Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Jaw Harps
Purchasing
Other
- What is a jaw harp?
- Is it hard to learn to play a jaw harp?
- How long does it take to learn to play a jaw harp?
- Do I need to read music or have musical training to play a jaw harp?
- Can playing a jaw harp harm your teeth?
- Which jaw harp should a beginner choose?
- Most affordable jaw harps starts from Yamanigan. And this is one of the most popular models among first-time players - they give lot of real sound for the money, right out of the box!
- Very good universal instrument, that will not limit your potential DG848 "Yaman-Tau". It lets you concentrate on developing your playing skills and enjoying the music.
- For rhythmic playing, sound effects, expressive playing, relaxation, meditation and other uses DG862 Kumardak, DG807 Mashak, DG777 Bashtur.
- Good bass jaw harps are costly: DG644 Iremel. More affordable options are available too - DG835 - sacrificing sound cleanness and speed but with a beautiful, rich timbre.
- Affordable instruments with excellent sound and exceptional overtone clarity - Fox Nose and TV1000 (difference is in pitch mainly). These require very careful handling and regular practice controlling the throat and tongue.
- You can find our current recommendations here - any jaw harp from this list can be purchased safely.
- If your budget is very limited, return to point 1 - other choices may limit your development as a player. But if there is nowhere to go, here are a few options of "best toys":
- Altays PP27 are souvenirs, unbeatable shining for their price. АА937 too, differs with lower sound from the first.
- Should I start with the simplest jaw harp?
- What makes a jaw harp suitable for professional use?
- What is a concert jaw harp?
- What is a melodic jaw harp?
- Which note should I choose?
- What does a jaw harp’s key mean?
- Are jaw harps in a major or minor key?
- Can I use a jaw harp with A = 432 Hz tuning?
- How can I tune a jaw harp?
- How do jaw harps differ?
- Are expensive jaw harps worth the price?
- What determines the price of a jaw harp?
- Are Altai komuses a good choice for beginners?
- How do komuses by Pavel and Vladimir Potkin differ?
- How do Potkin komuses differ from those by Kazantsev–Minakov?
- What do the names jaw harp, vargan, khomus and maultrommel mean?
- How do jaw harps from different regions differ?
- What do the overall dimensions describe?
- What are the reed gaps?
- What are the reed gaps under load?
- What is reed stiffness?
- What is frame stiffness?
- What is the fundamental frequency of a jaw harp?
- What is the reed aspect ratio?
- What are the overtones of a jaw harp?
- Who makes the jaw harps you sell?
- Are the instruments made in the country shown in the catalogue?
- Which jaw harp is the best?
- Are forged jaw harps better?
- Can I change a jaw harp’s sound with a magnet?
- Which jaw harps produce the strongest vibration?
- What metals are jaw harps made of?
- What metals are jaw harp reeds made of?
- How does the manufacturing method affect the sound?
- Is a screw-mounted reed better than a riveted one?
- Can I replace the reed on a jaw harp with screw fastenings?
- My jaw harp has no ball or ring at the reed tip. Is it faulty?
- My jaw harp is broken. What should I do?
- The reed has broken. Is this a manufacturing defect?
- How can I make my jaw harp last?
- How should I care for a jaw harp?
- How should I store a jaw harp?
- Why do you have different model names?
- How do I pronounce the names of the instruments?
- Vargán
- Dan Mói
- Dóromb
- Komúz (temír-koḿz)
- Komús
- Kubýz
- Marranzáno
- Máultrommel
- Mondhárp
- Morsíng
- Munnihárppu
- Munnhárpe
- Murchúnga
- Parmuppíll
- Khomús
- How do I place an order?
- Do you offer discounts?
- Do you offer a best price guarantee?
- Where can I find the payment details for my order?
- My card payment was not completed. What should I do?
- Can I pay by card-to-card transfer?
- Can I buy an instrument from the archive?
- When will this item be back in stock?
- What warranty comes with a jaw harp?
- How can I be sure my order will arrive?
- How do you check that instruments are in working order?
- How can I be sure the instrument is authentic?
- How do you protect instruments during shipping?
- Is a case included with this jaw harp?
- Which cases fit this jaw harp?
- What is a wooden reed protector?
