The hurdy-gurdy, with its captivating blend of history, tradition, and unique sound, is a fascinating instrument that has found a resurgence in popularity among musicians and enthusiasts. If you’re considering buying a hurdy-gurdy, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the journey and find the perfect instrument for you!
1. Understand the Basics: Know the Hurdy-Gurdy
Before considering purchasing a hurdy-gurdy, it’s crucial to understand the basic components of a hurdy-gurdy. We’ve written an article breaking down every part of the hurdy-gurdy, with detailed pictures and descriptions. You can view this article here. We also recommend reading our FAQ.
2. Set Your Budget: Balancing Quality and Affordability
Determine your budget early in the process. Hurdy-gurdies can range from $800 to several thousand dollars. While it’s tempting to go for the most elaborate instrument, consider your skill level and commitment to playing. There are excellent entry-level hurdy-gurdies that offer quality without breaking the bank. For these instruments, see our article: Best cheap hurdy-gurdies for Beginners on a Budget.
Hurdy-gurdies are hand-made instruments, if you feel you do not have the budget for an instrument on our list, we recommend continuing to save. If you truly are passionate about playing the hurdy-gurdy, waiting is the correct option. Use your time waiting to increase your knowledge of the instrument through research (see next section). Also keep in mind wait lists for makers. Many makers offer an initial deposit to get on their wait list. After you put in your deposit, you may have months to years to save up enough money for the instrument.
Another consideration is buying a Nerdy-Gurdy Kit – see this article for more information!
3. Consider Your Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly or Advanced?
If you’re a beginner, opt for a hurdy-gurdy that is user-friendly and designed for learners. Be aware of “feature fever” – the fear of skipping an add-on because you might want it down the line. A hurdy-gurdy with every add-on does not make it a better instrument, and will only complicate things when you are starting out. Each additional string or capo is just another part that can rattle, fail to function, or upset the balance. Setup and adjustment is already very difficult to start with, and oftentimes simplicity is better while you are learning. Many beginners quit because they struggle to get their instrument sounding good, and many would have enjoyed the experience more with a simpler instrument.
What we recommend for a first instrument:
- 6 strings maximum (2 drones, 2 melody strings, 2 trompettes aka 2/2/2). Starting with a 1/1/1 gurdy, or somewhere in between is great as well. Avoid having more than 2 melody strings.
- Maximum 1 capo per string, if available.
- Avoid electronics unless you plan to use effect pedals with your instrument. Electronics aren’t great for recording the real sound of the hurdy-gurdy.
- Sympathetic strings can be a nice addon, but consider them an extra, and not a necessity addon if cost is a concern.
- Get a case with it if the maker sells one and if you can afford it. Finding a good fitting case for a hurdy-gurdy can be difficult otherwise!
4. Research, Research, Research: Know Your Options
Unlike an instrument like the violin or clarinet, there is no standardization for the hurdy-gurdy. This gives us a wide range of options, but also makes a choice much more difficult. There are a few steps to researching your options:
- Review our Maker’s List.
- Review our Hurdy-Gurdies to Avoid article.
- Listen to hurdy-gurdy music, find out what player’s sound suits your ears, and find out who makes those instruments. Remember it’s not about the song they are playing, but rather the sound of the instrument. Also be aware of videos with affects such as reverb, as it can distort the real sound of the instrument.
- Consider the requirements for the type of music you want to play, how much range do you need? What keys do you plan to play in?
- Ask questions in our various community groups. We are also happy to answer questions by email: Noelle and Max.
5. Test Before You Invest: Attend Workshops and Events
Whenever possible, attend hurdy-gurdy workshops, festivals, or events. This provides an opportunity to test various instruments, ask questions, and connect with experienced players. Some workshops even allow you to rent instruments, giving you hands-on experience before making a commitment.
You can find a list of workshops here. Also see our CensusMap to connect with individuals who may be in your area.
6. Gather information: Contacting makers
Once you have an idea of what kind of instrument you want, reach out to makers and get specific information from them. The important information to get is:
- Different models the maker might offer
- The price and waitlist for each model
- The available setups and addons for each model
- This includes number of strings, tunings, and addons for all models
- Also consider the
- If the maker will ship to your country (or ship at all!)
7. Patience is Key: Order in Advance
Given the craftsmanship involved, hurdy-gurdy orders may take time to fulfill. Be patient and plan accordingly, especially since you’re ordering a custom, hand-made instrument. Remember that you have the entire time waiting to save up for the instrument!
8. While you wait: Getting the proper accessories
There are many accessories needed to play the hurdy-gurdy, and not all gurdies come with them all. Here are some basic accessories to consider getting:
- A strap (a simple guitar strap will do, child size if you are small).
- Rosin (see this page for good quality rosins, avoid the rectangular blocks – get a puck!)
- Cotton (see this page for getting your cotton – when in doubt get a box of Cellucotton 100% rayon!)
- A screwdriver or an Allen wrench set. Check with your luthier for what kind of tools you may need to adjust tangents, capos, or bridges!
9. Gurdy Received: Things to Consider
Once you finally have your gurdy in hand, it is best not to pull it out and start cranking immediately. There are a few things to consider:
- The shipping process puts the instrument through a lot of different humidity and temperature situations. Wooden instruments can crack or warp if improperly cared for. Once you get your instrument, let it settle in a room temperature environment for a few hours, make sure it isn’t hot or cold to the touch.
- Make sure you know what string is tuned to what. Every beginner has snapped a string by either tuning it to the wrong note, or to the wrong octave. If you are unsure what you are doing, ask the maker for the tunings and sit with your teacher for the first tuning.
- Store the instrument out of the sun, in a room temperature environment, as close to 50% humidity as possible. See this page for information about humidity packs.
10. Maintenance matters: learning the basics
Understand the basics of hurdy-gurdy maintenance. Regular maintenance and adjustment are key to getting a good sound out of the instrument. There are many online tutorials about this subject. Also consider attending the monthly, online GurdyWorld Maintenance & Adjustment Workshop.
In conclusion, buying a hurdy-gurdy is an exciting journey that requires a lot of thought, patience, research, and community engagement. Take your time, explore your options, and enjoy the process of finding the perfect hurdy-gurdy that resonates with you and the type of music you want to play!
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