Pro Hurdy Gurdy player reacts to Workshop Medieval review :(

[@courtneyleekraft5452]

Oh wow, I was NOT expecting a reaction video! Thank you so much for taking the time. Obviously, I still have A LOT to learn about gurdies, and I'm still very excited to continue learning and growing. Don't worry, I certainly don't take anything personally. :) I'm glad I have something to begin training on for now, but after having this model for a month, I'm far more aware of how much better I can do for the money. I've started joining Facebook groups to learn more, and I'm already looking forward to my next investment in a higher quality instrument. Much love from the USA!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Courtney good move! As stated on the video no personal ofrence, Thanks for your comment and lets keep trying to spread the Hurdy Gurdy Word around :) glad you joined the Hurdy Gurdy Community, see you there, and Thanks for your nice comment. Ps. Yes now you have It and for sure you can work some stuff on It, if you need material hit me Up, I'll be more than Happy to share stuff with you :)

[@Tahngarthor]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats I ended up with one of these and while it does have flaws, it still got me going with the gurdy and I now already eagerly await a second one. Honestly if you enjoy it and it works out for you that's all that matters, but as with anything it's always good to have all the info before making choices about expensive things like this. Just the act of playing it, regardless of how it actually sounds, I find to be fun in itself. It still hooked me in and now I can hardly wait to learn how to buzz once ELZ gets to my order XD. The TLDR is: I gained something from it so I don't see it as a (big) mistake, and I could still use it to teach someone the basics (as long as they understand that they should take an investment like this seriously and do more research than I did). Admittedly though, this could have played out differently had I known about the reddit and facebook communities (and you of course

[@Tahngarthor]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats BTW- I emailed you about your census page and IDK if you saw it or not. Was just wondering if I can change the info later if I post on it, or if I need your help for that.

[@Cheesetree-u18]

I learned so much from your comments and his reactions, thanks so much for posting your original video.

[@discountmothman1935]

Me: Doesnt own a hurdy gurdy and never has Also me: binge watching hurdy gurdy review videos like im some sort of expert

[@cjgenxfitness7334]

SAME!!!!!

[@clarapalomares]

That's what happened to me, it's your mind telling you that you want to buy one ;)

[@Libradimple]

SAME!!! Aspiring, but not currently owner of this incredible instrument...

[@samtaro82]

I think there are two things that a lot of people don't consider when buying their first gurdy. 1) The hurdy gurdy is an incredibly complex machine, so even a misalignment of a few millimeters will cause huge problems in playability. 2) Maintenance is (more than) half the battle when learning to play. And these two factors play off each other. If your instrument has fundamental design flaws like the ones you mention in this video - even though they may SEEM minor to the untrained eye - they will ultimately make the instrument nearly or entirely unplayable, because you will not be able to maintain it properly. You won't be able to tell if you have too much/not enough cotton, rosin or string pressure if there are a few millimeters of misalignment somewhere in the construction of the instrument that cause it to go out of tune, the strings not to sound properly, etc. That's why instruments like these are DEADLY for beginners! Constantly trying to fix unfixable problems will eventually kill your motivation to play, because you will think you are doing something wrong with your setup and maintenance when actually, the instrument is the problem, not you. An experienced player or luthier might be able to strip a faulty instrument and resolve some of the issues, but a beginner will be overwhelmed, and that is a huge bummer when you've laid out this much money for an instrument. :(

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Totally agree!!

[@Tahngarthor]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats If you really want to go "deadly for beginners," though, I don't think you can do any worse than a galloping gurdy. >.> Thankfully though, they seem to be gone.

[@TheDanis9910]

Now i feel really bad about spending alot of my savings for this workshop medieval gurdy... Im actually trying to do maintenance on my gurdy right now. But i will do my research next time.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Don't feel bad, if you got it you got it, at least you have something where you can practice a bit, even if it does not sound great and its problematic, you can practice fingering and play some tunes on it ;)

[@TheDanis9910]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Thank you for your uplifting comment! :) Do you have any recommendations of builders i should go to when i feel ready for a more high quality gurdy?

[@lain5900]

I don't play a hurdy gurdy because I'm about 2 years into research before I buy. I can hear the quality difference and I am not a musician. Thank you for your honest guidance!

[@elektrovolt]

That is good! Take your time, rushing things does not get you a better gurdy ;) You will find one that will make you happy!

[@GaussianBluff]

I'm not sure how I got here from BDG's laptop video but this was surprisingly interesting and now I know not to buy expensive instruments from random forest wizards.

[@lyampower9647]

I wish this had been made sooner. I bought one of the same before this video was shot. Thank you for your input, hopefully it will be a satisfactory enough instrument to learn on. Still trying to figure out the cotton and rosin so I can actually start to play.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Of course Lyam, if you have it you can try to work some fingers on it, even if its problematic it will get you started

[@srenhaandbk7904]

About the tuning, for a first time gurdy-maker here; what factors influence how consistent the tuning will be and how long it will last?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

If you add me to Facebook we have a Hurdy Gurdy luthiers group :)

[@michaelopp19]

Great Video. In regards to the Trompette/drone issue. they are in fact drones on the trompette position. she uses big thick cello strings. One of my students had one of these instruments and WITHIN SIX MONTHS of having the instrument, the strings began to pull the instrument apart and the back and sides were all separating from one another. The tangents are stacked, glued made from baltic birch plywood. Also, George's metal tangents are pretty bad, he usually doesn't even bother flattening the bottom surface and its really hard to get the tangent to sit flat on key. She didn't even touch on the wheel, which is pretty terrible. the surface of the wheel is anything but flat, and is not true. All in all, my student ended up returning the instrument and is now renting one of mine. Also, my student's definitely sounded way better than this one, but that may be an issue with the tuning of her drones.

