Alden, I'm sorry I've offended you, please allow me to try to un-offend you.
I made a brief comment about artistic choices, but I see I should have included a paragraph about a professionally built instrument transcending a simple well playing instrument into a work of art. No offence was intended or implied. A professional (or advanced amateur) has the choice to make a *superior sounding* instrument out of standard grade or even sub-prime wood, or to make a *superior sounding* instrument out of personally chosen, carefully selected, well seasoned, scarce, and beautiful woods. Does a beginner builder need to find and purchase a $300 piece of Brazilian Rosewood to make a "pretty good" sounding instrument. No. That'd be a bad idea (and not just because Brazilian is now illegal in the US). Hardware store Alder would be a much better choice for the beginner - assuming they can stand the ugly greenish tint and horrible grain pattern (my opinion, sorry if I've offended Alder lovers out there). I should also point out that the pros need to use very well seasoned and stable woods, glued up at carefully controlled humidity levels -- their reputations depend on it. Musicians can be very hard on instruments (playing them all night in the rain at music festivals and such) so a pro must use design and construction techniques and stabilized woods so the instrument won't split apart on a particularly dry or wet day. This is less of a concern (although certainly possible) for an amateur builder making an instrument for themselves. I think every musician should attempt to build their own instrument. Aside from a greater understanding as to how their instrument works it makes professionally hand-made instruments seem much less expensive. But really, all those expensive tools and jigs -- the bending machines, expensive band saw re-sawing blades, precision thickness sanders, shop lathe, metal lathe, drum sander, belt sanders, molds, forms, layout tools, precision straight-edges, accurate rulers, spectrum analysis software, stroboscopic tuner, planes, gouges, custom chisels, gauged files -- all those tools are mostly about production. They are used to make it possible to build an instrument to less than a hundredth of an inch tolerance using tricky woods and still be able to price the thing in a range that musicians will actually pay. At this point I should launch into a big discussion (rant, perhaps) about the perceptions of musicians verses the reality of musical instrument construction, but I think that'd be quite a bit off topic. If we could just get the hurdy gurdy popular enough for someone to build a factory for them then this whole discussion would just go away. -S p.s. On Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 4:13 PM, Alden F M Hackmann < [email protected]> wrote: > [...] > Perhaps I'm being too sensitive and reading too much into what is > actually being said. My attempts at being succinct often come across as snarky or combative. > > On Wed, 26 Oct 2011, Steven Tucker wrote: > > then my total cash outlay for a Chinook-like hurdy gurdy would be around >> $300 >> > > Is that including the strings? Good gut strings are quite expensive. No, I'm pretty sure good gut strings wouldn't qualify as "affordable" construction. I should have said "Chinook-shaped", implying someone could copy the design, but not implying someone could copy the quality. > > or less -- even accounting for precision bushings and a shaft from >> McMaster Carr and a AA spruce top from Luthier's Mercantile. >> > > Please let me know what McMaster-Carr part numbers you were looking at. I > must have missed that section of the catalog. I realize that's sarcasm, but here you go - I still had the tabs open: 2025K8 <http://www.mcmaster.com/#2025K8> - stainless steel shaft with retaining ring groves - $24.42. 6389K625 <http://www.mcmaster.com/#6389K625> - Nylon sleeve bearing $2.36. (pack of 5) > I would contend that all you need is a bow saw with a thin blade and a >> thick blade, a luthier's knife (made from an old file), a steel scraper, a >> drill, and possibly a wood carvers gouge. (Assuming you buy the shaft, >> bushings, and top wood). >> [...] >> > > Let's include a pencil. That being all you need, I suggest that you embark > upon your project forthwith. I notice that you don't have a vise, or a > sharpening stone, or any measuring devices, or a straight edge, so I await > the results of your labors. > Ok, a sharpening stone and a ruler are must-haves, but what do you need a vice for that can't be done with a clever application of living room furniture? (a joke, meant lightly) Once I'm done with my brother's challenge of building a $99.00 retail production model ukulele that plays in tune, I'll consider creating a YouTube video on how to build a hurdy gurdy with only hand tools (well, and maybe my band saw). -S -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
