Bandoragurdy

I have previously built several gurdies with two extra semitones available below the root note. This is achieved by having tangents normally touching the strings and pressing the key releases the tangent so the next lower note plays. This gives you two leading notes.

It does require a longer keybox and so I have previously extended the end of the luteback shape to fit. Having built bandoras for NRI over the years, I still have the moulds and it struck me it could be interesting to build a hurdy gurdy in that shape as the body length is right for the extra notes.
As well as the bandora shaped sides, the instrument has a 7 stave vaulted back which adds to the acoustic properties .

An unexpected bonus from this design seems to be better definition of drones and chanterelles. My theory is that the main bar under the chanterelle bridge is placed so its rear edge is at the point of the recurve in the body. This results in the areas under the drone bridges having better individual acoustic properties. The bass drones are warm and clear and the trompette really crisp.

This instrument is fitted with one of Ken Wittman's tuners which saves all that juggling of hand held tuners. It is direct wired into the gurdy transducer and the led indicators are great as they are easily seen either in sunshine or dark situations.
This mechanism allows the playing of two extra semitones below the normal nut position so the D tuned gurdy has c and c# available which can be very useful in allowing tunes to be played in D that would previously need to be played in G to get the notes below the root note.

The system relies on tangents normally pressing on the strings and they are released when the c# key is pressed . This allows the strings to then be released back to the second set of tangents tuned to c#. Pressing the second key releases the string again down to the nut which is tuned to c.
 Here is a variation on the large Bandora shape above. The large body is great for D/G tuning but a sweeter tone in G/C seems to be achieved with a smaller deeper body. This design does exactly that, the back is strongly arched and the sweet even tone throughout the range which still has a good volume proves the point.
The Ken Wittman tuner fitted to this has been placed behind an oblong glass window to make reading the display easier.

It is less discreet but is an option.

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