MM Instruments

Hurdy-gurdies from Kraków, Poland

Est. 2018

Over 1,000 instruments built

Founded in 2018 by Piotr Martuś and Michalina Malisz-Martuś, MM Instruments is a hurdy‑gurdy workshop based in Kraków, Poland. As a touring hurdy‑gurdy player, Michalina was often asked where to find a good hurdy‑gurdy. MM Instruments was created in response to these questions and to the growing interest in the hurdy‑gurdy.

Our dream was to create great-sounding, reliable, and beautiful hurdy‑gurdies, tailored to as many individual needs as there are individual musicians - from beginners to professional players - and to make them accessible through an online store. Every day, we put a lot of care and effort into handcrafting and customizing your instruments, so you can get a hurdy‑gurdy you will love playing.

With over 1,000 hurdy‑gurdies delivered around the world, we have gained extensive experience in making instruments that combine good craftsmanship, reliability, and plenty of room for customization, as well as in shipping them safely. We work closely with each customer to make sure their instrument suits their needs, playing style, and expectations. We also put a lot of effort into providing great customer service: helping you choose the right options, answering your questions, and staying in touch throughout the whole process.

€1,150.00

€3,575.00

€2,070.00

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Hard Case

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Hurdy-gurdies from Kraków, Poland

Est. 2018

Over 1,000 instruments built

Founded in 2018 by Piotr Martuś and Michalina Malisz-Martuś, MM Instruments is a hurdy‑gurdy workshop based in Kraków, Poland. As a touring hurdy‑gurdy player, Michalina was often asked where to find a good hurdy‑gurdy. MM Instruments was created in response to these questions and to the growing interest in the hurdy‑gurdy.

Our dream was to create great-sounding, reliable, and beautiful hurdy‑gurdies, tailored to as many individual needs as there are individual musicians - from beginners to professional players - and to make them accessible through an online store. Every day, we put a lot of care and effort into handcrafting and customizing your instruments, so you can get a hurdy‑gurdy you will love playing.

With over 1,000 hurdy‑gurdies delivered around the world, we have gained extensive experience in making instruments that combine good craftsmanship, reliability, and plenty of room for customization, as well as in shipping them safely. We work closely with each customer to make sure their instrument suits their needs, playing style, and expectations. We also put a lot of effort into providing great customer service: helping you choose the right options, answering your questions, and staying in touch throughout the whole process.

1. What notes can I play on a hurdy-gurdy? What’s the range of the instrument?

Our hurdy-gurdies have exactly two full chromatic octaves on each melody string, with 24 keys arranged in semitone steps. The overall melodic range depends on the instrument model and the number of melody strings. The Trigo covers G4 to G6, while the Aplo ranges from G3 to D6. For the Saphona, MM Fully Custom, and MM Electric Custom, the combined range extends from C3 to G5 with 2 melody strings, up to C3 to G6 with 4 melody strings, covering more than three octaves. Please note that each melody string provides access to two full octaves at a time.

2. What notes are the drone and trompette strings tuned to?

The drone and trompette strings produce a single, continuous note while playing. The standard tuning depends on the instrument model. Trigo has one drone (G2) and one trompette (G3), while Aplo has two drones (D3, G2) and one trompette (G3). Saphona, MM Fully Custom, and MM Electric Custom have two drones (C2, G2) and two trompettes (G3, C4). If you choose to add a third drone string, it will be tuned to C3, while a third trompette string will be tuned to E3. If a string is equipped with a capo, activating it raises the pitch by one whole tone.

3. Can I choose a different tuning than the standard one? Can I change the tuning of my hurdy-gurdy?

Yes, you can request a different tuning when ordering your hurdy-gurdy. If you already own one, you can retune each string up or down by up to two semitones without changing the string (e.g. from C3 to D3). For larger changes, such as from D4 to D3, you’ll need to replace the string with one better suited to the new pitch.

4. How does the drone/trompette capo work?

Drone and trompette capos are levers that shorten the string length, allowing you to quickly change the pitch/key without any additional adjustments. Each capo works on one string at a time, and we can install up to two capos per string.

5. How does the melody capo work?

The melody capo can work on all melody strings at once, holding one of the keys in the pressed position. The note of the key held by the capo becomes the new open note of the string. For example, if you have your melody string capo installed on the first key of the bottom row of the keyboard, you play on the G melody string and then engage the capo, your new open note will be an A.

6. How should I use rosin on my hurdy-gurdy?

The wheel acts like a bow in a hurdy-gurdy, so it needs to be rosined regularly. We recommend using liquid rosin, applying it evenly by holding a rosin-soaked cloth against the rotating wheel. For a quick rosin refresh, block rosin can be used by pressing the rosin against the rotating wheel.

7. Why is my melody string not producing any sound?

The most common cause is that the string holder is positioned too low, causing the melody string to hit it and become muted. To fix this, simply raise the string holder by turning its adjustment screw counterclockwise a few times. This should give the string enough clearance to vibrate freely.

8. How does the number of strings affect the sound and playability of a hurdy-gurdy?

The number of melody strings affects how the keyboard feels to play. With 3 melody strings, we can adjust the tangents and nut to keep the keyboard almost as light as with 2 strings. With 4 melody strings, there is less room to move inactive strings away from the tangents. This makes the keyboard harder to play. Therefore, we recommend that beginners and intermediate players choose an instrument with 1 to 3 melody strings. Three melody strings offer a wide range of musical possibilities, and you can always experiment with different strings and tunings later on.

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Hurdy Gurdy "Trigo"

Hurdy Gurdy "Saphona"