What Are Your Ordering / Customer Policies:
1. Ordering: We custom build each & every instrument to order. To place an order, we ask for a materials deposit up front, with the balance & shipping amounts due on completion of the instrument. For instrument orders, our website is set up to process deposits only. There are several ways to place an order with us:
-Through this website (click on the model you're interested in)
-Over the phone with a credit card
-Through the mail Send payment to Altarwind Music, PO Bx 32, O'Brien, OR 97534
2. Deposit: When we receive your deposit, we will contact you right away, to confirm the order and work out any order preferences you have.
3. Prepayment: If you prefer, you are welcome to pay the whole amount up front. Out of respect for the people who have already been waiting, prepayment does not guarantee the instrument will be completed any sooner. We do work very hard to make sure the wait is as short possible.
4. Warranty: Our instruments are fully guaranteed and warranted for 1 year (parts & labor). If warranty work is required within the first 60 days, we also pay for shipping.
5. Cancellation: In case of cancellation, your deposit is refundable, subject to the following:
-When you place your order, we use your materials deposit to purchase the raw materials needed for your instrument -wood, aluminum, steel, etc. We then spend a day or two milling it up to the desired thicknesses , steam bending the parts that are curved, and then 'stickering' it all on the racks, where it stays while waiting it's turn in the queue. This gives the wood extra time to really dry out during the ensuing months (even though it's already kiln dried, it's an added precaution)
If you request a refund at this part of the process, we will place these materials with another buyer. This usually happens within 30 days or less, after which point we process the refund. Refunds processed are subject to credit card fees withheld by our processor (usually 6%, representing the 3% fees originally withheld by the processor at the time when you ordered, and also the 3% processing fees charged for the refund).
-When your instrument comes up in the queue: At long last it goes into the 'active' build process! Anwyn emails to let you know that we've pulled your specially selected wood out of it's storage rack, and we are now turning it into an instrument, and checks in with you to receive final confirmation. After this point , the instrument is meticulously built to your exact specifications.
If your instrument is in the build process/ nearing completion, it is now a beautifully custom instrument. We unfortunately cannot refund the materials deposit after this point. If you have prepaid for the instrument in full, the money (less materials deposit) will be refunded once the instrument is placed with another buyer.
6: Return policy: It's very important to us that you love your new instrument! If not, we offer a two week return period. What this means: Let us know of the return within two weeks of receiving the instrument. After that, the postmark deadline for the return is an additional week. When we receive the instrument, we will process the refund, less any credit card fees withheld by our processor (see #5 above). Unfortunately, we can only refund the instrument costs, not any shipping monies paid, as that money has been paid out to FedEx/UPS/the postal system.
Q: I've added my instrument to my Shopping Cart, what about options / extras?
A: We'll send a confirmation email once we receive your order. At that time, let us know of any added options, after your deposit has been placed. Any added options / items do not increase the materials deposit; it will be collected on the back end when the instrument is ready for shipping.
Which Hurdy Gurdy should I get? We try to make instruments to fit each player's budget & needs. Every instrument we make includes exceptional features not found anywhere else at that price point.
If you're hitting a creative block with our website, we're happy to help make recommendations based on your budget & goals. Contact us for a personal consultation.
I've never played one before, is it difficult? What can I expect as a new player? Check out our page 'Owning a Hurdy Gurdy' (click here to go there...)
Do you offer a warranty / guaranty ? Our instruments are fully warranted for 1 year, but we build them to last lifetimes (we thoroughly playtest each instrument before we ship it out)
Why are hurdy gurdies so expensive? A hurdy gurdy is a complex machine, requiring heroic skill sets in both woodworking and metal working. With the exception of guitar tuners & strap buttons, every single part of a hurdy gurdy must be custom made. There are no 'off the shelf' hardware store parts that will work. Keep in mind that there are over 200 parts in a Hurdy gurdy (including over 90 moving parts). This means a building curve that is much more complex than other instruments.
Why are your prices so low? This feels weird after that last question.
The short answer: we are a full time production hurdy gurdy shop. When you do something day in & out for years & years, you get pretty handy at it. Our woodshop is custom-tooled for hurdy gurdy making, enabling us to work very efficiently.
The long answer: is actually SO overly verbose as to require it's own page. If you're a complete information junkie then click here to find out more.
