Artisan Manifesto "No Two Guembris are Ever the Same" — Handcrafted Monolithic Lutherie
Yellow Workshop Archive • Essaouira Medina
Authentic Medina Lutherie • Essaouira, Morocco

The Instruments of Yellow Workshop: One of a Kind, Never Duplicated

Explore the authentic handcrafted Gnawa chordophones by Maalem Hassan Laaroussi. Each Guembri (Sintir / Hajhouj) is a distinct acoustic entity sculpted from a single solid trunk, sun-cured desert dromedary parchment, and hand-twisted Moroccan goat gut strings.

100% Monolithic Timber
43 – 62cm Acoustic Body Depths
8 – 12 Instruments / Year
UNESCO Living Heritage
Catalog synced with Essaouira Yellow Workshop Registry (2021-2026)
Archival Record Spotlight
Authentic Maalem Hassan Specimen
Guembri Large No: G.58/121 Monolithic Poplar Specimen by Maalem Hassan Laaroussi
Archival Number: No: G.58/121
Provenance Destination Sold to concert musician in Belgium
Large Concert Classification • €335 Original Archive Value

Guembri Large No: G.58/121

"One Piece Poplar" — Sculpted entirely from a single log of mature riverbank poplar, balanced with Atlas cedar neck resonance.

Resonance Chamber One Piece Hollowed Poplar (58 cm)
Overall Full Length 121 cm (Concert Scale)
Neck & Finials Moroccan Atlas Cedar
Decoration Mahogany Inlays & Tailpiece
Soundboard Membrane Sun-Cured Desert Dromedary Skin
Strings & Accessories 3 Original Goat Strings + Black Bag + 3 Spares

Acoustic Resonance Test

Low D Fundamental • Deep Dromedary Snap

432 Hz Lila Tuning
Inquire About Sister Instrument View Construction Diary
Archival Gallery

Individually Numbered Creations

Every instrument carries its unique handwritten catalog serial inside the resonant cavity, recording exact monolithic dimensions, wood provenance, and destination.

All instruments crafted in Essaouira

Custom Sister Commissions Open

Guembri Large No: 14.60/123 Stage Electric Monolithic Poplar by Hassan Laaroussi
No: 14.60/123
Stage Electric
Sold to Germany €400

Guembri Large No: 14.60/123

One-piece poplar body equipped with high-impedance transducer pickup jack, cedar neck, dromedary skin, and goat gut strings.

Total Length: 123 cm
Soundbox Depth: 60 cm
Pickup Output: 1/4" Direct Audio Jack
Request Similar Build
Guembri Large No: 18.61/122 One-Piece Walnut Monolith
No: 18.61/122
One-Piece Walnut
Sold to Germany €600

Guembri Large No: 18.61/122

Noble Atlas walnut monolith offering extraordinarily dark sub-bass frequencies, adorned with custom-turned lemon tree tuning pegs.

Total Length: 122 cm
Soundbox Depth: 61 cm
Material: Solid Walnut & Lemon Wood
Request Similar Build
Guembri Medium No: 15.52/113 Travel Instrument
No: 15.52/113
Medium Body
Sold to Canada €320

Guembri Medium No: 15.52/113

Agile mid-scale chordophone tailored for traveling maalem musicians, featuring built-in electric stage pickup and cured desert hide.

Total Length: 113 cm
Soundbox Depth: 52 cm
Electronics: Electric Stage Capsule
Request Similar Build
Guembri Large No: 31.60/121 Shell Inlay and Aluminum Marquetry
No: 31.60/121
Shell Inlay
Sold to Japan €450

Guembri Large No: 31.60/121

Hollowed mahogany monolith detailed with authentic Moroccan aluminum and oyster shell geometric carvings along neck and soundboard.

Total Length: 121 cm
Soundbox Depth: 60 cm
Finishing: Oyster Shell & Aluminum
Request Similar Build
Guembri Small Awicha No: 22.46/105 High Tone Soloist
No: 22.46/105
Awicha (High Tone)
Sold to USA €170

Guembri Small Awicha No: 22.46/105

Fast-attack high-register Awicha chordophone. Sculpted for rapid slap ornamentation, higher tuning keys, and agile hand transitions.

