2/20/2014

Looking For A Psaltery For Sale

By Krystal Branch


Psalteries are ancient musical instruments with a long history. They began as simple boards with strings attached to pegs and progressed from there to hollow boxes with strings. They are still being used today as they are relatively easy to play and produce the most ethereal sounds. The demand for these instruments has led to a number of craftsmen devoting themselves to their production. If you are looking for a bowed psaltery for sale, it is possible to find one online.

The most basic instruments are fairly easy to build but to build the more advanced items requires much skill. Craftsmen need to be skilled woodworkers but they also have to have musical understanding. It is important for such an instrument to be solidly constructed so it can be held comfortably and hold up under pressure. It also needs to produce the best notes. Some artistic flair is an added bonus when it comes to choosing and combining wood and decorating sound holes.

Bowed psalteries are triangular in shape. The strings run down both sides and it is bowed one string at a time. Modern versions are fully chromatic with the strings on the right side like the white keys on a piano and those on the left side like the black keys.

A handcrafted item is expensive as it takes much time and skill to construct. If you are considering purchasing such an instrument, make sure that it is from a reputable craftsman with a good track record. It must be constructed carefully so that it makes the best sounds and does not slowly pull apart when put under pressure.

Another factor to consider is the type of wood used. This affects the sounds produced and the durability. The top of the instrument is usually made of a different type of wood to the back and sides. It needs to be lighter so that the vibration of the strings is transferred through to the body. The frame needs to be solid and is made of harder woods.

Each string on the instrument begins at a hitch pin, runs over a bridge of wood running across the top and then round a tuning pin at the base. The tuning pins are used to tighten or loosen the strings. The spacing of hitch pins is one of the factors determining the sound produced. A string must have exactly the right vibrating length or it can easily snap.

Each instrument has a sound hole and its size affects the volume of sound produced. Suppliers usually offer various different design options for decoration of the sound hole. Some of them are also open to customizing instruments in other ways too.

If you are looking for a psaltery for sale, one of the best ways to find one is with an internet search. This offers various options and many deals include other items besides the instrument such as a bow, tuning wrench and even song sheets. This instrument is less complicated to learn than many other instruments and most websites of companies selling these items have detailed instructions on how to play them.




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