The Vio Hurdy Gurdy A small but versatile Hurdy Gurdy

Designed from scratch for modern and traditional playing, my Vio model Hurdy Gurdy gives great electroacoustic sound in a compact package.

Made from Mahogany, Spruce, Maple and Rosewood, this model has a middling sound – loud-ish and clear with a crisp chien, a variety of chanter sounds and a big rolling drone sound.

Standard Vio – From £900

As standard, Vio model hurdy gurdies come with the following spec:

• Materials:
  • Sitka Spruce top
  • Mahogany Back and Sides
  • Rosewood trim
  • Maple Keybox and Bridges
  • Ebony/Maple Keys
  • Baltic Birch Wheel
  • Aluminium/stainless steel shaft
• Strings:
  • 2 Chanters
  • 1 Trompette
  • 2 Bourdons
• Hardware:
  • Screw-in Wooden Tangents
  • Gotoh Machine Heads
  • Capo on the Trompette

Custom Options

One of the lovely things about hurdy gurdies is the vast scope for customisation and add-ons. Different string configurations and tunings, capos, pickups/transducers, adjustable drone bridges, string disengagers, inlays and designs, colourations…

The basic configuration above is recommended for beginners, but if you want to go a step further, get in contact and let me know what you want.

More Vio on the Web:

• Photos (including photos of the build process. Most are interestingly annotated)
• Recordings

Recordings

To Purchase

If you’re interested in buying a Vio Gurdy or any of my other instruments, please do get in contact in whatever way you prefer, and we can discuss your requirements.