Thailand
Thai

Wood, metal, metal strings, gourd, nylon string
Mid-Late 20th century
Length: 34.75 in, Gourd diameter: 5.75 in
Chordophones – Zither – Stick Zither

The phin pia is a chest-resonated fretless stick zither with two to five strings. It is considered the national instrument of Northern Thailand. This phin pia has four metal strings, one of them is the melody string – the other(s) are used for drones. The strings are attached at one end of the shaft where a cast bronze end piece (hua pia, in the shape of an elephant’s head) is affixed.  At the opposite end, the four metal strings are attached to four wooden carved pegs that project through the shaft pole.  There are two sets/bands of nylon strings affixed perpendicular along the shaft to hold the metal strings closer to the shaft plus a set used to affix a half-shell coconut with the open side away from the stick, as a resonator. When the phin pia is played the open side of the gourd is held against the players bare chest and by moving it up and down the timbre of the tone can be regulated. To play the phin pia the peg end is held on top in a vertical position.  The thumb of the left-hand wraps between the gourd resonator and shaft controlling the movement of the gourd on the chest, while the fingers of both hands pluck the metal strings.  It is a very rare instrument, not often used today.  It provided rhythmic and drone accompaniment to singing.