Vosges spinet, authentic antique wooden instrument, ready to play, delivered without case. 100 cm x 17 x 7 with 5 sympathetic strings + 5 playing strings!

About the product:

🎻 Traditional French instrument

• 5 melody strings
• 5 sympathetic strings (which resonate continuously and accompany the melody).
• Brass type metal frets
• Typical ornaments
• Total length: 100 centimeters
• Width: 17 centimeters
• Depth: 7 centimeters
• Weight: 1,440 kilograms
• Manufactured: 1960 (Estimate)
• Good condition of games

The Vosges spinet is a traditional musical instrument originating from the Vosges region in eastern France.

It is a plucked string instrument, from the zither or monochord family, and more precisely a drone instrument.

The spinet produces a clear, sweet, and slightly nasal sound, with harmonic richness provided by the drone strings.

It is a diatonic instrument, often used to play simple, folk or medieval tunes.

🎼 How to play?

Placed on the knees or on a table, it is played by plucking or strumming the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.

📜 History:

The Vosges spruce is said to have been developed from the 17th century onwards, used by peasants and craftsmen.

It was transmitted orally, in a family or local context.

In the 1970s and 1980s, it experienced a revival thanks to interest in traditional music and world music.

Today, there are instrument makers who make handcrafted spinets, often made from beech, spruce or walnut.

It is also a DIY instrument, making it popular in educational and alternative music circles.

🪕 Similar instruments:

It is related to several traditional European instruments:

the scheitholt (Germany),

the langeleik (Norway),

hummel (Sweden/Finland),

the Appalachian dulcimer (United States), which is a direct descendant.