Instruments

Vicki Plays these Nyckelharpas
Sören Åhker – Standard 3 Row Chromatic Nyckelharpa
Johannes Mayr – Fiddleharpa
Olle Plahn/Annette Osann – Oktavharpa
Lucjan Kościółek – Sienaharpa
Stefan Ekedal – Moraharpa
Ingvar Jörpelund – Kontrabasharpa
Gustav Anderson – Silverbasharpa

Vicki uses these bows
Jean-Claude Condi – Bow
Corrie Schrijver – Bow
Fjäder (Tino Mixan) – Bow
Eric Arro – Bow


I am asked quite a lot of where to buy nyckelharpas from. The best advice I can give is that you should buy a new one from a maker or a more modern second hand instrument direct from the player that is selling it. They are not cheap and they take time to get hold of. Around £2000 will get you an instrument you are happy with. If you spend any less than £1000 you might be lucky and get an instrument that is ok – but it won’t be brilliant. A lot of instruments were made in the 1980s by people making their own at evening classes in Sweden – this was the only way to get one back then! These come onto the market now for anything from £600-£1200. I strongly advise against these. If you have to go for one – try to get a renovated one from a trusted source – but be aware, these ones might cost you the same as a new one from a maker. (You are paying for getting it now and not waiting on a waiting list).
So – a list of makers… It’s not exhaustive, these are instruments that I have met – so there might be people missing and I’ll add makers as time passes. To get on the list I need to have actually played an instrument by the maker. UK makers are at the top, as that’s where I am! The rest of the list is in a rough order of budget. The further you go down the list, the more expensive the instruments get. Are they better the further down the list? I couldn’t really say – I love my Sören Åhker nyckelharpa.

UK Makers
Ian McMaster
Pete Rigg

Other Nyckelharpas Vicki has met in Vague Order of Budget (low to high):
Enar Magnusson – Sweden
Olle Plahn – Sweden
Bosse Nilsson – Sweden
Kjell Lundvall – Sweden
Johannes Mayr – Germany
Annette Osann – France
Alban Faust – Sweden
Peter Puma Hedlund – Sweden
Sören Åhker – Sweden
Jean-Claude Condi – France
Dan Ericsson – Sweden
Esbjörn Hogmark – Sweden

USA Based Makers (prices unknown)
Earl Holzman – USA
Cloud Nine Nyckelharpas – USA

Bow Makers
Jean-Claude Condi – France (ca. £700)
Corrie Schrijver – UK (ca. £700)
Eric Arro – Bow – Sweden (ca. £150)
Aurelie Georges – France/Italy (ca. £300)
Fjäder (Tino Mixan) – Austria (ca. £300) ← I have some of these for people to try and buy!
Gewa Thomann – Germany (ca. £45)
Incredibow – USA (ca. $180)