I'm trying to build a 3 strings jouhikko a verry old instrument from Finland play with a bow !!
It looks pretty easy to build, but i can't find blueprint anywhere !!
This instrument works with verry expensive horsehair strings, but can be played with alto strings !!
So if somoene can help me ...............................
Replies
I just built a 2 stringed one of these. If you look on my page it is in the video section. One of the easiest builds I have ever done.
You will find exact measures for a traditional finnish jouhikko here, but you have to click on «näytä mitat» below the drawing to get them.
ok so it took awhile, but I finally made one of these. Dead easy. I made a 2 stringed one. Basically I built a frame around a cigarbox and attached 2 ukulele strings, which work surprisingly well with my bow. I am using an old violin bow. It sounds pretty good. I did not worry about dimensions and just used what I had. I will put up a video soon. I just want to get a song down. The whole thing took only about 3 hours. I could have gone faster or slower if I had wanted. Lots of possibilities but not much needed to make it work.
Hey Guys,
Iḿ Charlie, the guy who makes these, Silver Spoon Music. You know some makers get bent when they see people trying to figure their design, but I have no problems. Infact CB Nation started me in instrument building, so have at it folks!
a couple tips.... .025 black carp line for cheap strings identical to horsehair, standard length is about 55-60 cm, and check out....www.facebook.com/silverspoonmusic
then go to photos/albums/bowed lyre building. Its pictures for language barrier sake, but you should get the idea.
This is an exiting post. I love the look of the instrument and may build one myself. I can see any number of ways to do it. Still, I am wondering if you would not be better off building something like a fiddle dulcimer. It is tuned essentially the same and has frets and a finger board. If you already play fiddle then I can see how this would get your attention but if not I think you might find it easier to go another way. There is also a ton of available dulcimer music to learn to play with a bow. The sound would be pretty close to the same as well. Just a suggestion. If I am way off base of what you want it for I apologize in advance.
It's so diferent from a fiddle, one is playing on the neck, the talharpas is playing by moving the strings with your hand, more close to an harpa than a fiddle !! Sometimes closed to the Hurdy-Gurdy !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Q17A01SzA
On the finnish youtube video you see very clear how a jouhikko is played touching the strings through the hole with the backside of the fingers. Examples for using the bow you find on sound samples on a finnish site.
What you are building is not a finnish jouhikko but an estonian hiiukannel or swedish talharpa played in the same way, though you can find some finnish videos where people claim wrongly this instrument being a jouhikko.
A hurdy-gurdy is something totally different from these instruments, as a turning wheel replaces the bow and a keyboard the fingers touching the strings.
Sorry FerneL. I'm having a real heard time finding information. A really heard time. had one site try sending me to Japanese porn. Another tried to download a browser. One I got all kinds of warnings on my Mac about being a fisher site that's trying to download a virus. Glad I'm on a mac. I can see why your having a hard time finding information.
Going to this photobucket account there is a set of pictures. They follow the progress of someone building one by hand.
http://s549.photobucket.com/user/solifer82/media/Mobiilikuvat/73489...
Did a Bing search for pictures. In all honesty there seems to be no set body style or size to this instrument. There are also two and four string versions. So, like a cigar box guitar, build what you would like.
A bi big thanks to everyone !! With all this and i found the exact size wich are " tuners spaced a comfortable 4 cm apart. Overall length 55 cm, width,15, depth 5 " found on Etsy from silverspoon music (talharpa builders), i think it would be enough to begin to build !! I didn't have the time yet to read all your post and follow all the links but i will right now !! So thank you everyone!!!
And thanks Ron for the lot of info you gave me !! And i was thinking about puting guitars tuners but didn't know if it was a good idea, but if you to think that it work it's cool !! And again thnks for all your info !!
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