Name: Guimbri
Type: Chordophone, Lute, plucked.
Region: Morroco, North Africa.
Aquisition Date: 2008.11.16 Saturday
Source: Clarion Music, San-Fransisco
Description: The guimbri is a lute in which is under the chordophone family. This lute is found with in mostly North Western Africa and in particular the “Magreb” and also in Morocco, the guimbri is played among the Berber ethnic group, and is a distant cousin of the Moroccan Sintir. The guimbri has usually 2, 3, or 4 strings. Its quite a diverse musical instrument in regards to playing technique, usually this instrument is tuned in 4ths and or 5ths, and usually depends upon how the musician feels in which works best for them. The guimbri is often played solo or to accompany vocals and other instruments such as percussion and wind instruments.
Construction: The materials to which the guimbri is made. Are animal hide for the cover of the resonance chamber. The body is partially or half carved, of a solid block of wood attached onto a neck. At the end of the neck and including the three tuning pegs are lathed this is mostly ornamental. The bridge is also hand carved and is a "moving bridge". The thread-strings are simply tied on at both ends of the body and the tuning pegs.