Weasely

[Marc St Louis]

I haven't worked on a bow for several months but I have been working on something.  My wife has a degree in ancient music with an interest in Baroque music and musical instruments of the time.  Several years ago she ordered plans and the hardware for the instrument shown below.  I looked at the plans and figured maybe something for the future.  Well the future was a couple months ago.  We worked on this instrument on and off for nearly 3 months....what a job.  She is made mostly of Black Walnut with a Spruce soundboard.  This was by far the most difficult thing I have ever made, but it was also interesting.  Here are some pictures of the build and the finished instrument, maybe somebody can name what this instrument is



















Ah yes the name.  My wife decided to name her Weasely because she is quite squeaky

P.S. The only thing she got for this is the hardware kit and the strings.  Everything else we made ourselves.  Bending the sides of the box was ( interesting )

[AndrewS]

you have made a nice "hurdy gurdy" and a good description of the sound....
In German it is a "Drehleiher".

(h)ttps://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=e7B15v51Ro4

No original music, but the hurdy-gurdy also fits well with modern music....

[BrianS]

Wow. Nice job!

[Parnell]

Fascinating, Marc.

[Marc St Louis]

Yes the hurdy gurdy is quite the instrument.  Tuning is something else.  The kit came with nylon strings which I thought didn't produce enough sound so I got some guitar strings and they really were loud but harder to tune so back to the nylon

[bjrogg]

Pretty cool Marc.

Isn’t it amazing how much time, effort and importance man has put into making music and musical instruments?  It seems that it has always touched us deeply and somehow brings us together to share its magical power.

Bjrogg

[Hawkdancer]

Got it in one!  A friend of mine in Colorado makes and plays things like that, gets to a lot of the medival Renaissance fairs out here.  I managed to find enough wood (and plans) for the lyre that was posted a while back.  Not to find my round tuit!
Hawkdancer

[Marc St Louis]

I only had so much Walnut on hand so steam bending the sides of the box was a bit nerve wracking.  If that would have failed I would have had to switch to Black Cherry as I didn't have enough wood to start over.  It didn't though and setting the bend with dry-heat after helped it retain the shape

[Pappy]

Nice work Marc, you have talent for sure.
 Pappy

[HH~]

Thats very nice indeed. Gibson down here would hire you straight away.

HH~

[YosemiteBen]

Very Nice Work Marc! I was never any good with strings, I think I will stick with flutes.

[Marc St Louis]

Thanks you all.

The plans were quite complex, needlessly so I believe.  If I were to build another I would simplify the design somewhat