What is a Phin Guitar?

subanots

subanots

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What Is A Phin?
The phin (Thai: พิณ, pronounced [pʰīn]) is a type of lute originating in the Isan region of Thailand and played mostly by ethnic Laotians in Thailand and Laos. It has an odd selection of frets on the neck, over which three or four metal strings run. It is commonly strummed with a plectrum. These are usually 21"-22" scale length. Three strings are the most common, tuned E, A, E. The most common fret selection is 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24. Or, in terms of the E string, there is only 1 sharp (F#) and only in the first octave. There are other fret selections that include C# in order to play more modern Thai songs. There are also versions that includes all frets. Occasionally, you will see a four string version or double-neck model. The three traditional body shapes that you will find are a spade, a leaf and a teardrop shape. The teardrop shape is often referred to as the "pear" shape.

These are incredibly fun to play. Its hard to sound bad.

I recently came across these things and I am obsessed. It changed the way I play my guitar.

If you ever get a chance, play one!

Here is a picture of a traditional leaf shape with the traditional dragon head carving attached to the headstock:
View attachment 78581

Here are two that I just built:
View attachment 78579
https://iainstone.com/phin-prototype-1/
View attachment 78580
https://iainstone.com/phin-prototype-/
 
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Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

Beautiful! Do you still work for Breedlove?
You could make a living just making those, because there's surely a market for them.

We miss seeing you around here.
You newbs need to click on Iain's website and check out his artwork.
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

Thanks Joe. It's been a while, eh? I don't work there anymore. I'm trying to work on my own. Doing repairs here and there. Trying to figure it out. The occasional portrait swoops in and helps me pay rent. Good to see that the usual riff-raff is still 'round. I have done a lot of artwork since I was here last. I stopped posting art here because it was all I ever did. I've been lurking.
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

I should add, the pickups in the phins I made are a SD lipstick tube neck pickup and a Hottie Guitar "Betty" pickup, which is an overwound JB in a custom etched chrome cover. You best believe I'm still rocking SD's in all my instruments!
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

What was the name of the guitars Hunter made or was going to make? Wasn't the name similar?
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

I think those two guitars are intriguing enough to be able to sell only those two designs. 3 strings makes me want to play slide on them first, then start finding all the chord voicings in whatever tuning sounds best.

Yours look way more interesting than a yukelele or bouzouki.
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

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Stunning artistry, congratulations. IMHO, a wood pickup cover and knob would put that beauty OTT!;


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allparts-Ma...451551&pid=100338&rk=2&rkt=29&sd=272263963406
 
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Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

Wow, impressive.

I thought the answer to the question ('What Is A Phin Guitar?') was going to be ... 'The Opposite Of A Phat Guitar'.
 
Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

They sound awesome with distortion. The limited fret selection keeps it sounding unique. I think the next one will have all the frets and four strings. That way, I can tune it like a tenor guitar if I want or something else.
Here is a clip with a pitch fork pedal dropping the tuning down and shoving it into a musket fuzz and feeding that into my half stack.
 
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Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

I still don't know how to play these correctly, but this is a clip of the first phin I made. Clean playing just a touch of holy stain reverb.
 
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Re: What is a Phin Guitar?

Never heard of these instruments before. They look pretty neat and fun to play. Some really nice designs also.



;>)/
 
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