Hurdy-gurdy

Hurdy-gurdy, vielle à roue, the body of guitar outline, with a flat back. Barber's pole edging trims the light wood table and back. The ribs are of a darker wood. Two fretworked, c-shaped sound holes are at the base of the sound table, on either side of the central bridge. The neck contains the playing action which is covered by a hinged lid of black wood, probably ebony. Keys operating the tangents that stop the strings are in two rows to the side of the neck. There are twelve keys for the natural notes and ten for the accidentals. The peg box terminates in a finial carved in the shape of a human head. The instrument is pegged for six strings; two of the four drones remain on either side of the neck and there are two stopped strings ('chanterelles'). There is a bridge for the tenor and bass drones, and one for the mouche drone. The strings are played by a wooden wheel which is built into the body of the instrument above the bridge. The wheel is operated by a handle in a socket at the base of the instrument. The wheel cover is absent, as is the peg ('tirant') in the tailpiece and the bridge for the trompette drone.