Another 2 cents worth: I built my own hurdy-gurdy from scratch using plans (and pegs) from Lyn Elder‹I couldn¹t afford a ready-made instrument‹and no previous experience at all with such a critter. This is a rather simple, medieval style instrument: single chanter, three drones, no trompette, no sympathetics. It took a long time to build, and even longer to get the stringing right, and the cottoning, and the rosining. It works, with its idiosyncrasies! But I¹d love to have a finely crafted machine sometime (though I¹m not sure I¹m worthy!). Save up if you can? I don¹t want to be discouraging‹I did it and enjoyed the challenge. But the hurdy-gurdy can be a finicky thing, and if you¹re questioning construction as well as individual temperament of the beast, trouble-shooting can be tricky.
Best regards, Leonard Williams From: Augusto de Ornellas Abreu <[email protected]> Reply-To: Hurdy-Gurdy List <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 5:36 PM To: Hurdy-Gurdy List <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [HG-new] Monarch Kit - sound files of customer constructed ones? Their kit is not like other HG kits you read about. It is really good. But it is only suited really for people that want to have the experience of making their own instrument, a not so good idea for a first instrument. You should get yourself a good student model (their Wren or Minuet models are GREAT), learn how to play it, suffer through all the pain to get a grip on cottoning, tuning, etc and, THEN and only then, see if you want to try and make an instrument of your own. There's a blog somewhere of a person who bought a kit and went on customizing almost every little piece, turning it in a real work of art. Do you have the link for it, David? Augusto On Sat, Jan 4, 2014 at 8:33 PM, David Gillett <[email protected]> wrote: > > Charlie, > I've heard great things about the Wren, and I would HIGHLY recommend the > Minuet from Hurdy Gurdy Crafters. It's a nice, simple instrument for a > beginner, and Mel and Ann Dorries are the nicest people you will ever meet > who will happily answer any and every question you will ever have! > > On Jan 2, 2014 3:36 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hello, I am new to this group and based in Colorado. Currently, I am saving >> my pennies for a hurdy gurdy. My primary instrument is the highland >> bagpipes, but I have always been enthralled by the sound of the hurdy gurdy >> (maybe something to do with drones). >> >> I suppose, I'll be aiming for a repertoire consisting of music from the >> British Isles, probably beginning with English folk tunes. >> >> Given that I do have basic woodworking tools and skills, when I cam across >> the Monarch kit from hurdygurdycrafters, I thought (this could be for me, and >> the price is right). >> >> BUT........ another hurdy gurdy website suggests that kit hurdy gurdies are >> not necessarily very good. They do have their own product to sell of course, >> but there could be a grain of truth in their statement. >> >> I have also noticed a number of Monarch instruments offered for sale for not >> much more than the kit purchase price........... >> >> So, I'd like to hear from other builders of the Monarch kit. >> >> 1. How difficult was it to build? >> 2. Did you get a playable instrument? >> 3. Does it stand alongside in terms of other pre-built instruments? >> >> Any other recommendations? >> >> Thanks, >> Charlie >> >> -- >> -- >> 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] >> <mailto:hurdygurdy%[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. >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "hurdygurdy" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] >> <mailto:hurdygurdy%[email protected]> . >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- > -- > 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] > <mailto:hurdygurdy%[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. 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