Here you'll find all kinds of possible (& impossible) Instruments that I've designed & build, or have built or have got built or not, or what ever….
All hand-built pieces are „one offs”, but some instruments were replicated in similar styles, depending on requirement, pleasure & delight, motivation, weather or hunger…..
The whole thing started ca. 10 years ago (1998), as I customised an electric guitar to make a 10 string electric cestrum & also modified other instruments. Then was a little break, where nothing happened in that direction, till….yes, I think it was the Ingelheim Folkfestival `99….
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….that's where someone showed me an 8string lap-dulcimer, but held & played like a mandolin! As I started to play this never before seen & heard thing, it was only possible to remove it from me through an immediate plastic surgery! But that's when the possession started……
So I decided to buy this one, even it was abused & built in poor quality! It nearly cost me an „arm & a leg” but I needed it as a sample, to make my own type of instrument, as it needed some alterations to be used for my purposes.
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Sometime later I did this, building my first „Geyerleier“ (what roughly means in English: „vulture-lyre“)
This has been built in different variations, shapes, colours & tastes (best in vanilla/strawberry!!!) , for this check out the gallery of “Geyerleier”-pictures! A lot of instruments followed, inspired by this one, such as: the “Elk-paddle”, the “Elk-Dommel”, etc.
At that time I also came across some fine instruments, called “stringboard” a mixture between a hammered dulcimer & monochord, which a friend of mine has invented some decades ago. After playing that (easy to do, as tuned pentatonic) another opportunity was calling………..!
So I built my own version of it (see the photos in the gallery) and served it with some mushy peas & gravy….
Obviously I didn't want to copy his instruments, so I started to recycle the leftovers of his “stringboards” he didn't need, to build my “string ships”. Called so, because the shape of these pieces of wood reminded me of a racing-boat.
The other thing is, that they can be transported easier for travelling & street musicians on the road, and cheaper, `cause quicker to do & little material costs…………
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And that could have been the end of the story, as far as new inventions are concerned!
But, about mid. 2004 or so, I was looking for some cheap electric guitars, slightly damaged, scratched or left by their parents for my projects like the cestrum.
Browsing through some eBay shops I came across the guitar trader “Bell & Head”. His items seemed quit reasonable, so I mailed them, asking for some damaged or faulty guitars. Very soon I received a positive answer, that they had quiet a few, as in the last Container where several with production faults. So a few days later I went off, down to Bruchsal to meet the “Bell & Head” team, a couple of my own instruments & guitar body designs (which were laying around for sometime, as I wasn't really interested any more, to design electric guitars!) in the car.
There was sympathy on both sides straight away, and the proprietor was full of positive comments, as we went through my designs. As he saw my electric guitar bodies, his eyes even began to sparkle, so I offered him & his son to come to my place in a fortnight. Till than I would have some dummies whacked together, giving a better idea of the complete guitar-designs. So as they arrived I had 5 or 6 different guitar designs to show, `cause I was inspired through the feedback in Bruchsal, and my ideas where just flowin´…
The enthusiasm of Mr “Bell & Head” senior & junior was unlimited, and after 30 bows & several songs of praise I let them have the lot to show around…
It happened than, that they met some other manufactures in the guitar trade, who talked them into a joint venture, and things went through a very interesting phase what ended in a good portion of fish ´n´chips & confusion as a dessert! But about a year later everything came totally different, ending that we (Bell & Head & me) where directly negotiating with the production factory in ……… cutting all the middlemen out, and framing them in empty halls!
So we got our first own designed series of “Cassandra Elk Design” / Bell & Head” guitar collection to see the light of day (see at www.bellandhead.de or on my homepage). Still there are more to come, or already on their way or waiting fore the blessing of the holy father………
All in all that's about it for the meantime, as far as my comments are concerned. Anyhow, more details you'll find on the following pages, especially on the page “References”, that's where I can show off, without using my own words, as there are only customers telling you some lies!! For the rest of the day, have a safe journey on my pages & the last one to go, please switch of the lights, will ya!! Thanx, have fun, a nice time & long life…………
The Elch |
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(deutsche Version) 
