Kantele building, again

[atolonen]

Hi guys.

Guess what? I bet you can't guess. Can you? No you can't. How could you? ;D

Well, I won't torture you with anticipation, and just tell you.

I built another kantele.

Didn't see that coming, did you?

Ok, enough with being an ass and on with the topic. The process was almost identical to the one I built earlier, so I won't bother writing another long story. I'll encourage you to read the story of the previous one here if you haven't already done so. The only real differences are that this new one has 15 strings and none of the electric components. It's in the normal kantele sound range, so it's approximately an octave higher than the previous one. It also has a clear matte finish so you can get a good view of the beautiful wood texture.

I named the instrument "Oksa", which means "branch". This is because while sanding I uncovered an interesting looking dark spot that is the result of a branch area in the wood, and instead of coming up with some pretentious moniker I decided to let the obvious nickname stick.

I must also say that it sounds excellent. Exactly as good as the previous one. Not too sharp and not too soft. I might still experiment with string thicknesses, but that will come after a longer period of playing.

Here there be pictures:
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa-design.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa001-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa002-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa003-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa004-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa005-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa006-Top.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa007-BottomCavity.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa008-BottomCavity.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa009-Tuners.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa010-Varras.jpg
koti.mbnet.fi/atolonen/kanteleproject/KanOksa011-BranchTexture.jpg

[ganymedes]

That instrument surely looks nice.

Does that mean that on the next album, to present different aspects of the nature, we can expect to hear sounds of Sysi and Oksa accordingly? I can understand that for songs like "Claw and Fang" and "The Hunt", different sounds of the Kantele might be preferred.

We all know that the arrangements of Nest songs are fine tuned to perfection on the albums, but should we now expect that even instruments are created to fulfill this goal?

... cannot wait to hear the next album ... no, pressure, huh ;D ;D ;D

[atolonen]

Thank ye. You are too kind, good sir.

All of my 3 kanteles do have their distinctive sonic qualities, so they will be used places most fitting. Oksa actually has the widest range now, and I can play higher stuff than ever before with it.

And speaking of new stuff, I am working on 3+ new songs at the moment. Each of them are quite epic (a fancy word for "lengthy as hell" ). Also, I doubt it comes as a surprise to anyone who's familiar with what I have built when I say that they have quite a bit of heavy elements in them as well.

[mournfulwoods]

Good news indeed. I think this might foreshadow a push on the sound of Nest. Nice work

[Vargalv]

.

truly beautiful work! quite wing-like... water fowl comes to mind. i hope you will bless us with some new songs made with your new kantele soon. with both of them.


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[HeroInaDream]

Well, here I am, about 2 years too late for an appropriate response to this thread, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling me a few of the dimensions on Sysi and Oksa--how long is it from the varras to the tuners on the longest and shortest strings, how deep overall, and how thick are they where they have been hollowed out? Also, what type of wood was selected for them? I told you I was building one some years ago, but have only made travesties I would not dare post to share with others. I hope now to make one truly worthy.

Thank you so much,
Linden

[atolonen]

The string lengths are as follows:
- Oksa, shortest: 306 mm
- Oksa: longest: 650 mm
- Sysi, shortest: 486 mm
- Sysi, longest: 752 mm

Sysi is tuned an octave lower than Oksa, so it naturally has longer strings. I hope you can extrapolate the lengths of the other strings from these. Most kanteles have linear string lengths, but because my tuners are in a curve, my lengths go logarithmically - and this also has an effect on the string thicknesses the closer to the middle strings you look at. I used normal guitar strings (plain & nickel wound). The string thicknesses are as follows (from shortest to longest):
- Oksa (15 string): 0.013", 0.013", 0.014", 0.014", 0.016", 0.018", 0.018", 0.018", 0.018", 0.020", 0.020", 0.020", 0.020", 0.022", 0.022" (all strings are plain)
- Sysi (12 strings): pl0.018", pl0.020", pl0.020", pl0.020", pl0.020", pl0.022", nw0.030", nw0.034", nw0.038", nw0.042", nw0.044", nw0.049" (pl = plain, nw = nickel wound)

For both of these I used ash as the wood. I've also made kanteles from alder, and they both work great. Ash is heavier and has a slightly brighter sound, while alder is light, but has a smoother tone. The differences in sound are still so minimal that it doesn't really matter which one you choose. Alder is easier to cut and carve, but I have a feeling that ash will withstand more abuse. In any case both of the woods are hard and therefore sturdy. The woods I used had the following measurements: 1000 mm x 300 mm x 50 mm. I carved it so that the minimum thickness is no less that 10 mm - just so that I don't accidentally carve a hole anywhere, and that I don't have to fear breaking the top otherwise.

I hope this helps.