What is a Phin Guitar : Isarn Acoustic Phin 3 Strings, Thai Lao Guitar Musical Instrument, Jackfruit Wood Traditional Thai Musical Pin
An apparently rather new type of instrument, used in modern Thai music groups, the phin is a guitar-like instrument, based on the Thai sueng.
The body, neck and tuning head is usually carved from one piece of wood, although some makers use a separate neck. The middle part of the body is cut out (leaving thin sides), and covered on both sides with thin wood. The back is flat. The body has either the shape of a teardrop or a spade or a leaf. On the front is a soundhole in a decorative shape. All edges of the body (in fact the thin wood on front and back) are grooved.
The end of the peghead has on the left side a (separately made) sideways extension (fixed with a screw or bolt to the peghead) in a curl, ending in a decorated carving of a dragon head. The open peghead has 3 modern tuning machines – one left, two on the right side. The instrument is often painted.