EarlyMusicNews.Org

“Luthiers Chris Allen and Sabina Kormylo are hurdy-gurdy and lute makers producing a wide variety of stringed instruments including Hurdy-Gurdies, Lutes, Mandolins and Viols. We also undertake repair, adjustment and modification of existing instruments.

Almost all of our instruments are copied from or based upon existing historic instruments. We make close examination of historic examples and pride ourselves on the faithful reproduction of both external and internal detail and design. The design and construction of bespoke instruments is also undertaken.

We provide a friendly and personal service and are very happy to discuss and accommodate the special musical needs of our customers. ..“

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 489

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 294

“I am passionate about hurdy gurdies and have been a player for over 20 years.

I initially studied instrument making with Zachary Taylor at West Dean College and then spent 3 years at the London Guildhall University on their Musical Instrument Technology course.

I have been making hurdy gurdies exclusively for the past 12 years and also give playing tuition, individually or in workshops. ..”

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 415

“Many years ago I saw a black & white Spencer Tracey Film Called “Captains courageous”.  Spencer’s character played a bizarre mechanical fiddle called a Hurdy Gurdy. From that point this instrument fascinated me. Finding one to play was not very easy, so it was sometime before I was courageous enough to make one. I had never seen a hurdy gurdy in the flesh before. This made troubleshooting a long and sometimes painful process. My intension was to make a quick and dirty hurdy gurdy by converting an old guitar. In the end I put more work and detail into it and ended up with a very playable instrument that I named George. From then on I was hooked. ..“  (Graeme McCormack) Hurdy-gurdy plans are also offered on the site.

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Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 599

“After many years spent first building a hurdy-gurdy from a kit and then building several more hurdy-gurdies from scratch, we collected a catalog of parts, both metal and wood, crafted here in our own shop.

Visiting with hurdy-gurdy players at festivals and on line we discovered that hurdy-gurdy players are an independent and talented lot. Most are tweakers and many have attempted to build their own instrument with varying degrees of success. All have faced the problem of finding or building some of the more difficult parts.

Here at Hurdy-Gurdy Crafters, we would like to offer as much help as you need in the form of parts, plans, and kits based on the lessons we have learned. We also build finished hurdy-gurdies which are ready to play (except for a little tuning). At present we offer Symphonies and guitar bodied hurdy-gurdies.“ 

Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 338

“

I first got interested in playing the guitar when I was 17. I liked ragtime/country blues (anyone remember Rev. Gary Davies?) and John Renbourn, though I never owned a steel string guitar. I taught myself to read music and started to explore the classical guitar repertoire. Then I went to college and got the chance of free(!) guitar lessons every week with Julian Byzantine, who taught me a lot about music as well as the guitar. My left hand underwent some pretty thorough training.

The next decisive moment was (about a year later) attending a lecture-recital given by Anthony Rooley in 1973. He was really friendly and enthusiastic and from that moment on I realised I had to play the lute. Being an impoverished student it took me some time to get around to buying a lute, and it wasn't until the end of my doctoral studies (1979) that I finally acquired a lute, aged 24 (me, not the lute). I filed off my nails, changed my right hand to "thumb-inside", put the guitar in its case and that was that.

In 1980 I attended my first Lute Society Summer School at Cheltenham. I was particularly impressed with Chris Wilson's recital of early 16th C music and went off to make myself a 6c lute. I subsequently had further lessons with Chris in London and continued to explore Spinacino, Capirola, Francesco, etc. My first concerts on the lute were around this time. I also met Stewart McCoy, and we've been playing lute duets ever since.

I made several more lutes for my own use, then started to take commissions in 1988. One of the first was from a lady called Claire who was looking for both a lute and an accompanist for lute songs. I made her a nice lute and she became my wife! ..“

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Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 403

“I have been a professional lute builder for almost 30 years.

Having started to play the lute as in the early seventies I decided to become a professional instrument maker. I completed a five year apprenticeship in the Dolmetsch workshops in Haslemere, where I learnt viol making under Roger Rose. In 1979 I established my first workshop in London and specialised in lute making.Since then I have made instruments for professional and amateur musicians In Europe, North America and Japan. Until 2002 I was Senior Lecturer on the Early Strings course at former London College of Furniture.“

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Added on: Dec 27, 2009 | Hits: 514

“Harps, Hurdy Gurdies, and Bowed Psalteries. There's nothing more magical than music made on these ancient instruments. Whether finding an honored place in your home or becoming a lifelong travelling companion, We make all our instruments with you in mind. Instruments should inspire the player..... bring out the magic in your hands.“

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Added on: Mar 30, 2010 | Hits: 443

Medieval and Renaissance stringed musical instruments. 

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Added on: Mar 30, 2010 | Hits: 406

Stringed music instruments. 

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Added on: Mar 30, 2010 | Hits: 483

Hurdy Gurdy maker. 

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Added on: Apr 23, 2010 | Hits: 443

“My workshop is in north Wiltshire, England. In the 38th year of my career, I find my time roughly divided into three equal segments.

