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I was surprised to see there was no instructable for making a kantele, so I decided to do one myself.
The instructable is not a complete how-to, it shows basic guidelines on making the instrument and leaves room for creativity. Common sense is needed when reading.
Please read the notes! It is of utmost importance! The tag notes patch up my faulty drawings quite a lot.
In pic 1 you can see a very basic kantele model with wooden tuning pegs.
Pic 2 shows my (still a little unfinished) kantele, which has been made from some junk 2x4 pinewood(and it looks like a wooden shoe, I hear!).
Pics 3-5 show the works of a local kantele maker J. Väätäinen.
Additional information and legend:
The original story of the Kantele is related to Kalevala, the Finnish national Epic. According to the epic songs the first Kantele was made by Väinämöinen, the wise old seer. He took a giant pike jawbone and tail hair from a demonic horse to make the instrument. Luckily nowadays the construction is less of a hike.
Many different sources point to the fact that traditionally each household had one kantele. It's supposed that the kantele was property of the head of the family. The instrument was often made and played by the same person, not mass produced by skilled carpenters like today. Traditional kantele was never an instrument of professional performers.
---
This is my first instructable, so be merciful! And sorry about the stunted English.
Correct me freely, if you see errors :)
And let me know if you make a kantele, I'd love to see what kinds of instruments people come up with my instructions!
The instructable is not a complete how-to, it shows basic guidelines on making the instrument and leaves room for creativity. Common sense is needed when reading.
Please read the notes! It is of utmost importance! The tag notes patch up my faulty drawings quite a lot.
In pic 1 you can see a very basic kantele model with wooden tuning pegs.
Pic 2 shows my (still a little unfinished) kantele, which has been made from some junk 2x4 pinewood(and it looks like a wooden shoe, I hear!).
Pics 3-5 show the works of a local kantele maker J. Väätäinen.
Additional information and legend:
The original story of the Kantele is related to Kalevala, the Finnish national Epic. According to the epic songs the first Kantele was made by Väinämöinen, the wise old seer. He took a giant pike jawbone and tail hair from a demonic horse to make the instrument. Luckily nowadays the construction is less of a hike.
Many different sources point to the fact that traditionally each household had one kantele. It's supposed that the kantele was property of the head of the family. The instrument was often made and played by the same person, not mass produced by skilled carpenters like today. Traditional kantele was never an instrument of professional performers.
---
This is my first instructable, so be merciful! And sorry about the stunted English.
Correct me freely, if you see errors :)
And let me know if you make a kantele, I'd love to see what kinds of instruments people come up with my instructions!
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Signing UpStep 1What you need
Materials:
-some DRY 2x4", no branch spots if possible. 1m should be enough, there's a lot of room for error.
-wood glue
-tuning pegs of your choice(5mm metal pegs for zither instruments are recommended and this, get a tuning key as well)
-piano wire/guitar string(not too thick 0,20-0,50mm)
Tools:
-saw
-hammer
-chisels(straight and curved)
-knife
-sandpaper
-clamps
NOTE: This instructable is written in the sense that the recommended zither pegs are used.
-some DRY 2x4", no branch spots if possible. 1m should be enough, there's a lot of room for error.
-wood glue
-tuning pegs of your choice(5mm metal pegs for zither instruments are recommended and this, get a tuning key as well)
-piano wire/guitar string(not too thick 0,20-0,50mm)
Tools:
-saw
-hammer
-chisels(straight and curved)
-knife
-sandpaper
-clamps
NOTE: This instructable is written in the sense that the recommended zither pegs are used.
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laululauta lengollinen!
I would think a short history of the instrument would be nice to include and any comparable instruments in the mainstream. It generally reminds me of a lap guitar so I would love to hear one. Keep on building and keep us up dated.