Glad to say Hi! You are at my gusli workshop website.
You want a gusli! You have questions!
Mail me, call me (gmt+3) - I will help you!
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More than 20 years I've been studying the history of gusli, making gusli, teaching people how to play gusli, playing gusli concerts, performing at festivals, taking part in scientific symposiums and conferences. More than 200 guslies were made by me. Musicians all over the world play it: USA, China, England, Canada, Poland, Denmark, Netherlands, Lithuania, Czech, Israel, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine...
I've collected below some examples what instruments I make.
And don't forget to subscribe my YouTube channel!
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Sold out items, but you can order an instrument with a similar look:
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli for lefthanded $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt (a strap) for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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5-stringed lyre-shaped gusli $200 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to Netherlands) Body: spruce. Soundboard: oak. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. This is a replica of famouse archaeological find of 11th century from Novgorod Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Homiel, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt (a strap) for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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9-stringed lyre-shaped gusli (modernized) $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one goes to Denmark) Body: spruce. Soundboard(w/a a stringholder rod): oak. Pegs: maple. Metal piano pins. Medium string tension. This instrument based on a famouse archaeological find of 13th century from Novgorod Details... |
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5-stringed lyre-shaped gusli $200 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Navahradak, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: oak. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. This is a replica of famouse archaeological find of 11th century from Novgorod Details... |
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5-stringed lyre-shaped gusli $200 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to England) Body: spruce. Soundboard: oak. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. This is a replica of famouse archaeological find of 11th century from Novgorod Details... |
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5-stringed lyre-shaped gusli $200 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to Israel) Body: spruce. Soundboard: oak. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. This is a replica of famouse archaeological find of 11th century from Novgorod Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to Vermont, USA) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt (a strap) for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to China) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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13-stringed wing-shaped gusli $495 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: maple. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: metal pins (wirbels). There are instrument case, a tuning wrench and a woven belt (a strap) for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli, alto tuning, with piezo pickup $565 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to Canada) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one flies to Texas, USA) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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11-stringed wing-shaped gusli "St.Patrick's Day" $465 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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9-stringed kantele $330 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one travels to Tolyatti, Russia) Body: alder. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: pearwood. Normal string tension. Details... |
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12-stringed wing-shaped gusli $485 (sold out, but you can order an instrument with a similar look) (this one stays in Minsk, Belarus) Body: spruce. Soundboard: spruce. Pegs: maple. Light string tension. There are instrument case and a woven belt (a strap) for playing in a standing position included. Details... |
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The sound of my gusli:
About the workshop:
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We use various type of wood for bodies, but mainly we use spruce. The wood could be dried out or fresh (it depends on the order type). Here is the plank on the photo, that was brought from the ethnographic expedition. It had more than half of a century period of the perfect natural drying under the terrace steps of an old ethnographic country house.
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We can use various machine tools as well as we could work in ancient style — with the help of an axe and a knife only (it depends on the order type).
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Resonator could be hollowed from the upper side or from the bottom. Also some small modernizations are allowable (it depends on the order type). For example the inlaying of the band of wood of higher density to the pegs area.
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Qualitative glueing of sounding board could be reached by traditional joiner's glues, or anything a bit modern (it depends on the order type).
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A peg-wrench could help you to tune the instrument with additional comfort.
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Traditional folk sash, weaved by the brilliant Belarusan girls, could allow you to play in the standing position, and could become a good decoration for the instrument.
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A hard plane case will prolong the life of the instrument. It could steady your nerves in any journey. The instrument would be OK, even if it will be transported as a luggage by plane. The main advantage of a plane cases is an opportunity to pack instruments tetris-style one by one while packing baggage.
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As an alternative choice there is a framed fabric softcase. It has three protection layers: to protect from wet, from falls and from penetrating stabs. There are some pleasant bonuses: pockets, high quality zippers, handles and belts. The main advantage is that these softcase are much lighter then hard plane cases.
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Alieś Čumakoŭ (Ales Chumakou/Aliaksandr Chumakou). Minsk. 2024.
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