#protip if ordering rotary switches from Digikey, most of the ones they stock are adjustable (even if marked as fixed in the product description), so if the switch doesn’t seem to rotate to all of the positions, try taking the nut off and removing the index washer. I just received two supposedly “fixed-index” 12 pole switches which only rotated to 11 positions. Turns out they were actually adjustable and worked fine.
Anyone trying to email me using my gmail account: I don’t know where you found that address, but I never use it and almost never log in, so it’s not a good way to reach me. barnaby@waterpigs.co.uk remaims my only active personal email address.
This season’s mill sport: pumpkin harvesting!
Hey @askpaypal, your entire website and support system is broken, and I’ve received no response to my complaints about it for almost a week now. In case you need reminding:
the “Add Bank Account” functionality is broken, giving me only a vague error message for days now:
Your UK freephone number consistently doesn’t work, when I try to call it I just get “This number is not recognised”
Many links to help topics from within your own web UI are broken, leading to a “this help topic no longer exists” error page
When are you going to fix these obvious, basic problems? When am I going to get a response to my complaints? When can I get my money out of your obviously broken system? Why do I have to post about this on my own website/twitter to try to get a response out of you?
#paypal tip: Young people (under 18, in the EU) who want to create a paypal account for your enterprising businesses or other fun activities: before your 18th birthday, ONLY create accounts with disposable email addresses. Once your account gets credited with more than €2500 in one financial year, Paypal have to do an identity verification check, and when they find out you created an account before you were 18, they freeze it, and you have to create a new account with a new email address.
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(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻:
This applies to living here in Iceland better than anything I've ever seen before.https://twitter.com/Kurt_Vonnegut/status/783095046950129664
@w03e agreed, my favourite way of describing Iceland was always “an island on every edge”
Thanks to all those who danced last night in the Klein Jasedow Klanghaus! It was great fun to bring some regional music and dance to the Oya meeting :) I hope to visit again some time!
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Ben Werdmüller
Verified account
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My parents live in wine country. My sister lives in an ecovillage on a farm. Having a wonderful weekend in both places. More of this please.
@benwerd if you want to come visit an old German mill w/ organic garden and musical instrument building workshop, drop me a line :)
FOR SALESOLD: Prototype “Vio” Hurdy Gurdy €2700 + P&P from Germany
This is the twin of my current personal instrument, originally built four years ago but finished recently. The video was taken after only one day of setting up and breaking in, so it’s a bit scratchy, and intended to give an impression of the raw sound of the instrument (both acoustic and from the two internal pickups), ready for you to tame (or not, if you prefer!)
The instrument has three chanters (currently G, d and g), two drones (currently C and G) and two trompettes, also C and G. The C drone and trompette are fitted with capos, raising the pitch by one tone. The chanter bridge height is adjustable.
The instrument is fitted with two passive internal pickups, one on the soundboard below the bridge giving a good overall sound, and one on the chanter bridge itself, giving a very focused chanter sound (almost no trompette!). The sounds from both pickups can be heard in the video. There is one jack for each pickup, enabling you to mix them or apply separate effects externally.
The whole body is made from flamed maple, the keys and other small details are ebony, with screwed wooden tangents. The instrument is a prototype, and therefore has some minor cosmetic and design flaws; otherwise it is a fine, working instrument at a special prototype price.
I’ve already had some interest in the instrument and am waiting until Monday for a potential buyer to get back to me, other than that it’s first-come-first served. Any questions, etc. comment/message/email me barnaby@waterpigs.co.uk2016-10-18 this instrument is now sold to Isarnos in the UK — looking forward to hearing what they do with it! I’m currently building more instruments, drop me an email if you’re interested.
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Aaron Parecki:
haha yeah, specific colors can be trademarked. Keep in mind that the trademark is only valid within the service or product category. So it just means someone else can't start a shipping company that uses the same brown as UPS.
So we just have to hope UPS doesn’t suddenly “pivot” ;) The package this email was about might be of interest to you… I’m getting an X-Carve! Mainly for hurdy gurdy making, but all kinds of ideas for silly stuff to make for IWC… stamps? wooden badges?
waaaaaaat
A new hurdy gurdy is being born! This one will be for immediate sale at a special prototype price. More details to follow further into the week.
I found a new pet!
New music on a new instrument for you!
Churfürst zu Sachsen, König von Polen Solo Mountain Dulcimer
Originally a song from the north-eastern German Kralsches Geigenspielbuch, I play this tune as a waltz. The interpretation is inspired by the version printed in Neues aus alten Büchern 2, which I highly recommend as a source of central european dance music!
“Churfürst” refers to a member of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, whose job it was elect the pope. “König von Polen” refers to him also being the king of Poland.
The dulcimer is my newly finished european walnut + reclaimed cedar + ebony hourglass model of my own design complete with floating bridge, inlaid chromatic fretboard and reversed GCgg tuning. It’s the same size as a regular DAdd dulcimer but with a shorter scale length due to the bridge being further up the instrument.
The recording was made using two C1000S microphones and the internal passive pickup, run through an AKAI EIE Pro.
Very curious to read the artist’s statements Pirastro got from Shoulder Rests…
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isis agora lovecruft:
because the concept of home is absent from the german gestalt, they are forced to label the home key POSITION EINSpic.twitter.com/uE5JKuViPd
@isislovecruft I read that as “POSITION LENS” the first time round, which is somehow more poetic? and makes about as much sense