This won't mean much to many of you but it is HUGE for me. A little backstory:
Nearly eleven years ago my beloved aunt Betsy died and, to my great surprise, left me a little money. I was holding the check in bemusement and wondering what to do with it when dadgaderie said, "That's your new hurdy gurdy."
He got it in one. So, I talked with some friends of mine out here in the Pacific Northwest who build gurdies (http://www.hurdygurdy.com/) and we settled on a particular model and number of strings, type of finish, etc., and I put a small down payment on it because they had quite a waiting list at the time- a year and a half or so. Well, obviously things got out of hand with the learning curve and with new and exciting things like experimental bracing and electronic additions and body styles and and and...
While I waited I got really familiar with my sweet Volksgurdy, did a lot of touring, guested on some albums, said, "It's a hurdy gurdy" so many times that if I had a penny for every repetition I could not only retire I could take some friend with me, and, in the process of all I've just written, sold at least twelve gurdies for my friends to fans and random passers' by.
So they Owe Me. Which my friends are well aware of. They have made a few experimental models which I've gotten to play and all I can say is, WOW. The BEST. HURDY. GURDY. SOUND. EVER. I mean, so good I've dreamed about playing them afterwards, multiple times. So good that those of you who do know my playing will not miss the old gurdy, as lovely as it is, one bit. (No, it's not for sale, but thanks for asking.)
Anyway, the finished product is NOT assembled... BUT many component parts have been figured out (the electronics in particular were a bitch) and it's definitely on the way. One of the prettiest components is the headstock. It was carved by a wonderful artist in New Mexico named Juan Wjinegaard and here it is:
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photo: dadgaderie
Nearly eleven years ago my beloved aunt Betsy died and, to my great surprise, left me a little money. I was holding the check in bemusement and wondering what to do with it when dadgaderie said, "That's your new hurdy gurdy."
He got it in one. So, I talked with some friends of mine out here in the Pacific Northwest who build gurdies (http://www.hurdygurdy.com/) and we settled on a particular model and number of strings, type of finish, etc., and I put a small down payment on it because they had quite a waiting list at the time- a year and a half or so. Well, obviously things got out of hand with the learning curve and with new and exciting things like experimental bracing and electronic additions and body styles and and and...
While I waited I got really familiar with my sweet Volksgurdy, did a lot of touring, guested on some albums, said, "It's a hurdy gurdy" so many times that if I had a penny for every repetition I could not only retire I could take some friend with me, and, in the process of all I've just written, sold at least twelve gurdies for my friends to fans and random passers' by.
So they Owe Me. Which my friends are well aware of. They have made a few experimental models which I've gotten to play and all I can say is, WOW. The BEST. HURDY. GURDY. SOUND. EVER. I mean, so good I've dreamed about playing them afterwards, multiple times. So good that those of you who do know my playing will not miss the old gurdy, as lovely as it is, one bit. (No, it's not for sale, but thanks for asking.)
Anyway, the finished product is NOT assembled... BUT many component parts have been figured out (the electronics in particular were a bitch) and it's definitely on the way. One of the prettiest components is the headstock. It was carved by a wonderful artist in New Mexico named Juan Wjinegaard and here it is:
photo: dadgaderie