Douwe, La Vielle à Roue by Michel Pignol (http://vielleroue.free.fr/)is a very thorough work about making HG's. I have it, I read it and still I'm waiting for someone to hold my hand before starting to build. Only the tools adviced (and required) in the book will take a considerable budget. Still it is a very good work to help you understand the "mechanics" of the instrument.
I was a newbie six years ago. I had the same questions and I also was interested in the Musicmakers kit. Lucky for me I found a HG-builder not to far away (Jaak is sadly very ill for the moment) and he convinced me. I'm very good with my hands (you can ask my wife!!) but building an instrument is not the same as building the kitchen cabinets. I took the ultimate decision after playing a well built Henry III Musicmakers kit. You say you are a big man, well the Henry III is a very tiny instrument, with a tiny sound, a tiny keyboard etc.. Me, big guy, large hands, I looked rather stupid with that little instrument in my hands. It was, for my size, almost impossible to play. It felt like playing a children's guitar. I already said the instrument was built very good. But at the same fair were "professional" builders with their instruments. The Henry III sounded like a children's trumpet compared with the professional built stuff. A good craftsman is able to built a good kit but you end up with just a kit. A pro builder can give you a choice in sound and overall feel. You're from the Netherlands so contact the Stichting Draailier en doedelzak (http://www10.antenna.nl/draailier-doedelzak/), they will know of builders in Holland, Belgium or even Denmark. If you should have more questions and you want to talk about it in Dutch contact me off list. Pieter [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Namens Douwe Boschma Verzonden: donderdag 3 januari 2008 19:29 Aan: [email protected] Onderwerp: Re: [HG] Kit or no kit? And if so which one? Hi Sylvian, I miss what you are talking about. Which book is this? This sounds really interesting! Regards, Douwe > From: sylvain gagnon mini moteur 2000 inc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: <[email protected]> > Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 12:43:53 -0500 > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [HG] Kit or no kit? And if so which one? > > it is a complete course !!!! not only plans all !! each part have > his description kind of wood how does it work is it a remoovable > part of not , and in the second bood how to adjust ,,strings , bridge > all .and simple . i was nut at school but this i understand ... i eat > these 2 book 800 desings and picture.!! plans. realy interesting . 10000 > thousan light year from a kit ..sylvain > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "sylvain gagnon mini moteur 2000 inc" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 12:03 PM > Subject: Re: [HG] Kit or no kit? And if so which one? > > >> hi douwe ...it is very funny to see all of us ,newbeeeeessss)arrive here >> with musikit in mind lollllll. >> >> musikit you can made a x on this , i just finished one for my young >> boy 10 years old i even dont know if it will work .but as first >> building experience i must admit i had fun to build ... but the >> other kit seemms better , other member will tell you if it is good , i >> am curious to know what is the price of the second one .. thanks >> sylvain >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Douwe Boschma" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 11:20 AM >> Subject: [HG] Kit or no kit? And if so which one? >> >> >>> Hello everybody, >>> >>> I am new on the list as well and I have a newbie question that I am >>> unable >>> to find an answer about. >>> >>> But lets start properly with a small introduction. I am Douwe, a 38 yo >>> male >>> living in the Norwegian moutains on a small farm with my wife and two >>> girls >>> (0 and 6). Originally I am Dutch and I work (amongst some of other >>> trades) >>> as a graphic designer. >>> >>> Since my youth I have had a medieval gen buzzing in my system. It >>> expresses >>> itself in many ways but it especially starts to resonate franticly if I >>> hear >>> the sound of the hurdygurdy. I get a lyrical feeling that I don't have >>> with >>> any other instrument even though I play some different instruments. >>> >>> Because of this lingering love I have been thinking for years about >>> buying a >>> hurdygurdy, but as with a lot of people my income goes straight into the >>> household so I am on budget too low to afford one that would be to my >>> taste. >>> Because of this I decided to build one. I already have a plan for a >>> hungarian HG from the music museum in Stockholm ;-) I love the >>> "no-frills" >>> form, it is a large one (and I am a very tall guy) and I expect a warm >>> and >>> rich sound, lest the right kind of tone wood will be used. But before I >>> start with that undertaking I want to get a good feel for the instrument >>> (on >>> the inside and outside) so I considered buying a kit to get me going. >>> >>> Now I found two kits on internet. >>> >>> The musikit.com one is well advertised but also one that I'm sure I don't >>> want because of it would need a lot of work to get a reasonable sound and >>> versatility out of it. >>> >>> I am talking about this one: >>> >>> http://www.musikit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=hurd >>> y >>> >>> And I have found an other one that I can't find any additional >>> information >>> about and that is this one: >>> >>> http://www.masterkit.com/rwc/products/hurdy.htm >>> >>> I seems to have all the specs I am looking for except from a lacking key >>> as >>> I understood about this 18th century french model. But does anyone have >>> experience with this HG-kit, or has anyone heard about it? Can I expect >>> it >>> to be good enough for a starter? Or is it a toy to hang on the wall? ;-). >>> >>> It is a budget thing really, as I can't spend more what that one would >>> cost >>> me. It is even above my budget. In usd bout 1000. In euros about 740. >>> >>> So that is the only option I found out about that might be a valid one, >>> but >>> it is something that I wish to validate with knowledgeable people! Maybe >>> there are other options too that I don't know about! I'm all eyes and >>> ears. >>> >>> Sorry for this very long mail, but I though that it would be right to >>> show a >>> bit about myself trough in it as I am new here. Any next on will be more >>> to >>> the point. >>> >>> With best regards, >>> >>> Douwe >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1207 - Release Date: >>> 2008-01-02 11:29 >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: >> 269.17.13/1207 - Release Date: 2008-01-02 11:29 >> >> > >
