of faulty products: clothing that shrank, meat products that lacked meat, all things readily appreciated by ordinary women.

ECONOMIST: Mumeo Oku

He compares this year's string of refinery shutdowns to the California electricity crunch six years ago, when some power-plant operators deliberately idled plants in order to drive up the price.

NPR: Refinery Backlog Prompts Spike in Gas Prices

The left-hander followed up his opening round of 70 with a string of birdies -- nine in all -- and an eagle with the only bogey coming six holes from home.

CNN: Bubba Watson in driving seat at WGC-Cadillac