DrevuRad is a workshop founded by Danil Akhmetzyanov in Nizhnyaya Tura, Sverdlovsk Region. The workshop first appears in the Oberton Pro catalogue in 2015. It initially specialised in jaw harp cases: lightweight larch and cedar designs, followed later by composite ones. The latter used rare tree burls with intricate grain patterns and decorative inlays, turning the protective case into a work of art in its own right.
By November 2016, DrevuRad had begun making jaw harps as well. One of the first instruments by the workshop to appear in the catalogue was the DR985 “Drevurad”. It had a lively, fairly even sound that did not obscure the overtones and lent itself to melodic intonation. This model marked the workshop’s transition from working primarily with wood to independently designing musical instruments.
Danil Akhmetzyanov later focused on one-off original jaw harps. He periodically employs advanced techniques for working and combining metals, using Damascus steel, zirconium and mokume-gane, as well as decorative inlays and overlays, and also incorporates moving parts into his designs. The defining characteristics of his instruments are their unique futuristic designs and loud, heavily saturated sound.
His work ranges from relatively compact models to large experimental bass instruments. One of the most striking examples is the DR1380, with a fundamental frequency of around 35 Hz, an unusually large frame and elaborate sculptural design.
Warning! Overwhelming majority of jaw harps presented are single pieces or made by hand, in very small quantities, instruments. There is no jaw harp factories exists; every one is unique in details, in different degree.