How can I convince my wife that owning a hurdy gurdy is critical to our well being? The rotating wheel creates a magnetic field which, although completely unmeasureable in any way, actually aligns the magnetic field of your community and subtly corrects any misalignments in the Earth overall. This creates a borealis effect which removes invisible stresses from the localized field around your home and adds to the possibility of world peace, and a sense of well being.
Are your instruments professional quality? Yes. Our instruments are used by professional and amateur muscians alike. Our hurdy gurdies can be heard in numerous movie & television soundtracks, renaissance fairs, bars, pubs, street musicians, and have also been featured onscreen in high budget films and television productions. Besides the experiences of our customers, we have personally played hundreds of gigs and on different recording sessions with our hurdy gurdies.
Do your HG's have a place where you can attach a strap? Yes. We install standard guitar style strap buttons, so any guitar strap will work nicely. We also install a second set of strap buttons for an optional waist strap.
Where do you get your plans for your instruments? Years ago we started out studying historic hurdy gurdies, and using that information to generate sets of plans from which we would build. These days we design all our instruments 100% from the ground up.
Can your instruments play in different keys? Of course! They are fully chromatic. Our lesson book teaches you how. The option of drone capos can expand the instrument even further.
I have heard that hurdy gurdies are fragile and go out of tune easily, is this true? We have noticed this on some hurdy gurdies; mainly because of the violin pegs which are often used as tuners. We use geared tuners on all our instruments, which eliminates the note slipping inherent in violin pegs, so our hg's stay in tune very well. Hurdy gurdies are no more fragile than an acoustic guitar or other stringed instruments.
Do I need to know how to read music? No. Our lesson book uses a unique play by number system so you will be playing songs in no time at all.
1. Ordering: We custom build each & every instrument to order. To place an order, we ask for a materials deposit up front, with the balance & shipping amounts due on completion of the instrument. For instrument orders, our website is set up to process deposits only. There are several ways to place an order with us:
-Through this website (click on the model you're interested in)
-Over the phone with a credit card
-Through the mail Send payment to Altarwind Music, PO Bx 32, O'Brien, OR 97534
2. Deposit: When we receive your deposit, we will contact you right away, to confirm the order and work out any order preferences you have.
3. Prepayment: If you prefer, you are welcome to pay the whole amount up front. Out of respect for the people who have already been waiting, prepayment does not guarantee the instrument will be completed any sooner. We do work very hard to make sure the wait is as short possible.
4. Warranty: Our instruments are fully guaranteed and warranted for 1 year (parts & labor). If warranty work is required within the first 60 days, we also pay for shipping.
5. Cancellation: In case of cancellation, your deposit is refundable, subject to the following:
-When you place your order, we use your materials deposit to purchase the raw materials needed for your instrument -wood, aluminum, steel, etc. We then spend a day or two milling it up to the desired thicknesses , steam bending the parts that are curved, and then 'stickering' it all on the racks, where it stays while waiting it's turn in the queue. This gives the wood extra time to really dry out during the ensuing months (even though it's already kiln dried, it's an added precaution)
If you request a refund at this part of the process, we will place these materials with another buyer. This usually happens within 30 days or less, after which point we process the refund. Refunds processed are subject to credit card fees withheld by our processor (usually 6%, representing the 3% fees originally withheld by the processor at the time when you ordered, and also the 3% processing fees charged for the refund).
-When your instrument comes up in the queue: At long last it goes into the 'active' build process! Anwyn emails to let you know that we've pulled your specially selected wood out of it's storage rack, and we are now turning it into an instrument, and checks in with you to receive final confirmation. After this point , the instrument is meticulously built to your exact specifications.
If your instrument is in the build process/ nearing completion, it is now a beautifully custom instrument. We unfortunately cannot refund the materials deposit after this point. If you have prepaid for the instrument in full, the money (less materials deposit) will be refunded once the instrument is placed with another buyer.
6: Return policy: It's very important to us that you love your new instrument! If not, we offer a two week return period. What this means: Let us know of the return within two weeks of receiving the instrument. After that, the postmark deadline for the return is an additional week. When we receive the instrument, we will process the refund, less any credit card fees withheld by our processor (see #5 above). Unfortunately, we can only refund the instrument costs, not any shipping monies paid, as that money has been paid out to FedEx/UPS/the postal system.
Q: I've added my instrument to my Shopping Cart, what about options / extras?