Total Length: 105 cm
Soundbox Depth: 46 cm
Acoustic Purpose: Fast Slap & High Melodic Line
Request Similar Build
Guembri Large No: 19.60/122 Natural Walnut Concert Instrument
No: 19.60/122
Natural Walnut
Sold to France €350

Guembri Large No: 19.60/122

Pure acoustic concert instrument crafted from aged Moroccan mountain walnut, fitted with friction lemon wood pegs and double-cured hide.

Total Length: 122 cm
Soundbox Depth: 60 cm
Tuning System: Traditional Friction Lemon Pegs
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Guembri Large No: 22.61.124 Solid Mahogany Concert Instrument
No: 22.61.124
Large Concert
Sold to Germany €450

Guembri Large No: 22.61.124

Solid Mahogany body and neck decorated with lemon tree marquetry, integrated high-fidelity electric stage pickup.

Total Length: 124 cm
Soundbox Depth: 61 cm
Wood & Pickup: Mahogany / Lemon Marquetry (Electric)
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Guembri Large No: 34.60.122 Professional Fishman Stage Instrument
No: 34.60.122
Fishman Stage
Sold to France €480

Guembri Large No: 34.60.122

Mahogany body paired with carved lemon tree elements, fitted with professional Fishman electric transducer system.

Total Length: 122 cm
Soundbox Depth: 60 cm
Electronics: Fishman Electric Transducer
Request Similar Build
Guembri Medium One-Piece Poplar No: 8.52/114
No: 8.52/114
One-Piece Poplar
Sold to Spain €270

Guembri Medium No: 8.52/114

Hollowed monolithic poplar trunk balanced with Moroccan cedar neck and traditional sun-cured dromedary skin.

Total Length: 114 cm
Soundbox Depth: 52 cm
Timber Combination: One-Piece Poplar & Cedar Neck
Request Similar Build
Guembri Small Awicha No: 5.47/101 Amp Electric
No: 5.47/101
Awicha Amp Electric
Sold to Switzerland €240

Guembri Small Awicha No: 5.47/101

Small-format Awicha equipped with amplifier pickup, one-piece poplar acoustic body, and cedar neck for treble percussive snap.

Total Length: 101 cm
Soundbox Depth: 47 cm
Electronics: Integrated Amp Transducer
Request Similar Build
Guembri Large No: 8.57.120 Dense Irokko Timber
No: 8.57.120
Irokko Monolith
Sold to USA €300

Guembri Large No: 8.57.120

Large concert specimen hollowed from dense Irokko timber with mahogany neck and carved lemon tree inlays.

Total Length: 120 cm
Soundbox Depth: 57 cm
Timber: Irokko Body & Mahogany Neck
Request Similar Build
Guembri Medium No: j.56/116 One-Piece Atlas Cedar
No: j.56/116
One-Piece Cedar
Sold to Japan €270

Guembri Medium No: j.56/116

Aromatic Moroccan Atlas Cedar body and neck ornamented with lemon wood inlays, offering warm, resonant low-mid presence.

Total Length: 116 cm
Soundbox Depth: 56 cm
Marquetry: One-Piece Cedar & Lemon Tree Inlays
Request Similar Build
Organic Craftsmanship

The Anatomy of Uniqueness

Why no mold or automated CNC router will ever enter the atelier of Maalem Hassan.

1. Monolithic Grain & Density

Every instrument is hollowed from a single solid tree trunk—poplar, cedar, or walnut. No lamination or glue seams exist in the acoustic box, guaranteeing an unrepeatable internal resonance profile.

Zero Plywood • 100% Solid Trunk

2. The Dromedary Membrane

Authentic desert camel neck hide varies in sun-curing, density, and natural oil distribution. Maalem Hassan scrapes each hide by hand to calibrate exact sub-bass frequency response and slap attack.

