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Professional design and manufacture of traditional and portable African harps. Advice, assistance and information
Attention! The workshop is temporarily closed. Orders are only accepted for in-stock items. Follow the news.
Attention! The workshop is temporarily closed. Orders are only accepted for in-stock items. Follow the news.
Welcome
My name is Sergey Kalachev, I am an independent craftsman.
For over five years I have been designing and manufacturing traditional African harps, both classical and portable.
Classical African harps are made with a special focus on tradition and minimalist aesthetics using natural materials and modern production techniques.
Travel koras and n’gonis were designed and made with idea of maximum accessibility and compactness for the most convenient entry into the richest musical culture of West Africa.
My developments are warmly loved by many professional and amateur musicians around the world.
“Beautiful instrument, and it should be great fun learning to play. I love that it has a pickup so I can plug it into a sound system.”
21 String Travel Kora
$695
The result of 5 years of research and development, 21 string Travel Kora is a unique musical instrument that allows you to plunge into the richest world of West African music and Jali culture.
In any situation and circumstance for maximum pleasure in a close circle of friends at home jams or at a big concert.
21 strings, traditional diatonic musical scale and exact following of ergonomic parameters completely coincides with the classical African harp, allowing you to perform both traditional music and experiment in new styles.
Ability to connect to sound amplifying equipment, as well as the possibility of musical practice without using an amplifier.
Travel Kora comes with a handy carrying bag, a tuning key and a set of spare strings.
Variety of vibrant colors available.
Size: 152x20x25 cm
Structure: Birch ply
Weight: 2.5 kg
Strings: Nylon
Scale: F-major
Tuning: Piano tuning pins
“This travel kora is amazingly built, sound is fascinating both emplified and acoustic. You definitely won’t regret buying it”
10-18 String Travel Kamale N’goni
$670-690
The result of 5 years of research and development, 10-18 string travel n’goni is a unique musical instrument that allows you to plunge into the richest world of West African music and Jali culture.
In any situation and circumstance for maximum pleasure in a close circle of friends at home jams or at a big concert.
10 - 18 strings, traditional pentatonic musical scale and exact following of ergonomic parameters completely coincides with the classical African harp, allowing you to perform both traditional music and experiment in new styles.
Ability to connect to sound amplifying equipment, as well as the possibility of musical practice without using an amplifier.
Travel N’goni comes with a handy carrying bag, a tuning key and a set of spare strings.
Variety of vibrant colors available.
Size: 152x20x25 cm
Structure: Birch ply
Weight: 2.5 kg
Strings: Nylon
Scale: C major pentatonic
Tuning: Piano tuning pins
“Exactly as I expected. Beautifully made and certainly serves well for when a traditional kora is too large to travel with. It was also beautifully packed and arrived without damage. Thank you!”
Traditional West African Kora
$1100-1800
Classical/traditional African harp Kora - a 21/22 string musical instrument from West Africa with a rich musical and cultural tradition dating back more than seven centuries.
The Kora is made from half of a large calabash pumpkin covered in calfskin. The skin is attached to the calabash with furniture nails.
The handles and krossbar pierce the skin and support it from within.
The neck of the harp is made of dense woods. The strings are set in two rows and tuned by mechanical guitar pegs.
Nylon line of different diameters is used as strings.
The sound of Kora is similar to the sound of classical harp and acoustic guitar. But played in the traditional style is distinguished by a large number of polyrhythmic patterns.
Traditional musical scale is very similar to the European diatonic F Major.
Neck: Red woods
Body: Calabash
Membrane: Calf skin
Size: 145x45x35 cm
Weight: 4.5 - 5 kg
“This instrument is perfect! I love it so much. Every detail of this instrument is perfect. The way the skin is stretched, the tack placement. It stays in tune very well.”
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