Kortier Maple String Drum, 4-String

A string drum, or tambourin à cordes, from the pipe-and-tabor tradition of the western Pyrenees. It is a long box zither rather than a drum in any usual sense: the strings run the length of the body and are struck with a stick to sound a drone chord, while the player's other hand works a three-hole pipe. One musician, melody and rhythm at once.

Built in 1980 by Dave Kortier in Columbus, Ohio on commission, and with its original owner ever since. Maple body, four strings, four mahogany tuning pegs, tunable to a tonic, third and fifth: C, E and G, or D, F sharp and A.

Comes with a shoulder strap and a custom-made padded carrying case.

About the Maker

Dave Kortier studied music at Ohio State and played bassoon with the Columbus Symphony before moving to Duluth, Minnesota in 1982 to build instruments full time. He became internationally known for his wire-strung Gaelic harps, working closely with the harpist Ann Heymann, and was regarded as one of a small number of people worldwide keeping the early Irish harp craft alive.