[@samtaro82]

I have heard stories like this in the facebook group, too, of parts of these Workshop Medieval instruments just...falling off, or being pulled off by the string tension. It makes me so sad, especially given the $800-$1,200 price tag on these things. :(

[@elektrovolt]

Re: trompettes: yep, they are only called trompette when they have a chien. Anything else are just drones or mouche, which is an alto drone. The WM instruments seem to vary in quality a lot. The one I played had all kinds of play in the axle and the wheel was just scratching: it was so course it would never need any rosin to make a sound. It felt very flimsy and the notes played on the keyboard all sounded whiny instead of a stable, tight note. Others seem to have a better experience with their WM gurdy but every recording I heard of them are not worth their price. They may not cost as much as a proper gurdy (although there are some cool alternatives nowadays) they are very expensive for what they are. Of course, we all need to start somewhere but please, aspiring players. Do more research than reading the reviews on Etsy. 'Buy cheap, buy twice' goes for people who bought one of those WM instruments and find out later their instrument does not sound and play as good as the pretty ones in the videos. When you save up a bit longer there are some fine gurdies available that will also keep their value well, so if you decide to sell it for whatever reason your investment is not gone.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I didn't know she actually puts cello strings on the trompette side, makes no sense at all, why would someone want to have the same sound in both sides? Ps. The horror stories are terrible PS2. I still call the string trompette when it's gut or similar, I think the etimogy makes sense, as trompettes (instrument) produce a high drone and dogs bark, and I call mouche to a thick trompette string with no dog :P

[@Monoceros15]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Someone on the hurdy gurdy subreddit owns one and stated that she uses cello strings on all positions (even chanters).

[@elektrovolt]

@@Monoceros15 cello strings on chanter positions? ouch

[@jimmyolveby506]

I was thinking i would by my first Gurdy. The very first gurdies i look up was workshop medieval. And yes their Gurdies is very beautiful. Then if you look at the waiting time is 10 weeks for them to make them is the first warning. I understand that a gurdy take time to do. And 10 weeks + that they have more orders. It seems look no professional to me. Now after i have do some research a few weeks on makers who seems be a Good choice for me as a beginner and for good money, is Gordiy Starukh. He seems to be very serious about his work and i have Reed very much Good rewiew about him

[@ValCharis]

This is gripping, very interesting and very useful! Thank you for making my insomnia something worthy!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thank you! Happy to be 30 mins with you helping with the insomnia

[@nadllamhcs8875]

I'm new to this whole scene, probably won't be able to afford my own gurdy for another few years, but this video alone taught me a lot. Love this dude

[@ACrimsonPhoenix]

Great lad. I was generally indecisive on what gurdy to choose and where to go with it. He is straight to the point and helpful. He set me up and let me go to the direction I needed which was all over the place at the time haha

[@metwoshdkaiser5100]

i'm loving this video already ^^ can't wait for my first gurdy to arrive.... you inspire me sooo much! hope i could take some lessons from you wen my instrument is ready :-D

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I'll be Happy to help you ! :)

[@metwoshdkaiser5100]

Zanfoneando Awesomeeee!!!!

[@hembrasalvaje]

I have only come across a hurdy gurdy recently and i love the sound of the instrument. I am not a musician. Cannot sing to save myself (way off key) and the sound her instrument was making sent bad shivers up my spine not the good ones.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Good ear

[@roy-nk4vq]

I appreciate your honest evaluation

[@Myrrdin12]

Thank you so much for this! I was ready to get this exact gurdy from WM but I've been obsessing over gurdy videos for days and glad I waited! I'm a huge fan of Patty Gurdy and listened to a lot of videos from Michalina of Eluveitie and I want to learn and have fun with a hurdy gurdy instead of noise. I'm new to the hurdy gurdy but back in school growing up I played the saxophone for about 8 years and really miss playing music. So I'm most likely going with MM instruments. I need to not let first looks online fool me into not getting a quality instrument. That emerald green fatcat looks so pretty and I'm sure I can find something I like from a proper luthier. I'm also subscribed and looking forward to more of your content!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Super glad :) MM has an affordable option now (1000€), its called the Aplo and they release a batch of 10 every month, next batch is probably next week

[@alvinohlsson5986]

I know it's a bit lame but I really want a gurdy that LOOKS like the WM, especially with the celtic etching... Any advice on a better option?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Any maker can make you something with an inlay :) but depends on your budget

[@SamathaVipassana93]

Great review video Sergio. Very good comparison. So helpful. Appreciate how light you kept it when it can be a real shitshow. Especially when you spend a thousand dollars on something that plays so bad, it's discouraging to play a bad gurdy.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thank for your comment Robert, yes... It's discouraging but well, now she has It so I dont want to say she can't do anything with It, but It was clearly not the best option (sadly)

[@TisMeBc]

the problem in the groups is that everyone just repeats what others say about, no do not buy this or do not buy that but only a small handfull of people understand why they should not buy from a certain seller/luthier. The groups need a post with what you can expect with poor quality, bad/weak pegs. terrible high tones. bad buzzing and sticky keys. Otherwise you are just as blind following one persons advice as trusting poor quality sellers advice. understanding why Medieval or GallopinGurdies is poor quality is very important too and often not explained. This video is a very good video and should be seen by anyone looking to buy a gurdy, great job!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thanks!

[@garrett8128]

Pretty late to the party here but I think another issue is that the hurdy gurdy has been attracting a lot of first-instrument players who may not have an idea or expectation of how a quality instrument should play. Even with very different instruments (been a bass player for a long time - have my first gurdy coming!) over time you develop some automatic quality markers. I'm not sure if this is her first instrument or not, but I can't help but think that it is due to her dismissal of issues that are huge red flags of a lack of build quality that may not seem so bad if you haven't spent time on quality or working through a lack of it.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Agreed

[@raphaeltrenkner4432]

I began my Gurdy Career in December 2023 with a Marie Luise made by Walter Simons and I’m really happy with it. I choose it with a Hurdy Gurdy Player in a Workshop.