A: We'll send a confirmation email once we receive your order. At that time, let us know of any added options, after your deposit has been placed. Any added options / items do not increase the materials deposit; it will be collected on the back end when the instrument is ready for shipping.
Which Hurdy Gurdy should I get? We try to make instruments to fit each player's budget & needs. Every instrument we make includes exceptional features not found anywhere else at that price point.
If you're hitting a creative block with our website, we're happy to help make recommendations based on your budget & goals. Contact us for a personal consultation.
I've never played one before, is it difficult? What can I expect as a new player? Check out our page 'Owning a Hurdy Gurdy' (click here to go there...)
Do you offer a warranty / guaranty ? Our instruments are fully warranted for 1 year, but we build them to last lifetimes (we thoroughly playtest each instrument before we ship it out)
Why are hurdy gurdies so expensive? A hurdy gurdy is a complex machine, requiring heroic skill sets in both woodworking and metal working. With the exception of guitar tuners & strap buttons, every single part of a hurdy gurdy must be custom made. There are no 'off the shelf' hardware store parts that will work. Keep in mind that there are over 200 parts in a Hurdy gurdy (including over 90 moving parts). This means a building curve that is much more complex than other instruments.
Why are your prices so low? This feels weird after that last question.
The short answer: we are a full time production hurdy gurdy shop. When you do something day in & out for years & years, you get pretty handy at it. Our woodshop is custom-tooled for hurdy gurdy making, enabling us to work very efficiently.
The long answer: is actually SO overly verbose as to require it's own page. If you're a complete information junkie then click here to find out more.
How can I convince my wife that owning a hurdy gurdy is critical to our well being? The rotating wheel creates a magnetic field which, although completely unmeasureable in any way, actually aligns the magnetic field of your community and subtly corrects any misalignments in the Earth overall. This creates a borealis effect which removes invisible stresses from the localized field around your home and adds to the possibility of world peace, and a sense of well being.
Are your instruments professional quality? Yes. Our instruments are used by professional and amateur muscians alike. Our hurdy gurdies can be heard in numerous movie & television soundtracks, renaissance fairs, bars, pubs, street musicians, and have also been featured onscreen in high budget films and television productions. Besides the experiences of our customers, we have personally played hundreds of gigs and on different recording sessions with our hurdy gurdies.
Do your HG's have a place where you can attach a strap? Yes. We install standard guitar style strap buttons, so any guitar strap will work nicely. We also install a second set of strap buttons for an optional waist strap.
Where do you get your plans for your instruments? Years ago we started out studying historic hurdy gurdies, and using that information to generate sets of plans from which we would build. These days we design all our instruments 100% from the ground up.
Can your instruments play in different keys? Of course! They are fully chromatic. Our lesson book teaches you how. The option of drone capos can expand the instrument even further.
I have heard that hurdy gurdies are fragile and go out of tune easily, is this true? We have noticed this on some hurdy gurdies; mainly because of the violin pegs which are often used as tuners. We use geared tuners on all our instruments, which eliminates the note slipping inherent in violin pegs, so our hg's stay in tune very well. Hurdy gurdies are no more fragile than an acoustic guitar or other stringed instruments.
Do I need to know how to read music? No. Our lesson book uses a unique play by number system so you will be playing songs in no time at all.
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What is the title of your lesson book/ who wrote it? Getting Started on the Hurdy Gurdy, by Anwyn & George Leverett. If you are curious as to what topics are covered, you can click the picture for more information.
I already have a hurdy gurdy, can I just order your lesson book? Yes! |
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Do you make electric hurdy gurdies? Yes, and we have several options to choose from depending on your needs. Check out our 'electric gurdy' page for more information.
I see throughout your website that your instruments have different numbers of strings, why does this matter? Unlike other instruments, each string & feature on a hurdy gurdy can be turned on/off independently of each other. The more strings you have, the more possible combinations to work with when arranging your music.
Do you make left handed hurdy gurdies? Yes! Just let us know at the time of ordering so we can be sure to add it to the order notes.
Do you ship internationally? How much is shipping to....? Yes; over the years we've shipped to every continent except Antarctica & Africa. Shipping rates vary, depending on where the instrument is going. You can email us or call for an exact quote.
I see throughout your website that your instruments have different numbers of strings, why does this matter? Unlike other instruments, each string & feature on a hurdy gurdy can be turned on/off independently of each other. The more strings you have, the more possible combinations to work with when arranging your music.
