I made it first with fishing line, bad choice. As a result the instrument is too long for viola/violin strings. I am using nylon guitar strings that I got at guitar center.
@g30r63neobeenet Thanks for all the compliments everyone. :) I'm going to try and make some time and make new and better recording, perhaps a new song too.
yeah that is what i'm worried about, hahaha. never mind, perhaps this instrument will just serve to get the mechanics right. i've got some mahogany board for the top so hopefully that will help, although i know thats not perfect either. oh well.... i'll post a video when i'm done, fingers crossed it will not be completely dull!
@ooooooooser Well good luck! In general from what I have read violins have harder wood for the bottom and sides. The soundboard is usually spruce which I softer. From what I have gathered the softer soundboard vibrates well and the harder wood serves to reflect the sound out the "top". Anyway, that's how I interpreted it. I should have used a harder back piece, but I was being cheep, lol. I look forward to seeing how yours turns out! Cheers!
what wood is made out of? i have made two diatonic gurdy's over the past couple of years and am now making chromatic one, due to expense of "real" wood i am using birch ply for the main body of the instrument, i am just wondering what you have used because the resonance quality of yours seems quite good. kindest regards.
@ooooooooser There are reasons I would think ply doesn't resonate as well, but I'm no expert. :) The top and bottom are made of Aspen. Sides and keybox of poplar. The small ends are made of red oak. I got the standard sized stock from Lowes, so that limited the width of the gurdy. Home Depot carries similar stuff. I tried to match wood densities with that used for violins etc. Thanks for the comment! I can discuss more with you if you like.
I wish I could get a blueprint for that hurdy gurdy. I want to learn how to play one SOO bad! But I don't have the money to buy one. The cheapest one I've found online was a piece of crap for $400.
@gsr200guy I designed mine by looking at tons of photos and watching lots of videos of real ones here on youtube to try and get a sense of how they work. Wikipedia was also useful. This was the first stringed instrument I've ever made or played, so it was quite the learning experience! The materials probably cost on order of $200. I had to buy several tools, which made the price even higher. If you want to learn to play, buy a real one. If you need a project build one. IMHO
Has quite a good sound for a home-made one. Like most symphonie types it is quite quiet, but this is a function of the soundbox shape. You ought to make a keybox lid, to stop the tangents getting accidentally adjusted.
Thank you! I have made a lid, just haven't gotten around to putting it on :). This has been a work in progress for some time. I haven't figured out exactly how I want to attach the lid to the box. I image a lid will also make it a bit easier to play.
Good to know about the shape affecting the sound, I had wondered if that was the case. I don't have any separate sound holes apart from the extra space next to the wheel ( about 1 cm on either end of the wheel.)
@gyldageoff1 Well there is no standardization in design, in hindsight it would have been easier to enclose the wheel and strings in the box. But not knowing what I was doing when I set forth on the task of building it, it became the mutant it is. It tends to sound and look more like a symphonie, hence my even making that statement. I do call it a hurdy gurdy, since I built it that makes it official. Thanks for the comment.
very impressed!
Vulpestruments 1 month ago
I LOVE IT!!! I know what my next project is going to be... what is the scale on hat thing?
MrWimshurst 1 month ago
@lcarsstgundam
Quite impressive, I'm planning on doing one myself. Can you tell me where did you find your strings?
linewalker012 2 months ago
@linewalker012
I made it first with fishing line, bad choice. As a result the instrument is too long for viola/violin strings. I am using nylon guitar strings that I got at guitar center.
lcarsstgundam 2 months ago
top notch!very impressive
fifthera 3 months ago
@fifthera :) Thank you
lcarsstgundam 3 months ago
great, I love this home made instruments
sonapipian 4 months ago
@sonapipian :) thanks
lcarsstgundam 4 months ago
Dude, you're awesome. Next time I'm having a beer, I'll raise a glass in your name. Cheers!!
g30r63neobeenet 6 months ago
@g30r63neobeenet Thanks for all the compliments everyone. :) I'm going to try and make some time and make new and better recording, perhaps a new song too.
lcarsstgundam 6 months ago
Great job!
minstrel76 6 months ago
all i can say: someone's got talent
MATILLEGE 6 months ago
yeah that is what i'm worried about, hahaha. never mind, perhaps this instrument will just serve to get the mechanics right. i've got some mahogany board for the top so hopefully that will help, although i know thats not perfect either. oh well.... i'll post a video when i'm done, fingers crossed it will not be completely dull!
ooooooooser 8 months ago
@ooooooooser Well good luck! In general from what I have read violins have harder wood for the bottom and sides. The soundboard is usually spruce which I softer. From what I have gathered the softer soundboard vibrates well and the harder wood serves to reflect the sound out the "top". Anyway, that's how I interpreted it. I should have used a harder back piece, but I was being cheep, lol. I look forward to seeing how yours turns out! Cheers!
lcarsstgundam 8 months ago
what wood is made out of? i have made two diatonic gurdy's over the past couple of years and am now making chromatic one, due to expense of "real" wood i am using birch ply for the main body of the instrument, i am just wondering what you have used because the resonance quality of yours seems quite good. kindest regards.
ooooooooser 8 months ago
@ooooooooser There are reasons I would think ply doesn't resonate as well, but I'm no expert. :) The top and bottom are made of Aspen. Sides and keybox of poplar. The small ends are made of red oak. I got the standard sized stock from Lowes, so that limited the width of the gurdy. Home Depot carries similar stuff. I tried to match wood densities with that used for violins etc. Thanks for the comment! I can discuss more with you if you like.
lcarsstgundam 8 months ago
I wish I could get a blueprint for that hurdy gurdy. I want to learn how to play one SOO bad! But I don't have the money to buy one. The cheapest one I've found online was a piece of crap for $400.
gsr200guy 1 year ago
@gsr200guy I designed mine by looking at tons of photos and watching lots of videos of real ones here on youtube to try and get a sense of how they work. Wikipedia was also useful. This was the first stringed instrument I've ever made or played, so it was quite the learning experience! The materials probably cost on order of $200. I had to buy several tools, which made the price even higher. If you want to learn to play, buy a real one. If you need a project build one. IMHO
lcarsstgundam 1 year ago
Has quite a good sound for a home-made one. Like most symphonie types it is quite quiet, but this is a function of the soundbox shape. You ought to make a keybox lid, to stop the tangents getting accidentally adjusted.
gyldageoff1 1 year ago
@gyldageoff1
Thank you! I have made a lid, just haven't gotten around to putting it on :). This has been a work in progress for some time. I haven't figured out exactly how I want to attach the lid to the box. I image a lid will also make it a bit easier to play.
Good to know about the shape affecting the sound, I had wondered if that was the case. I don't have any separate sound holes apart from the extra space next to the wheel ( about 1 cm on either end of the wheel.)
lcarsstgundam 1 year ago
Actually, if this was a symphomie, the entire wheel and keybox mechanisms would be inside the box. This is actually a hurdy-gurdy with a square body.
gyldageoff1 1 year ago
@gyldageoff1 Well there is no standardization in design, in hindsight it would have been easier to enclose the wheel and strings in the box. But not knowing what I was doing when I set forth on the task of building it, it became the mutant it is. It tends to sound and look more like a symphonie, hence my even making that statement. I do call it a hurdy gurdy, since I built it that makes it official. Thanks for the comment.
lcarsstgundam 1 year ago
sweet man!
brekko13 1 year ago
@brekko13
Thanks :). Now I need a pickup, and a larger repertoire.
lcarsstgundam 1 year ago