- Do you deliver to my country or city?
- How much does shipping cost?
- What is a parcel locker?
- How long does delivery take?
- Can I provide the delivery address later?
- Can I meet the courier at a metro station?
- Can the courier call before delivery?
- Why can’t I select payment on delivery?
- Why can’t I enter my phone number in the cart?
- Is this item in stock?
- Can I order a custom-made jaw harp?
- Can I order an out-of-stock item?
- What do the recommendation badges mean?
- "We recommend as the first jaw harp" – if you chose this jaw harp as your first instrument, we will not discourage you ;)
- "We recommend for experienced players" – this jaw harp has tiny gaps and great choice of tongue material, so it has loud sound, great sensitivity and wide frequency range. This is minimum necessary set of features of a good instrument, which can easily get lost on the background of a way larger number of different subjective parameters that can make a player fall in love with a jaw harp not marked as “of high technical quality”, or put such a jaw harp aside.- What do the labels next to the stock status mean?
- Which notes are the available jaw harps tuned to?
- How do I order a specific note from those available?
- How can I identify the note in a sound sample?
- How can I download a sound sample?
- Can you send me the exact instrument used in the sound sample?
- My jaw harp has scratches, dents or uneven gaps. Is this normal?
- Why does the reed look scorched?
- Is the line between the reed screws a crack?
- Why does my jaw harp sound different from the recording?
- The recording features one individual instrument. Handmade instruments and later production batches can differ.
- The same model may be made in different pitches. Check the available notes on the product page; the sample usually represents only one instrument.
- Playing includes physical sensations that a recording cannot reproduce.
- The player, room, microphone, recording process and your speakers or headphones all affect what you hear.
- Do you have a jaw harp like the one in this video?
- My jaw harp makes a metallic clang instead of a clear sound. Is it defective?
- Why is my jaw harp a different colour from the photograph?
- Why does the included case look different from the photograph?
- Will I receive a tracking number?
- Why is there no information for my tracking number?
- Why does the postal website say my tracking number is invalid?
- Why does tracking show that my parcel has already been delivered?
- Where is my untracked parcel?
- Why haven’t I received an order confirmation email?
- Check your spam folder.
- Check Promotions and other automatically sorted folders.
- Search for messages from info@oberton.pro.
- Check that your mailbox has free space and is receiving other messages.
- What is the status of my order?
- Where is your shop located?
- How can I contact you?
- What is your phone number?
- Can I visit without placing an order first?
- How are jaw harps treated between visitors?
- How long can you reserve an order?
- Do you currently ship internationally?
- I make jaw harps. How can I sell them through your shop?
- How do letter note names correspond to solfège syllables?
- Which jaw harp does Igor play?
- Will there be a jam session?
A jaw harp is a wonderful way to take a break from the bustle of modern life and an easy way to step into the world of music. It is an ancient instrument, simple in design yet capable of remarkable complexity. Exploring its sound can be enjoyable from the very first try: making music with a jaw harp involves your whole body. For anyone who enjoys discovering and developing new skills, this small instrument offers plenty to explore.
It asks little of you: you can take it out of your pocket, play a few notes and put it away again. If you can bring yourself to stop!
With instructions or help from an experienced player, you can learn to produce your first sounds in about three minutes. In around half an hour, you can begin using them rhythmically. As you practise, you will notice how movements of your mouth, throat and tongue affect the sound and learn to combine them deliberately. Further progress depends on your goals, imagination and musical experience. As with any musical instrument, you can keep developing your skills throughout your life.
Learning to produce the first sounds takes just a couple of minutes. Producing a pleasant sound and playing simple, practised melodies and rhythms will take 100-1000 hours. Improvisation with flexible manipulation and on-the-fly creation of musical elements - 3000-5000 hours of systematic training. To become a musician from scratch, master the instrument and play at an artistic level - 10000 hours.
It depends on your goals. Previous musical training can help, but you do not need to read music to begin. You can start by making simple sounds, exploring rhythms and developing your musical ear through practice. If you enjoy tapping along or singing to music, a jaw harp gives you another way to express that interest.
