I got two 19th century HGs both bought from and restored by Alden & Cali
You should budget up to the purchase price again for restoration This depends of course on the instrument's condition Old, unrestored HG's are likely to need a lot of work Apart from obvious woodwork repairs, worn keys, bearings, wheel etc I would not recommend buying without a "hands on" assessment by a luthier or an experienced player You can download a check sheet with all the points to note from Chris Allen's website http://www.hurdygurdy.org Just click on "Resources" There are also pics of historic HG's you may like to look at http://www.hurdygurdy.org/historical.htm Graham -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of JULIE BARKER Sent: 10 December 2007 08:40 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [HG] Lute back hurdy gurdy from France / Paris ? Andre Bissonett in Place de Vogues is your man, although it would probably need some work. I am told that if you telephone the shop and ask what he has he will merely tell you to come in and see, regardless of where you live in the world. The last instrument I saw from Bissonett, a Pajot, cost about 3,500 euros and although playable with a bit of effort probably needs another £1,000+ to turn it into a good reliable instrument. I too am considering getting a 19c vielle but am rather detered by the fact that they generally cost a lot to restore to playing condition [ie, more than the instrument costs]. Best of luck, let me know how you get on. You never know if you find more than one I may just buy the other. Philip Michael Knapp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hello I'm thinking seriously about getting an (old from 19th century) lute back hurdy gurdy from France. Does anybody know a good place (antique music instruments shop, ...) in Paris to look for one. Fortunately, I have relatives in Paris (15e arrondissement) where I can stay for some days. Michael Philip G Martin aka Drohne www.drohne.co.uk