Do you make left handed hurdy gurdies? Yes! Just let us know at the time of ordering so we can be sure to add it to the order notes.
Do you ship internationally? How much is shipping to....? Yes; over the years we've shipped to every continent except Antarctica & Africa. Shipping rates vary, depending on where the instrument is going. You can email us or call for an exact quote.
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I've seen hurdy gurdies with plastic parts (tangents/ rosettes / whatever)
We do not use plastic parts; we use all hardwood for our instruments. We very carefully hand select each and every piece of wood that goes into our instruments. With such wonderful instruments, we feel it's better to use the best materials we can right from the start. |
Real wood on our workbench!
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Is the wheel removable on your HG's? Yes, but why would you ever want to?
I read that the wheel needs to be removable, why is this? The removable wheel is handy if warranty work is ever required. Think of it like this: Fender electric guitars have a removable neck (for the same reason) but in the course of normal playing, no one ever takes the neck off the guitar. This analogy works for the HG wheel too. However, we know that unforeseen circumstances will arise, so we include directions for this procedure in our lesson book (just in case).
Do you sell plans / kits of your instruments? Not at this time. We do consider the idea of a kit (fairly often actually) but we always get hung up on a few critical items, like how to communicate adjusting the wheel bearings & setting up the 'dog'. These are next to impossible to get right if you don't know how they're supposed to 'feel', and beginners usually don't have the background to successfully sort this out.
Are your instruments durable? Yes. Over the years our personal hurdy gurdies have been: rained on, blown over by the wind, through a very bad car accident, spilled on by various beverages & bodily fluids (don't ask), survived over 1,000 school assembly programs, played in bars, concerts and as street musicians. In spite of all this they still sing wonderfully.
Do you have wait times / What are your wait times? We do usually have a backorder / waitlist for our instruments, which varies a little by model. To find out current wait times, Go to our 'Hurdy Gurdy Store' page and select the model you're interested in. A new page will open with more details, from there select 'Place An Order' and the current wait time will be listed
How do I specify my preferences when I order? When you place an order through our website, we reach out right away via email and coordinate your order preferences from there. Orders can also be placed over the phone, where we coordinate your notes in person with you.
Your wait times are actually a little less than when I ordered? Am I still in the queue? (question added July 2023) Yes! We are actually working ahead of our waitlist little by little, and throughout 2023 have actually shortened our waitlist by several months. Everyone's order moves up in line as a result, with a revised completion date being sooner than when originally ordered.
More Q & A will be added as we are asked. If you have a question that you don't see posted here, shoot us an email or phone call.
I read that the wheel needs to be removable, why is this? The removable wheel is handy if warranty work is ever required. Think of it like this: Fender electric guitars have a removable neck (for the same reason) but in the course of normal playing, no one ever takes the neck off the guitar. This analogy works for the HG wheel too. However, we know that unforeseen circumstances will arise, so we include directions for this procedure in our lesson book (just in case).
Do you sell plans / kits of your instruments? Not at this time. We do consider the idea of a kit (fairly often actually) but we always get hung up on a few critical items, like how to communicate adjusting the wheel bearings & setting up the 'dog'. These are next to impossible to get right if you don't know how they're supposed to 'feel', and beginners usually don't have the background to successfully sort this out.
Are your instruments durable? Yes. Over the years our personal hurdy gurdies have been: rained on, blown over by the wind, through a very bad car accident, spilled on by various beverages & bodily fluids (don't ask), survived over 1,000 school assembly programs, played in bars, concerts and as street musicians. In spite of all this they still sing wonderfully.
Do you have wait times / What are your wait times? We do usually have a backorder / waitlist for our instruments, which varies a little by model. To find out current wait times, Go to our 'Hurdy Gurdy Store' page and select the model you're interested in. A new page will open with more details, from there select 'Place An Order' and the current wait time will be listed
How do I specify my preferences when I order? When you place an order through our website, we reach out right away via email and coordinate your order preferences from there. Orders can also be placed over the phone, where we coordinate your notes in person with you.
Your wait times are actually a little less than when I ordered? Am I still in the queue? (question added July 2023) Yes! We are actually working ahead of our waitlist little by little, and throughout 2023 have actually shortened our waitlist by several months. Everyone's order moves up in line as a result, with a revised completion date being sooner than when originally ordered.
More Q & A will be added as we are asked. If you have a question that you don't see posted here, shoot us an email or phone call.