Just to the same extent as a fork or spoon. When playing normal way nothing happens with the teeth; the jaw harp is just attached to them at two or three points, motionless, and, of course, without any hitting on the teeth. Although, one can hear: “Ouch! I hit my teeth again!” from some beginners (especially at first days of their acquaintance with a jaw harp) following an abrupt metal clank. You can actually hear this sometimes when playing a jaw harp, but this is not hitting the teeth as it seems to be, but just a sound of the tongue touching the frame caused by wrong hold or wrong stroke direction. Though no full-rate statistical studies of jaw harp influence on teeth were done, a visual example of its safety is that there are professional jaw-harpists playing this instrument for several decades and having healthy teeth without visits to a dentist.
If you have never played a jaw harp, all information published at the site, all descriptions, sound examples and comments will remain pure theory for you not rendering the feelings that a person experiences while producing a simplest sound. At this stage it is easiest and most trustworthy to confine yourself with a short list of exact models and make your choice based on affordability. For those ready to make jaw harp a constant life mate, learn to play it, paying much attention and enjoying every step forward, we recommend any one from this list". Also, you can focus on instruments that are marked with “we recommend as the first jaw harp” sign (). In case you have any additional criteria, do not hesitate to contact us. By the way, if you are really in a serious mood, we strongly recommend buying a set of any jaw harp and a metronome.
Here are some recommendations from Oberton Pro:
A simple design is not necessarily easy to play. A cheap souvenir instrument can be harder to use than a more carefully made jaw harp, and its limited sound may make some overtones difficult to hear. If your aim is to learn, choose an instrument that is comfortable, enjoyable and capable of producing the sounds you want to explore. You can practise rhythm on almost anything that makes a sound, but an instrument with clearer overtones gives you more scope for melodic playing.
There is no single technical standard behind the label “professional jaw harp”. A large frame, a loud sound or strong vibration does not by itself make an instrument suitable for professional use. We sometimes use the term for models with particularly clear overtones, even when they require more precise technique. Choose according to the instrument’s sound and playing characteristics, rather than the label alone.
As with “professional”, “concert” is a descriptive label rather than a separate technical category. Some makers use it as a model name. The instrument’s sound and playing characteristics matter more than the name.
Jaw harps with clear overtones are often described as “melodic”. The term is not a precise category: the differences concern how clearly individual overtones can be heard and how the instrument responds to different playing techniques. Models with particularly clear overtones can be difficult to find, and availability changes. Email us if this is your main priority.
If you plan to play with other tuned instruments, choose a jaw harp whose note suits the music and the other players. If you are playing on your own and do not need a particular tuning, you can choose by sound and feel, including instruments marked “Not tuned”. A note is a tuning specification, not a quality rating: one note is not inherently better than another.
The word “key” can be misleading when applied to a jaw harp. Its overtones follow the natural harmonic series rather than a standard major, minor or chromatic scale. In everyday use, a jaw harp’s “key” usually means the note of its fundamental frequency. This describes its tuning, but does not mean that the instrument has a complete major or minor scale. See also what overtones are.
No. Their notes (overtones) follow the natural harmonic series.
0. First, let me dispel the very myth of 432 Hz. Among esoterically minded enthusiasts, the opinion wanders that sound at this frequency has healing properties and that music played on instruments tuned to this frequency has the same properties. In principle, this does not make sense, since music is not one frequency, but a bunch of sounds, where almost all frequencies sound simultaneously, from low to high. Some instruments to a large extent, some do not - a few peaks at certain frequencies are much louder than the background. Even if you take one jaw harp, its sound also contains a very wide and continuous set of frequencies from the base one (which we perceive as a note, to very high ones, sometimes reaching the limit of the ear's perception. Therefore, taking any jaw harp, or piece, or starting to beat with a stick on a bucket, we will, among other things, hear the cherished 432 frequencies and their multiples.
1. Very rarely, but still there are cases when, for various reasons, the team plays with the setting 432 and over there to insert the jaw harp. This is already a physical reality. All the notes marked on our website are measured according to the 440 standard and "out of the box" will not be suitable for such a task, but any jaw harp can be rebuilt within a small range (or adjusted unconfigured) - there is nothing complicated here.
