Langeleik plans

[Donald Renstrom]

Looking for plans to build a langeleik. I saw some when I was in Norway visiting relatives and would like to construct one. I'm currently building a Applichian Mountain Dulcimer. Cabinet maker by training and into my construction of items from my ethnic backround. Thanks for any help and direction that can be given!

[Jim Ritter]

I have been working on some plans for a langeleik. I started it a while ago, got busy with other things. Might be able to pull it together in a couple of weeks if I worked on it. What I did was measure an old instrument that was in my wife's family. There are some things with it that I don't understand, some things that I cannot believe are original. But they are on the instrument so they are on the drawing. I'll take some pics and post again. Maybe someone can help. Ralph Smith did an article on it in Dulcimer Players News when I was working on the drawings but nobody offered any new info. Be right back.

Sorry photo bucket isn't loading right now.

[Jim Ritter]

Here are some photos of the one we have. Finally got into PhotoBucket.





Sorry not the best pics. If anyone wants different photos just ask. I would love to know more about this instrument and finish the drawing/plans.

[Nicholas Blanton]

It's similar to a German scheitholt, in that it's got staples in the soundboard instead of frets in a fretboard, and drones with only one melody string course. I like it that the staples are made of something shiny, like nickel silver/cupronickel, instead of steel or iron. You don't show whether it's got a 'playing notch" down at the bottom end; the staples in the soundboard make the action quite low, and unless there is some allowance at the tail end for strumming, it could be hard to play.

It also looks like it's similar to a Hungarian cithara, in being made out of one piece of wood. Must be some kind of hardwood, though, because I can't imagine tapered fiddle pegs working in a peghead like that and not splitting it, if it was softwood.

[Jim Ritter]

No staple frets in this one. They look to be bone or antler. They also are quite high so no playing notch. The grain and weight of the wood does not suggest that it is a hard wood, and I'm reluctant to remove any "finish" to investigate beyond visual.
Jim

[Donald Renstrom]

Thanks for the information. I did find technical drawings at the Valdres Museum in Norway but they didn't come with and written information and it looks like there's eight strings, and three of what are refered to as floating bridges, and it also doesn't appear to be any linings like the ones used on guitars, violins, dulcimers, etc so while I've answered some questions now there are many more! Any help out there?

[Arnt Rian]

Norway's national museum of music and musical instruments, Ringve, is here in Trondheim. http://ringve.no/en/

Among other things, they have several Langeleiks in their collection, and I see on their web site that they sell "Tekniske tegninger" (Technical Drawings, i.e. plans) of some of them. I see 4 different ones (Langeleik, liten Valdres-type, Langeleik, Valdres-type, Langeleik, Norge, 1800-tallet and Langeleik, Boris Borisoff, Oslo, Norway 1962). I have no idea how accurate, of how good they are, and unfortunately that part of their web site is in Norwegian only, but you should be able to place an order, if you're interested... http://ringve.no/de/info/butikk/tekniske-tegninger/

Ola Kai Ledang, who is a retired music professor, has done a lot of research of various folk instruments. His field of expertise is Ethnomusicology, and he has studied these things both locally, elsewhere in Europe plus Africa (Tanzania). Anyways, I know him, and he is especially fond of Langeleiks, I think he even built a few himself. I don't have his contact info, perhaps you can find it on the web or through Ringve.

You know the langeleik is a woman's instrument, right?

[Jim Ritter]

Hi Arnt,
My mother in law grew up I Norway, still owns a house kragro. The instrument pictured above was in her family as long as she could remember. Her sister used to play it. The last time I was in Norway I tried to find out something about that style of lageleik but failed. I did however get a book about Ragna Brenno Frydenberg, she is somehow noteworthy with respect to her playing. The book of course is written in Norwegian. But their are some great photographs. None of the double headed langeleik like I have, but some every interesting dancing dolls. My MIL translated and a ring is worn on the stumming hand with strings attached that go over a small frame and are tied to the dolls. As the hand strums the dolls bounce up and down in time with the music. I did go to the site you offered but not having any photos it would be hard to know what one is buying. I can't wait to visit again.
Jim

[Arnt Rian]

Send them en e-mail (or call, I'm sure they speak English) and tell them what you need to know. Perhaps they can answer your questions, or they have more leads for you. Good luck!

[Jim Ritter]

I will do that. I know many people in Norway speak English. Which made it very easy to travel there. Almost everyone under 30 learned it in school. My problem was I always wanted to talk to the old guys with the old skills, knife making, boatbuilding, langeleiks etc. Thank you very much for your help.
Jim