[@johnlawson5787]

Hi Just found your you tube channel and have just subscribed. I am based in England. I have just placed an order with Chris Allen for lute backed hurdy gurdy. Details to be finalised with Chris later this month. I think I have made a good choice after much research. Thanks for your videos. They are informative, helpful and most of all seem honest and trustworthy. Also your enthusiasm comes across and is evident in your videos. I will keep watching future videos. Many thanks and kind regards.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thanks John, nice choice!

[@DoumbekDrummer]

Did you receive your Chris Allen one yet? If so, how are you doing with it? Are you happy with your choice?

[@stephenknight2891]

Where can I find this list of HG makers?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

In hurdy gurdy community facebook group

[@shqkdpqj]

I was looking for a product on eBay because I didn't have any information about the hurdy gurdy in the country I live in, and I paid for it because it was pretty, but I checked the opinions of Reddit and the rest of the community and pressed cancel. Actually, I didn't know why people didn't recommend it, but I found out that there was a problem while watching KZbin. So I'm looking forward to Nerdy Gurdy. Nerdy Gurdy is also waiting for a review. Oh, and I'm watching your video made for beginners. I am not good at English. It's hard, but I'm trying anyway.

[@trashino]

Hi from Italy! I am planning to start playing hurdy gurdy! Do you suggest to start with a 3 strings gurdy or a 6 one? Do you raccomend the gurdies made my Gordiy Staruck?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Always get 6 strings depending on your budget I recommend ELZ, Marco Gamarra and also Gordiy is good

[@jayki3919]

what am i even doing here? i'm a pianist 😂 but you have a very calming and likeable way of expressing yourself, i enjoyed watching :)

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Join the gurdy gang Jay buy one! Hah

[@decmcelarn3363]

Bruh same

[@mlynn9361]

super random questions since I'm interested in getting one eventually, I want to be prepared ... I'm a little worried about caring for the wood aspect - like, would I need a humidor etc? how often do you need to change strings? how do you decide which notes to tune the strings to?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello Lynn, It depends on what you get, and specially where was It made and how stabilized are the Woods used, a drone string can last lots of years same with the trompettes, the Melody strings I replace them either when they break or when I think I hear a tonal quality loss. I have a video on how to tune the instrument :)

[@livingnew4625]

Hello! I was curious if you could point me in the direction of the list of Hurdy gurdy makers you would recommend I’m very new and never played one but live the sound of them and want to know a good place to start :)

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello, sure what's your budget?

[@livingnew4625]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats I suppose anywhere from $800 to $1200 US dollars?

[@livingnew4625]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats also thank you I wasn’t expecting suck a quick reply!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

@@livingnew4625 with your budget I'd recommend to wait until Jan 1 and get the new nerdy gurdy, I have a video testing it, it's cool

[@livingnew4625]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats alright thank you so much!! I’ll wait then :) I’ll look for the video! When it come out or if it’s already out!

[@jackbeckett2838]

Hi, thanks for the video. I was considering getting a Workshop Medieval gurdy, but am now doing some research and checking out other options before making a decision. Have you got any thoughts about their latest "saga" model? The quality seems to have gone up in the past few years so it would be interesting too hear your thoughts as to whether they are still not a recommended builder.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Jack, stay away they are useless crap, better have a look to the MM instruments trigo or the nerdy gurdy

[@jackbeckett2838]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Righto, thanks for the reply, I'll look into them.

[@twistbeard]

Sergio wooo! Just an idea for ya, how about you record yourself playing some awesome tunes of your HG and upload it for us to enjoy? Maybe record some of your street music. I've watched all of your videos now and look forward to more. Also, once I finally get my HG I plan on seeing if you'd provide some lessons. Do you teach beginners with no music experience? haha!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey it's a good Idea, I'll record some tunes this week :) And yes I do teach people with 0 experience

[@quoguitars9555]

Thank you so much for all the information, both of you, and as a luthier in the uk I am fascinated by these instruments. They are technically complexed at first glance, however like all stringed instruments, once you break down the complexities into bite sized pieces the fundamentals are similar to other stringed instruments, with the same attenuations to the string as many other instruments. I am going to build one this year, using the same techniques that I would use on, for example, a viola di gamba. It seems to me that a lot of problems are due to quality control of the instrument manufacturing processes, not the finishing techniques to the instrument, and I get a lot of mass produced instruments come to me with similar problems. They are frustrating, and often easily fixed by a qualified luthier. I would, however, like to know your thoughts on using clear wax as a lubricant for the key levers, this would seem me to prevent this possible issue, and prevent excessive wear to these parts. Kindest regards, Quo @ Quo Guitars

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello, you can join us on hurdy gurdy luthiers in facebook, there are lots of nice resources there

[@nobody2021]

It's unfortunate that these instruments are so expensive, but I think a silver lining of that at least for me, was that it took a long time for me to decide that I want one and to commit to getting one, a lot of money was on the line so I felt like I had to do as much research as I possibly could to find a good instrument, and I did. For a little while I thought that I would get an altarwind but I put in the research and discovered that they are not worth the money. This isn't meant to be judgmental to anyone else for how they live their life or how they think, but for how much these instruments cost, it's strange to me that anyone would spend little enough time looking into them and put in little enough research that they would ever get to duped into buying a poorly made instrument like this one. Maybe a lot of people buying them it just have a lot of spare disposable money on hand, so it's not as big of a deal to them and they spend less time and thought on deciding what they want, but I think it's pretty likely that most people buying hurdy gurdies, whether they settle for something like this or get a real instrument that doesn't even cost that much more money, or could even be cheaper, are regular people who are needing to spend quite a big chunk of money on it and they need to save up and it's a big commitment for them

[@ItsJustaMeNow]

Wow, and here I was considering an Altar Wind instrument, lol. Well, here I am doing my research! Haha

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Yeah Altarwind is crappy sadly :/

[@randomvielleuse527]

I can not tell you how happy it makes me that you will escape the Altarwinds gurdy experience. Super nice people- absolutely wretched instruments to play.

[@ItsJustaMeNow]

@@randomvielleuse527 Has anyone spoken to them about the flaws of their instruments? Like, in an effort to have them improve their construction?

