Markynsai Diengdoh, a self-taught luthier from Markasa village in Eastern West Khasi Hills, will showcase his handcrafted musical stringed instruments at Shillong Club on Friday. His journey to becoming a luthier was filled with hardships. Initially aspiring to be a musician, financial constraints led him to complete a Bachelor of Arts in History and take up a government job.
Despite discouragement from locals who urged him to shift to furniture-making, his deep passion for music and instrument-making persisted.
The upcoming exhibition, organised by Meghalaya’s pop icon Lou Majaw as a birthday tribute to him, will showcase his craftsmanship.
Here are excerpts of a conversation with Markynsai Diengdoh, hereon “MD”:
ST: Since childhood, did you enjoy creating things?
MD: Yes, I always loved making different artistic objects like ‘Shalyngktem’ and ‘Besli’. I also enjoyed drawing.
ST: What inspired you to start making musical instruments?
MD: My love for music. I wanted to be a musician like my father. I grew up listening to country music, blues, and bluegrass, and I longed to own Western musical instruments. But I couldn’t afford them. I was disappointed and discouraged because I knew how difficult it was to make them.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, I finally had the time to work on my passion. The first instrument I made was the Maryngod. After that, despite never having worked with wood before, I attempted to craft a ‘Duitara’ (a traditional four-stringed instrument from Meghalaya) — and it turned out perfect!
Since many people had already made Duitaras, I wanted to try something different. So, I started making Western musical instruments. I began with a ukulele. At first, it was incredibly difficult — I struggled to bend the sides, so I shaped it into a triangle. I had no knowledge about the correct fret positioning and spacing. After researching, I came across the “Rule of 18,” which is similar to the Pythagorean Theorem. It helped me understand how to divide the frets properly.
I spent a lot of time studying online, learning from the resources available at my fingertips. Eventually, I discovered how luthiers in the West bend guitar sides using thermal sheets and specialised equipment. Since I didn’t have access to such tools, I tried burning a pipe in a fire to bend the wood — it worked! Later, I saw videos where people used gas to heat the pipe, but it was still too difficult.
One day, while ironing my clothes, I wondered if the iron’s heating coil could work — it didn’t. But later, as I sat near a heater, I noticed its coil. That gave me an idea. I welded a two-inch pipe, placed it over the coil, and to my delight, it worked perfectly. To this day, I still use this method for bending wood.
From there, I expanded my work to making mandolins, mountain banjos, resonator guitars, and other stringed instruments. When I first crafted a resonator guitar, I couldn’t afford an aluminum cone, so I used a steel container — it worked well! Later, I bought a proper cone from China, and my latest one came from the U.S. for Rs 15,000. The difference in sound was remarkable.
I am proud to say that I was the first person in India to make a resonator guitar.
ST: Who has inspired and supported you the most?
MD: My biggest inspiration was my father. He was a wonderful singer — he sang from morning till night and played the mandolin beautifully. He was also a well-known wedding singer. But beyond anything else, my passion for music kept me going.
At first, people discouraged me. They told me I was wasting my time and pressured me to switch to furniture making. But my heart was in musical instruments. When I completed my first Duitaras, my relatives and friends encouraged me. After media coverage, even more people supported me. But the biggest surprise of my life was when legendary musician Lou Majaw personally visited me, tested my instruments, and encouraged me.
ST: How has Lou Majaw helped and encouraged you?
MD: I have the deepest respect for Lou Majaw. I never imagined that someone of his stature would visit my village and support my work. I’m incredibly grateful to him — not only for his encouragement but also for helping me improve.
He purchased several of my instruments, including Duitara, mandolin, banjo, acoustic lap steel guitar, and an acoustic aluminum body guitar. He even gave me two custom projects: A guitar shaped like the Shillong map and a hybrid instrument combining a Duitara and an electric guitar.
These projects were crucial in shaping my creativity. They pushed me beyond simply replicating existing designs—I learned to innovate. That’s what I appreciate most about Lou Majaw.
ST: How many instruments will you showcase at the exhibition?
MD: I’ll try to bring as many as possible, but I don’t have a large inventory. In fact, the exhibition wasn’t my idea — it’s a special programme organised by Lou Majaw for my birthday. I apologise in advance if anyone hopes to purchase instruments, as I won’t have many available.
ST: What are your future aspirations?
MD: I want to train talented youths who are passionate about luthiery. I have a project in mind, but it’s challenging because I need to invest in equipment, wood, and a large workshop. Finding dedicated trainees is also difficult—they must genuinely love this craft.
I don’t want to charge them for training, but at the very least, they should cover equipment costs. My ultimate goal is to expand ‘Basandarson Luthiery’ (his enterprise) beyond local markets and supply instruments worldwide — if God wills it.
ST: Have any investors approached you?
MD: Yes, a few have, but they demanded a high percentage in return. I declined because I don’t want my hands tied. I prefer to grow at my own pace.
I want to thank God for the talent He has given me, my loving wife, Lou Majaw, and all my friends who have supported me on this journey.