The sintir is a three stringed bass lute dating back 500 years or so to Sub-Saharan West Africa.
The goat gut strings are plucked downward with the knuckle side of the index finger and the inside of the thumb. The hollowed canoe shaped wooden body resonates a percussive tone created by knuckles slapping the camel neck top of the body while the thumb and index finger are plucking the strings.The lowest string on the sintir is a drone note and the second string, the highest in pitch, is tuned an octave higher and is never fretted. The third string is tuned a fourth above the drone. The buzzing sound often heard emanating from the sintir is caused by metal rings dangling off of a galvenized metal feather mounted on the end of the sintir's neck. The feather and rings vibrate in rhythm with the sintir.