[@randomvielleuse527]

@@ItsJustaMeNow Yes! They came to one of the Over the Water Hurdy Gurdy Festivals and met up with a couple of very fine builders. Apparently, not much "stuck" with them. Altarwinds did make at least one major change, which was using an S shaped crank instead of the straight one they'd been using before. This helped it feel better but that was about it. I've seen and attempted to play about eight of these instruments over years and I've only heard one that sounded even remotely decent. I know the musician spent hours and hours working with it, too, and a lot of its better sound was due to his work- and his playing, which is at about beginning intermediate level, made a big difference, too. I would never recommend them, though. Just not worth the money at all. :(

[@baileyjudd3037]

Every now and then out of curiosity I look at WM's gurdies to see if they took any criticism to heart and they haven't! The construction of the crank with the nut is just so bothersome, you think they'd AT LEAST fix it but no Thanks again for steering me clear of them. 11 months left on my ancestore gurdy waiting list 😊

[@jonnyboat2]

I’ve never heard of a Hurdy Gurdy before until today. I was watching a Home Improvement rerun on tv and Jill mentioned an old 60’s Donovan song called the Hurdy Gurdy Man. I KZbind it and found these videos and instruments. Very interesting.

[@randomvielleuse527]

You can be a super wonderful person and still make shit gurdies. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS. Whew. Ok. Back to watching!

[@randomvielleuse527]

I am so glad to have run across this video! I'll be passing this on to a lot of folks for sure. Thank you for helping save people from hurdy gurdy shaped objects and for the recommendations especially. I often get asked where to get a decent beginner gurdy and, since Hurdy Gurdy Crafters and Olympic Instruments stopped building, I've had no one to send them to. But now I do, quality gurdies for reasonable prices, too! What a relief... Anyway, thanks for this! You are performing a very valuable service with this video, and the kindness with which you've done it makes it even more important. Well done!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thank you Felicia, beautiful words ;)

[@randomvielleuse527]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats You are most welcome! Anyone who supports the instrument so honestly and with the desire to help people do well with it is worth a thank you or three. :)

[@anniehurdygurdy_official]

Thank you!!!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Yeah I think It was important, I Hope she doesn't take It as an attack though! But much to learn :P

[@l6omega]

Thank you silver haired wizard. You saved me some heartache. Unfortunately I’m in New Zealand. Having trouble finding a maker in my end of the world. Have to go hunting.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

There are a couple of makers in Australia ;)

[@amdhaegar8406]

Debes ser de España, yo también vi algunos modelos en Etsy uno en particular que me llamó la atención, pero me gustaría saber en tu lugar donde y cuál es la mejor forma de adquirir una Zanfona? Porque también me he visto tentado a fabricar una como lo hizo Alanna en su canal, pero parece algo bastante laborioso, soy de México así que pensé que quizás un laudero me podría ayudar

[@mattfdsthefatdyslexicstorm4161]

Hello i live in the uk please can you advise where i can buy a hurdy-gurdy strap from thank you

[@crobbie1984]

Thank you for these videos. I decided to buy a beginner HG from Gordii Strarukh because of your advice. I will have to wait until October 2021 for it to be complete, but I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[@DoumbekDrummer]

How do you like it? :) Did it arrive safely and was it what you wanted?

[@markristah]

Sergio, I noticed how negatively you reacted to the back and forth cranking in the one video; however, it seems to be a regular feature of Andrey Vinogradav's (and a couple of others) technique. I'm a total noob but learning, so what's your advice on it?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Mark, no problem on bowing when doing it correctly, it sounds great with little rosin and little pressure :) ! Also fix the cotton with a drop of liquid rosin

[@fremandn]

Great video that helps potential buyers figure out what's important in a gurdy.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thank you

[@BitterTait]

Thanks for your videos. My one question as a wannabe cranker, how hard is it to play quietly or modify something like the nerdy gurdy to be fairly quiet? I want to start learning the hurdy gurdy but also don't want my family to suffer during the learning curve.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Patrick, there are ways to make it quieter I can make a video talking about it :)

[@feuillemorte]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats ...3 years later here. How? Could you make a video please? :)

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Coins everywhere, clothespin in the bridge cello mute, light tension strings, blue tack close to the dog many many ideas!

[@feuillemorte]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thank you very much for the tips! Greetings from Brno ;)

[@dmcs2003]

just happening to watch this video after purchasing the Nerdy Gurdy just 4 days ago. Good to hear I did not make a bad choice for my first "real" (aka non-ugears) Hurdy Gurdy!

[@Libradimple]

Your reply made me giggle... I've just decided to buy the nerdy gurdy after having spent hours of fun putting the u-gears HGSO together.... I'm a bit worried about the building, but gonna try anyway!!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Awesome Cindy, the nerdy is a good choice, join the FB group :)

[@Libradimple]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats ohhhh there is a nerdy gurdy fb group?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

@@Libradimple yes, Nerdy Gurdy builders

[@andrewc7451]

Hi everyone! does anybody know where is the Gurdy list he mentions at 1:50?

[@MrStarbit]

I've noticed you're now in the Nerdy Gurdy builders group on Facebook! If you've not started yours yet thought it might be an idea making a video documenting your build and your experience building the NG. I think it would help a lot. I imagine a lot of people are hesitant to attempt to build the NG thinking they won't be able to do it. I put building mine off for years because I'd done nothing like this before. Took me a total of 5 days I think with staining (excluding cutting and printing). Think I would of done it a lot sooner if I saw someone documenting their first build in a video rather than reading about it and people saying "it's not to difficult. If I can do it you can do it" which I feel is actually the right thing for me to tell people haha.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Totally I am just recording that video this week :) so It will be online super soon

[@MrStarbit]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats I'm probably going to want to build another after watching 😅 look forward to watching. Hopefully will get some tips to help improve my setting up of mine

[@wanderbolt9498]

After a lot of on and off research over the past couple years I finally just decided to order a nerdy gurdy 6.3 kit to get my foot in the door and challenge my abilities as a maker. Even if it doesn't sound great I think it'll be enough to get started before i drop a grand or two on something a little nicer

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

It’s a great starting point

[@howardgillingham4763]

I am obsessed with this sound, more than my electric guitar

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

You are very welcome on our cult :p

[@mumbler5644]

Thank you I’m am in the process of looking to by my first Gurdy

[@poyoAesthetic]

Is the NerdyGurdy a good gurdy? PLZ DO A REVIEW

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I will do it in about a month

[@kc8ufv]

Bagpiper here... I gotta agree that TPV was the best of the 3 you demonstrated. Hard to believe how many crap instruments are out there being passed off as the real thing.