Natural Sun Curing • Camel Hide

3. Dimensional Profiling

Scales are not mass-produced to a rigid template. Body chambers span between 43 cm and 62 cm, with neck scale lengths between 94 cm and 124 cm tailored to the player’s hand reach and vocal pitch.

Ergonomic Neck Graduation

4. Archival Serial Registry

Each Guembri is permanently inscribed with its Yellow Workshop archival serial formula (e.g., No: G.58/121), recording exact dimensions, timber lineage, and international musician provenance.

Permanent Provenance Record
TrustScore 4.6 • 169 Verified Reviews on Trustpilot (98% 5-Star)

Spoken by Masters, Storytellers & Global Collectors

From Essaouira to Warsaw, California, Cape Town, and Amsterdam — every instrument travels securely in hand-crafted crates.

Independent Verification yellowworkshop.com on Trustpilot
Verified

Master Gimbri Maker

"Hassan is a master gimbri maker, and creates superb instruments that look and sound SO amazing... My sculptor husband said 'I didn't know it would be so beautiful!'"

Jackie Tileston United States
Verified

Spider Mark Guembri

"Thank you Hassan Laaroussi & Sanne Busk — Very happy and satisfied that I received my Guembri with spider mark, everything went well. Excellent service."

Wijnand Anansi Stomp 'Mister Anansi' • Netherlands
Verified

Played Every Single Day

"I bought a gimbri from yellowworkshop 1.5 years ago, it sounds great, I play it every day. I loved the shipping case too - beautiful solid wooden crate - my mailman almost died carrying it up the stairs. :)"

Janusz Banecki Warsaw, Poland
Verified

Remarkable Workmanship

"A remarkable hand made instrument — Not one day has passed without me picking up and playing this wonderful instrument. The sound is rich, the workmanship is remarkable... It came quite quickly in its own handmade crate."

Uncle Gilly Maritime Canada
Verified

Responsive Communication

"I appreciated Hassan's responsive email communication along the way... I am pleased with the craftsmanship, especially the complex pattern inlay design, and the sturdy cowry shell strap."

Cal R. California, USA
Verified

Custom Back Engraving

"As a first time Guembri buyer, Hassan guided me in the selection of materials... He even engraved a custom design on the back! Not just beautiful art objects, but finely made instruments."

Maxim Elrod United States
Verified

Packaged with Pride

"Stunning custom crafted instruments, products handled and packaged with pride and care. Hassan's first customer in South Africa."

Voytek Modrzewski Cape Town, South Africa
Verified

10 Stars if Possible

"A great help to a new Gnawa player. Great online support, and amazing videos on YouTube. Full of fantastic instruments made by a true Moroccan craftsman. 10 Stars if possible."

Steve Philpott United Kingdom

100% Custom Solid Wooden Crates

Individually constructed pine cases ensuring zero shock damage

Attentive Atelier Support

Typically replies within 24h via WhatsApp & Email

Hand-Twisted Spares Included

Each guembri ships with custom tuned goat gut + 3 spare strings

Authentic Essaouira Medina luthier atelier workshop shelves with seasoned wood stocks
The Medina Workshop Shelves • Seasoned Wood Stocks
Maalem Hassan Laaroussi seated at his ancient wooden workbench in the sunny Bab Doukkala medina street of Essaouira
Maalem Hassan at Work • Bab Doukkala Street Workbench
Bab Doukkala • Essaouira Medina

Visit the Yellow Workshop Atelier

Musicians, collectors, and ethnomusicologists visiting Morocco are warmly welcomed to stop by the atelier in the historical medina of Essaouira. Experience the natural acoustic resonance of raw wood chambers, select custom timbers, and test-play finished instruments before worldwide shipping.

Included with Every Acquired Instrument:

Custom padded black protective gig bag
Set of 3 extra original Moroccan goat strings
Archival certificate of provenance
Insured wooden crated international dispatch
Commission Your Unique Instrument Direct Atelier WhatsApp