Philippe Clain (born Paris 1951) trained as a cabinet maker before going to work for the Baschet Brothers in Paris. The Baschet Brothers were artists and physicists who created sound sculptures and novel musical instruments like glass organs, musical fountains and inflatable guitars. Clain met many instrument makers and luthiers from across the world in  François Baschet's workshop. In 1972 he moved to Ardèche where he restored pianos and repaired violins. He also developed a program of musical entertainment for schools using an instrumentarium inspired by the work of the Baschet brothers. In 1984 he left mainland France for Reunion Island with its forests of exotic native & introduced timbers. Clain makes conventional looking classical guitars, violins and cellos but also original and unsual looking guitars and basses.