[@Mapmoyle]

Hola from Oz. Wow. I would have returned this instrument after finding the first two problems. But then there was more. This sounds very much like issues with cheap concertinas - buy a cheap one in the hope that it is a good starter instrument then find out they have many problems and are hard to play so you get put off playing. A brutally honest appraisal of the instrument (not the person). I've been toying with adding a gurdy or Symphonia to my ever-growing collection. This video would be a good starting point for my research. Hasta lumbago ;)

[@NizzyCote331]

13:00 yes, heat shrink is what its called and it is what saved me from getting new bridge mount things

[@K59820433]

The medieval sample really like a dying cat 😂

[@GaussianBluff]

The difference in facial expression between 29:45 and 31:10 is so delightful. :D (Tbf, the sound *is* very nice)

[@pacorivas1053]

Hola! Esa zanfona es para tocar el teclado con mano derecha??creo que me vendría mejor así! Es posible obtener una zanfona así en el mercado?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

No, la mayor parte de zanfonas utilizan la mano izquierda en el teclado, las zanfonas zurdas son un gran problema a futuros, trata el instrumento como un piano, no existen pianos para zurdos, es buena idea quedarse con el standard

[@taylorboury3357]

Since watching your videos, I've taken your advice and done a couple weeks of research before reaching out to a lutier about putting in an order. One lutier that has caught my eye is Slavik Osipov. I'm still waiting to be accepted into the Hurdy Gurdy Cumminity on facebook so I thought I'd ask on here if you've ever heard of him or had an opinion on his models. I've read good reviews and seen good unboxings. I applied your notes from here to his videos to look for red flags but I'm still on the tip of the iceberg of hurdy gurdy knowledge. Do you have any insight on his work? its ok if not. Just wanted the opinion of someone I can trust.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello Taylor, he started focusing too much on design and many bells and whistles before having the basics right, his gurdys seemed not very good back then, but some time ago he sent me some videos and it looked like he improved in terms of sound, still looked like the instruments needed a bit more work, I'd like to review one soon if I have the opportunity, but I can't fully recommend without trying

[@taylorboury3357]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Thank you so much for getting back to me. I will keep this in mind!

[@therealzilch]

Nice work, Sergio, subscribed. I'm an instrumentmaker in Vienna, no expert on hurdy gurdies, but I've built two and play one a fair amount. This is perhaps a side issue, but why is this maker called "Workshop Medieval", when the gurdy pictured, and all of their products as far as I can see, are obviously not medieval, but thoroughly modern? In any case, lunch is on me if you're ever in town. Cheers from sunny Austria, Scott

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Scott, I live in Brno CZ, so I’m often in Viena, we could meet together with David Hoffer (excellent gurdy maker) and have lunch together, send me an email to [e-mail]

[@timeagan893]

To Zanfoneando: Sir I applaud your ability to ""Bite your tongue" and remain polite and helpful in the face of dubious advice in this video critique. I am not a hurdy gurdy enthusiast but rather a Electric Guitarist that has played pro for 4 decades. Although KZbin can be so helpful and truly a blessing and resource for information you would be shocked at the poor advice given out from well intending novices with just enough information to make them "dangerous" LOL So it is especially gratifying to see you correct statements that would lead otherwise beginners astray. With everyone and their uncle now with the ability to broadcast KZbin "advice" videos that are oftentimes no more than "the blind leading the blind" I found your video here very refreshing in that you were able to correct things and still remain polite and encouraging ...Because their are also quite a few "Reaction videos" on KZbin where the host rudely and needlessly tears the original poster to shreds especially when no purposeful deception was intended by the original poster (but rather just a lack of knowledge and experience) So your video here mentors to others that a corrective video can be helpful, instructive, AND polite and respectful: ...I hope we can see more of this type of video in the future that dispels incorrect information and does so in a humane way......By doing this we all walk away the better...even the person that was originally unintentionally in error Thank you again .....TIM

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

thanks for your words

[@StopFear]

Is that a bouzuki, a mandolin, or a Portuguese guitar on the wall ?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Its a bouzouki from APC

[@It-b-Blair]

Hi Sergio! I just saw this after mine arrived yesterday 🤪 I’m also a novice, yet after guidance from other videos, my high notes play well. I know I’m missing stuff here and there that you’re aware of, but I also wonder if the manufacturer saw this video and have improved the design/have become better luthiers in time. I think a great follow up would be if you could get your hands on one and dial it in as best you could, then show it’s flaws. The reviewer said they were a novice too so could easily have applied too much rosin, wrong string spacing/tension with the wheel, etc. It’s still one of the least expensive 2/2/2 hg’s available (1/3 the cost of “reputable” luthiers)… and frequently the lead time for renowned models is due to high volume order, so a small company wouldn’t have such a wait time and may not be indicative of quality… is that a reasonable request of you? Maybe reach out to them if someone in your community doesn’t have one?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello Blair, sadly it’s not a matter of adjustment, it’s mostly problems within the construction I’d love to review one of the new ones, but I guess the makers are not interested, because in the last years it has been proved that they only look for aesthetics as no professional player has been asked for advice, although I’d be open to do a honest review on their last updates if they think it’s worth it, but it’s really the customers who should ask them for improvement The part where you say this is 1/3d the price of most entry level gurdies is definitely not true, you have very decent and fully functional instruments for 1.2k with radoslav malisz, functional symphonies for less than 800 with Robert mandel, nerdy gurdy basic, the new lignote and a big etc, sadly this is a substandard gurdy for the price

[@erickelly7897]

The fat cat model should be the dieing cat model because thats what it sounds like in the upper register.

