This ornate, eight-stringed mandolin is carved of ebony and decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays depicting fantastic monsters.

This masterwork mandolin grants you a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform (string instruments) checks. If you have at least 8 ranks in Perform (string instruments), you can also command it to produce one of three spell effects (cure serious wounds, dispel magic, or summon monster III), each once per day.
If you pick up a Canaith mandolin but do not have 8 or more ranks in Perform (string instruments), the instrument bestows one negative level on you, which persists for as long as you hold it. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the instrument is held.

Lore: A wise and powerful bard named Falataer reportedly created the first of these instruments, which he used to test and reward the students at all seven levels of his bardic college. Others have since copied the designs but honored Falataer by keeping the name Canaith mandolin (Knowledge [arcana] or bardic knowledge DC 15).

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, cure serious wounds, dispel magic, summon monster III, bard.
Cost to Create: 4,000 gp (plus 100 gp for base item), 320 XP, 8 days.