MAKING: I specialise in late Renaissance lutes, but I also make guitars and other instruments. All my instruments are custom made and I am particularly pleased with collaborations with players who have special requirements, such as tone, decoration, playing technique or RSI.

RESTORATIONS: I have done restorations on many old guitars, particularly those by Louis Panormo and have restored several 18th century English guitars (a type of cittern).

REPAIRS: I do repairs for local musicians. Many classical, steel string and electric guitars pass through the workshop.“

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Added on: Jul 16, 2011 | Hits: 221

“ … I am particularly interested in the guitar of the early 19th century. The instruments described as "Romantic guitars" or "Biedermeier Gitarren" are of smaller shape. They comply with the acoustic aesthetics and musical demands of this period. …

Apart from conventional standard and reconditioning repairs I also carry out extensive restoration in my workshop. In most cases the aim of restauration is a playable instrument for musicians. Depending on condition and rarity of the instrument a pure conservative work may be more important. This decision must be made with the owner before restoration. I see conservative work as making each step of the restoration reversible.  …”

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Added on: Jul 16, 2011 | Hits: 275

“La mi Cinta Dorada appears as solution to the principal problem of early string instruments performers: to hold the instruments correctly. Our STRAPS are disigned in order to luthiers’ and performers’ needs, and have been tested by them before we sell them.
We work with first quality materials proceeding a rigorous process of confection of each product. Each STRAP is handmade and revised meticulously to guarantee a perfect finished and resistence.

Our principal care: ERGONOMICS and QUALITY of our products.“

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 301

“Floris-Jan van der Voort first started making classical violins and cello's.

In search for a more artistic approach, he went to West Dean College, where he studied the making of early bowed instruments. Since 1995, on leaving college, he specializes in instruments of the viol and baroque violin families.

His instruments are made to the highest standards, based on surviving originals and iconography.

They are valued by both professional and amateurs in many countries, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain and America.”

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Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 232

Construction and restoration of bowed instruments and bows. 

We ship to anywhere in Brazil by mail or carrier.

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Added on: Nov 28, 2011 | Hits: 326

Lute, theorbo and guitar maker.

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Added on: Feb 03, 2012 | Hits: 268

“Since 1993 we  have been running the workshop ' Le Pin Lyre ', where I [Thomas Murach , Facteur de clavecins] make  harpsichords and Isabelle  restores violins, lutes and violes. In fact, we work together on lots of tasks, but that's the  basic setup. …

The following pages have some photos and links giving details on our work so far and are here for no other purpose than to encourage you, the musician and harpsichord player, to contact [us] …”

Tags: Thomas Murach, Facteur de clavecins

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Added on: Feb 26, 2012 | Hits: 201

“I am a musician, sharing my time between playing the baroque violin and the lute and making bows for baroque instruments. The bows I make are either based on existing historical models, or are reconstructions based on the combination of ongoing research into the aesthetic and acoustic principles of the 17th and 18th centuries, through the study of historical instruments and iconography, combined with the practical concert experience of my colleagues and my own.

My workshop is set in the beautiful hills of the Galilee in the north of Israel. I travel often to Europe for exhibitions and concerts.“

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 88

“Matthew Farley is a luthier working in Cracow (Kraków), Poland. For four years he studied under master luthier Marco Salerno in his workshop in Zagarolo, Italy, assisting in the construction of over 100 instruments. Currently Matthew primarily makes bowed instruments for playing Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music. All of his instruments are carefully researched and designed in an attempt to approach the historical sound and appearance, while simultaneously taking into account the demands of modern musicians and modern concert venues.

Matthew builds each instrument of native European woods that are true to the materials largely available to and used by luthiers of the past. Starting from large billets of maple and spruce, he does all of the preliminary carpentry necessary to prepare instrument parts himself–thus allowing him to offer his instruments at a price reasonable for early music enthusiasts, as well as serious (but frugal) professionals. No part of his instruments is outsourced (save for the strings!), giving him the freedom to follow his own craftsman’s vision from the earliest stages to the final product.”

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 142

“Jacek Wesolowski started playing violin at the age of 5 with classical studies at music school, later turning towards other genres such as folk and early music. From early on he was aware of the importance of a good instrument, not only in the quality of sound but the ergonomy and aesthetics of the form.

After completing his Masters degree in violin making at Poznan Academy of Music he went to England to specialise in early stringed instrument making at West Dean College under the famous early music specialist Roger Rose. He completed the three year programme with distinction. During this period he made instruments for various important musicians in both the modern and early music worlds (Alison Crum, Levon Chilingirian among others).

Jacek then moved to London where he was employed by the renowned dealers and restorers of fine stringed instruments, J & A Beare Ltd. He worked as a restorer and during his 5 years there he handled some of the best instruments in the world.

Now back in his hometown of Gdansk, Jacek Wesolowski has opened his own stringed instrument making and restoration studio. He also enjoys sharing some of his experience through giving lectures and continues his passion for research on specialist subjects related to stringed instruments.“

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 134