[@charlottetrewartha]

Hey there rewatching this vid for the 3rd time hehe, I’m currently playing my grandmothers one which she left to me, have been playing for 4 years now, it’s getting a little warn and I’m thinking about getting a new one, because I’m dreading the day I’ll be playing and it decides it’s met its days. Was hoping you could link the vid with some great brands that are below £2000 or offer your personal favourite around the same price limit :3 Can’t wait to see your next Vid ♥️

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello Charlotte, you can watch my FAQ video, we have a list of gurdies below 2k in the Hurdy Gurdy Community on Facebook and you can also read my articles in www.sergiogonzalez.eu Have a look and after that I can help you choose the best option between your choices :)

[@karas4183]

I am looking for a good gurdy maker in the USA. Which makers would you recommend?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello, there used to be two good makers in the USA, Hurdy Gurdy Crafters and Olympic but nowadays sadly there is NO active good maker in the states, altarwind and company are no good, the best option on America is Eduardo Luz from Brazil

[@karas4183]

Zanfoneando Thank you! I will look into them.

[@tshawnjohnson]

I'm not (yet?) a hurdy gurdy player. I very much appreciate your videos, especially this one, but I do have one comment about it... I play a fair range of instruments, and for a very long time I did not have the money to buy anything special. In fact, sometimes I had to make my own. And to be honest, I am no master maker!! :) What I did notice is that musicianship can overcome some of the negative aspects of poor workmanship in an instrument, and somes it can, in fact, turn a *really bad* attribute of a poor instrument into a feature. Now, I promise you, I am not saying that people should buy the instruments you don't recommend, because I think your channel is awesome and informative. We cannot expect anyone, especially beginners to be able to make nice sounds on terrible instruments. What I *am* saying is, in this video, you showed a really good player playing the Nerdy Gurdy, and another really good player playing the last gurdy. These were the inexpensive gurdys you recommended before the etsy gurdys. The etsy gurdys, however, were both played by obvious novices. So in that respect, it wasn't a good comparison.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Shawm, the videos were the official demos of the maker and believe me... No one can make one of those monstrosities sound good

[@igniferroque3307]

Hi, what do you think about the new Nerdy Gurdy model? How does it perform if compared to the old model and the TPV Traunecker?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I preffer the new nerdy

[@igniferroque3307]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats you prefer it over the old one or even if compared to TPV?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

If I put price and availability in the table yes

[@gogotrololo]

this was really entertaining. I can't put a finger on why, reaction videos dont normally do much for me

[@devkillward7965]

Are you the one i have been in contact with about the hurdy on new vr8.

[@curtispopee]

Moments like this I wish I found this channel a little earlier as I recently received a workshop medieval Gurdy, fingers crossed it’ll be good 😅

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Check their return policy if you can, that's my sincere recomendation

[@theindecisiveness]

Where can I find the list of affordable gurdy models that you refer to? :) The FB group?

[@wingren13]

yea facebook group

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

You can go to my HGC FAQ video and the link to the list is on the description box :)

[@Monoceros15]

We also have a cheap and recommendable vs. cheap and not recommendable list on the hurdy gurdy subreddit: www.reddit.com/r/HurdyGurdy/comments/ews2br/why_you_shouldnt_buy_a_cheap_gurdy_from_ebay_or/?

[@MegaLundquist]

What kinda of an Hurdy would you say a new player should get then? I am looking into it at the moment.

[@MezoMix666]

Depends on where you live. In UK you could get a digigurdy for 650 pounds, rest of EU theres the nerdy gurdy available or lots of luthiers in different prize categories. The first 2 options are also a good idea with shipping to the USA

[@greyaffliction9752]

Where can I get accurate plans for building one? ... I'm a woodworker and I've done a little research on the hurdy gurdy and I am very interested in playing it. I would rather build than buy one. It's something about knowing the soul of the instrument and growing with the instrument as I learn. If you could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Start with a nerdy gurdy kit, then you can get plans and advice from Neil Brook, Michael Pignol or Helmut Gotschy books

[@SamathaVipassana93]

Hey Sergio I saw an impressive review of the Gordiy Starukh $500 three string hurdy gurdy on youtube for$500. Whats your opinion on this?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey Robert, I've seen some reports of the plastic wheel not working great, and the price raised a bit, but might still be worth it! I'd ask gordiy to fit a wooden wheel though

[@christianenders23]

i came here from the channel from "Andrey Vinogradov" and his incredible Sexy instrument. i think the "Drehleier" (hurdy gurdy in German) is an instrument who is interesting for future. i think i build my own Nerdy Gurdy because i can usa a Laser cutter and CNC Machines for free and train a little bit whith this instrument bevore i buy a Monster like andrey´s gurdy

[@Jack-zc9el]

You mentioned Vrábel…what’s your take on his gurdies? Good build for good price?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I would not get one unless you just want to play some melodies casually, I owe him a video, I got one for review, but my first impressions were not cool

[@Jack-zc9el]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats darn cause I bought one 😆 oh well, I got the barokk…it’s all good I have Gordiy building one for me too but wont be ready till next summer…this will hold me over I guess. Yeah please do a review soon. I’d love to hear your thoughts! They say the Hungarian model he makes is supposedly the best one he makes

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

@@Jack-zc9el don't worry, it will be OK for your first steps, it's playable, problematic but playable, I also have a barok, just make sure to ask him for the tuning, as his default strings are not meant to be tuned in g/c

[@Jack-zc9el]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats ok awesome. Thanks for the tips brother. Yeah I noticed the tuning on the melodic strings sound an octave higher on the barok compared to the lower notes on others

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

7:22 .. back in the '80's when I bought my Hubbert hg (which I still play!) I had a friend who also had a Hubbert who never used the chien, never learned the technique! For years I told her she was missing out on one of the fun parts of the hg!! But, nope, too hard, she said 🤣 Speaking of Michael Hubbert, up until the early '90's he was imho the premier hg luthier in the US! He quit making hgs (as I understand) because he couldn't financially sustain it, he was very meticulous... 9:32 .. D/G .. the superior tuning! 😉 13:07... my Hubbert has the brass "L" hooks, but the ends are rounded and highly polished. Occasionally I have broken one or the other string but never at the hook point, mostly at the tailpiece... 18:20 .. while a lot of players like the metal tangents I'm not a fan mostly because, while she says it's simple to loosen the screw to adjust the tangent, it's not practical when you may need to adjust on the fly while playing like you can with wooden ones. A compromise is the wooden tangent held to the key with a nut and bolt. Neil Brook's tangents are a good example...

