I have wanted to build a Hurdy Gurdy for at least 30 years and I have bought drawings (Pimpard), a number of books and sufficient wood of good quality. I have made a lot of stringed instruments over the years ( guitars(4), Mandolins(4), Violins(3), Violas(4), Hammered dulcimers(2)and banjo(1)). Also a lot of reed instruments (oboes(1) Northumbrian small pipes (about 50).
This project has been on the back burner for long enough and I am hoping to get some work towards actually making one. I have been studying the videos on YouTube by Patty Gurdy especially the ones where she visited her Gurdy Maker Walter Simons and these have been an inspiration.
I have decided to make a gurdy in the style of the ones made by Walter Simons and to get started I have begun creating an accurate 3D model using SolidWorks. This should enable me to get the basic geometry close to right.
Specification
- 3 melody strings D, g, & d
- 2 drone strings
- 2 trompets
- Sympathetic strings (TBD)
- Adjustable bridge(s) for the melody and drone strings
- Fixed tailpiece
- Capos on drones and trompets
- Melody string length = 363mm
- String angle (to horizontal) = 2.5 degrees (to reduce the width at the tuning end of the gurdy)
- Guitar style tuners
- Wheel diameter = 170mm
Helpful pictures
These pictures have been taken from the YouTube videos.
Helpful Videos
Patty's new 18 string gurdy
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