[@ryanr7846]

Where is the list of gurdies for under 2000? Is it a video or something elsewhere.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

It's on the hurdy gurdy community

[@Jack-zc9el]

Quick question... Seems the workshopmedieval gurdy’s are built nicely though...do you think they would sound better if maybe better strings were used? Just curious because they look great and have a lot of 5 start reviews but they definitely don’t sound as good lol. All that screeching. I wonder if it is attributed to the strings they use!!! Lemme know your opinion! Thanks

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello Jack, no they are not built nicely, it looks like they are but they are not, one thing is aesthetics another thing is good bulding quality, sadly they only have the looks, so no its not something to be fixed with new strings.

[@Jack-zc9el]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats man that sucks lol. I’m in the US bro and I cannot find ANYTHING! I tried to buy from a US maker (Altarwind) but they apparently stopped making gurdys, then I reached out to gordiy starukh a week ago and got no response... 🤦🏻‍♂️ where can I order one?! I don’t care at this point how or from who, I just want a decent built gurdy around $1,000 and I’m ready to buy. Can you help? And thanks for the quick response brother

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Stay away from Altarwind they don't make good gurdies sadly... I would insist to gordiy or save a bit more and go for an Aplo by MM instruments, its the cheapest good option in the market, another option is contacting marti jo or curious corvid on FB and get a nerdy gurdy KIT

[@Jack-zc9el]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thanks man! I’ll let ya know what happens and post a video down the road once I get one!

[@Jack-zc9el]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats gordiy finally responded! Looks like I got wait over a year though which sucks...that’s time I could be mastering the instrument but hey at least I’ll get one cause you can’t get crap in America built well 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@elenamarongiu4085]

Hello! He said that there's a list made by "Sona" (I don't know if I wrote it correctly) of hurdy gurdies makers. Can someone link it or send it in the comments? I'm interested but I don't know how to find it

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Join the Hurdy Gurdy Community on Facebook, the list by Sanne is on the FAQ :)

[@elenamarongiu4085]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats Thank you very very much!

[@gammaprysem]

Hey hurdy gurdy player here in the US $3000 in the US is actually about the average for available Hurdy Gurdys depending where in the US you are. 2000 euros is close to around $3000 USD. And after shipping and all it could easily reach that total

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

That's not quite right, you have Nerdy Gurdy, Radoslav Malisz, Sedo, Aplo, Gordiy many options below 3k USD

[@FlatfootJohnny]

Hi ive just been given a Music Makers hurdy gurdy kit. It was purchased from the U.S. in 2007 and the owner never got around to making it so hes asked me to. This video was great to show me what potential problens i could face. Have you heard of this company (Musicmakers)? And if so what do you think of them? Cheers. John. P.s. i usually make banjos

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hey John, the musicmaker kits are not very good quality, but well it can get you started :)

[@FlatfootJohnny]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thanks. Yes they got a slating on facebook lol. Ill do my best and see what happens... surely its possible to make it sound better.

[@Lucius1958]

@@FlatfootJohnny I started out on one of those kits, many years ago. They are not well designed; but a few modifications might improve them somewhat.

[@biz_fortress1335]

Glad I found this before purchasing. And when where I can find a simpler flat cat model with better quality?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Don't buy from workshop medieval Asher

[@biz_fortress1335]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thank you. But yes I did figure that out lol. Any suggestions of makers. I live in the u.s. but shipping cost is my least worry. It's the waiting time. I could handle a year maybe but if it's more like 3 than I'm going to probably be in a different life position than I am now. Thanks in advance :)

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

If you have budget go to Sedo Garcia or Marco Gamarra

[@biz_fortress1335]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats I did look a Marcos stuff on Facebook. Idk how I go about buying but I am willing to put around $2000. Thank you for being so helpful. I'm sure you are busy with videos so I'll take what I got.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

You could get a sirena model by Sedo Garcia, send him an email to [e-mail] tell him I sent you :)

[@facts68]

"Research" to people these days has turned into "I googled some shit."

[@Dontshoot-ct4il]

hello！I want to buy one. Where can I find a reliable seller？

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hello, It depends of your budget, if you need advice you can email me

[@Dontshoot-ct4il]

Zanfoneando [e-mail] is that？

[@marioegea1834]

Vale, donde compro una en España?

[@commanderdeadhead812]

btw is that a mandolin in the background or an irish bousuzuki

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Its a bouzouki :)

[@commanderdeadhead812]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats yea i have been meaning to try medieval instruments or at least from the baroc era but every new avenue instrument wise is out of my reach due to the price specialy hurdy gurdies since most of if not all of those type of instruments are hand made making them way out of my budget the only one i see getting close is a bowl back madolin and to me it sounds to similar to my cuatro puertorriqueño any suggestion on intruments or a cheap quality gurdy that i dont have to build of quality

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Please check my FAQ video

[@commanderdeadhead812]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thx i just saw it im thinking of going with a mandel symphonia since of what i read its a good staring place

[@kemarker]

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this question, but does anyone have any reviews on hurdy-gurdies from Slavik Osipov? From what I've seen they're gorgeous, and from videos of him playing them they sound right, at least to me who has yet to actually get my hands on one, but if anyone has any actual experience with them, that info would be a great help!

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Didnt had the chance to try, the first ones did not work, last ones he showed me sounded OKish, I'd say it depends on the price, I saw he is using beech wood on most of them that's a bit meh, well, as I say the last vids he sent me looked more or less decent, but can't confirm until I test one

[@kemarker]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats The one I was looking at was $2000 + shipping for 3 Drones 3 Trompettes 4 Chanterelles 12 Sympathetic strings 23 keys chromatic Adjustable drone bridge Adjustable chanterelle bridge Adjustable Buzzing bridge 3 piezo pickups with preamp Guitar machine pegs

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Write me an email and we can discuss some options [e-mail]

[@Zombiekiller707]

I wish you did add more samples. But thanks alot for this vid!

[@reporilenze3098]

Hola.. Quiero saber si hablas español para hacerte unas consultas ya que quiero intente hacer mi propia Zanfona

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Hola, hacer una zanfona desde cero es un proceso extremadamente complicado, necesitas acceso a torno mecanico, calibradoras, sierra de cinta, pulidoras y un larguisimo etc, a parte de esto simplemente un milimetro de desviacion puede hacer que el instrumento literalmente no se pueda tocar 😂 te recomiendo que si no tienes mucha experiencia haciendo instrumentos eches un ojo a los Kits de Nerdy Gurdy que son kits baratos y funcionales para montar, yo los distribuyo en europa, escribeme un mail para mas info a [e-mail] saludos

[@Shmicah1235]

Absolutely no hate to her, but I can 100% tell that she is a beginner, especially to stringed instruments. I've been playing guitar for about 15 years, and when I was a beginner I was quick to forgive faults in build quality and made excuses for the manufacturer because I didn't know what was to be expected from an instrument. Tuning stability is an absolute must, as is parts not breaking. These things should only stop applying if the instrument has many decades on it and has suffered neglect. There are no excuses for faulty mechanisms straight out of the box, or having to completely retune constantly. If you are handy, and know what you are doing, some of these things can be worked with; so if you are buying an instrument at a bargain you can look past and upgrade some of these features later. The issue is, that I would NEVER recommend an instrument that I had to battle with and modify in order to achieve a playable level of quality. You can live with these things yourself, but never recommend others to go through all of that themselves. It's misleading, and subjects others to unnecessary hardships.

[@fouellet1701]

Looks like a "hurdy-gurdy shaped object". 😞 Received broken from the factory? I would have been VERY angry! Sticky key, faulty cover... Not worth $1000.

[@StopFear]

I find it so funny that she wants to sound like she made a rational, or well researched decision, yet she basically sounds like she is aware she isn’t happy with it so immediately she tries to sounds apologetic and trying to excuse the mistake she made. Would have been much more honest if she just said “meh, I really wanted to hold and play with one quick and I decided to take the risk and pay the money, but I see it probably sucks”

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I agree, but same time she's a cool enthusiast now and she has been studying on good instruments :) !

[@LaProcesion]

where i can see that list? of nice hurdys less than 2000

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

You can contact Sedo Garcia, he has a cool model for beginners around 1600€ or you can also check Aplo by MM instruments

[@LaProcesion]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats thanx!!

[@LaProcesion]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats how about their next model "Zaphona" you wil recommend?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

@@LaProcesion yes but the waiting list is pretty long right now

[@rogerrives6039]

Is there a Discord or Twitter Group? I do not have facebook so do not have a way to read those post there but would love with this group.

[@samtaro82]

The group is only on facebook, but there is a post on Reddit that includes a lot of the information about more affordable makers, too: www.reddit.com/r/HurdyGurdy/comments/ews2br/why_you_shouldnt_buy_a_cheap_gurdy_from_ebay_or/

[@rogerrives6039]

Thanks !

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I also created a Telegram group for the colective lessons, but I think it's worth beeing there :p Crankers Club 🏆 t.me/crankersclub

[@edwardbaxter3159]

Research! Yes. And your video is a quite valuable piece of the puzzle. Thank you.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Thank you Edward

[@dnte666]

i love your videos. Thank you for teaching me so much about this beautiful instrument. On a side note, i have to ask just because you literally look like family of mine, are you Basque?

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Haha no I am catalan :P

[@dnte666]

Zanfoneando no fucking way! I have never met anyone who is Catalan. Thank you for the response

[@thediamondscorpion6562]

So when i hear people say stuff like "dont by cheap" it sends a clear message which is easy to understand obviously if its cheap its probably too good to be true. but how cheap is too cheap? is 1200 from etsy too cheap or overpriced? ive heard that its way better to buy from a professional luthier and i believe yall, but i dont think im prepared to wait 1-2 years to get my gurdy and as a beginner i dont think i could possibly be that disappointed with a 1200 dollar hurdy gurdy even if its worse quality then i maybe should have gotten with that much, but maybe im wrong is buying from etsy a total waste?

[@spudthefluffyfox]

I like instruments that sound old and used, not so much a clear sound. If it can get the note im looking for and sound raspy, its perfect for me.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

Good for you, if you like the gurdy and decide to buy it despite the warnings no one will stop you, it will be a good learning experience 🤣

[@spudthefluffyfox]

@@Sergio.GonzalezPrats oh no thanks, that gurdy is terrible by the looks of the review

[@willb1157]

As an early instrument /gamba builder, I am always aware of the tools we have now, as opposed to the tools available circa 10th century. Given, today’s instruments are far more exacting, but it is an interesting place - millimetric accuracy. Don’t get me wrong, these are remarkably complex for the time. And still. Though I have yet to see authentic period reproduction.

[@Sergio.GonzalezPrats]

I'm not sure if I understand your comment, but if you are saying ancient instruments were not as accurate as todays instruments, I can't agree, it's a matter of understanding how the instrument mechanics work, and on the gurdy world we have a lot of "makers" that build beauty boxes without understanding the instrument