Basic principle: the frequency of sound is the frequency at which the reed vibrates. Imagine a pendulum - how can you change its frequency?
a) By changing the mass: more - slower (sound lower), less - faster (sound higher). The most common way is to put a drop of tin on the tip of the tongue or in the corner of the knee and gently grind it down, looking at the tuner for the exact hit on the note.
b) By changing the length: more - slower (lower sound), less - faster (higher sound). Of course, we can't shorten the tongue just like that, but you can imitate this by changing the angle of the knee. It is safer and most convenient when it is 90 degrees, but if there is a question of tuning, this is usually more important. Bend it very carefully, a few degrees, with your fingers and watch the changes on the tuner. For elastic tongues that tend to return to their original position, you need to practice a little and feel when it begins to bend. More than 30 degrees is better for such an angle not to change, it may break. But bend is the simplest tool instantly available in the field.
c) A special case for the jaw harp - you can reduce the stiffness of the reed by sharpening it as close to the base as possible - it will become softer, slower, the frequency will decrease.
Place the name of any other musical instrument instead of the jaw harp, for example, "plucked string". Guitar, balalaika, bass, electro, endless ethno varieties ... Like jaw harps, they differ in the type of use, pitch, timbre, shape-color-size, workmanship. Most of the jaw harps, made by individual craftsmen, are not made by musicians (ie not as musical instruments), but according to their own "author's" feelings - "to please." Hence, their incredible difference in all parameters, randomly suitable for the feeling of a player who is also looking for a non-musical instrument - everyone has different feelings. Of the objective musical parameters, the main ones are the pitch (conventionally, bass - tenor - soprano) and a certain "musicality" or "purity", which is the uniformity of the loudness of each note (harmonic overtone) that the jaw harp emits, and the discernibility of notes against the background of many random sounds affecting the timbre coloration. While an experienced musician can use any, the most terrible sound at his discretion and choose a vargan according to his taste or by the examples of recordings, it is better for a beginner to start a universal musical instrument as the first jaw harp in order to master it in principle. If we are not talking about musical use, then there are no rules - usually the maximum pleasure is delivered by the louder and more colorful options.
1) Price. Some of such jaw harps are really good (or highly specialized and just do not have cheap analogs), but there is no any objective rating scale to assess jaw harp quality, neither general one, nor for some single parameter, so everyone decides for himself whether it is viable to buy some certain instrument. As a rule, all like serious universal models, and the only questions left are the financial one and self-assurance (“I am not a professional, do I really need an expensive one?”).
2) Quality. There is actually a big difference between a good and an “ordinary” jaw harps, and anyone can see it, even the one who has just started producing sounds. It is absolutely useless to describe multiple features in words – one can as well talk for hours about some dish, but in fact the only way to get acquainted with it is to taste it by yourself. Even the jaw harp sound example does not allow making a precise conclusion, as it does not reflect the effort made by the player, and the pleasure he is getting. In a word, the better the jaw harp, the easier and more pleasant it is to play, the more beautiful, clear and harmonic its sound is.
Jaw harps are made around the world by makers with different experience, production methods and labour costs. One maker may spend a long time shaping an instrument by hand; another may use tools that make production faster. Makers also differ in how much time they spend on appearance, finishing and acoustic adjustment. A larger budget gives you a wider choice, but price alone does not tell you whether an instrument will suit you.
All Altay komuses are souvenir, mass-produced jaw harps for tourists, travelling Altay in search of authentic exotics. But 30 years ago Potkin's komuses was most sounding jaw harps for their prices - that is why they became widely popular - it is really best choice for given price. But they can not be compared with all variety of "real" jaw harps. And, as any other so-called "simple" instrumend, they are much harder to play - to produce sound and, most important, to hear overtones.
They differ mainly in appearance.
Models by the Potkins have brighter sound with strongly marked overtones; Kazantsev-Minakov’s ones have wider gaps that enable holding it very hard (if one gets used to that, further it will be very hard to play serious instruments). Wide gaps decrease sensitivity of the instrument, its loudness and spectral width. All of them are souvenir instruments, producing only basic sounds "like a jaw harp".
All of this are the names of the same instrument (jaw harp - international name). Every region has its own name for jaw harps - more than 1000 known now, spreaded in the world.
The differences depend more on the maker, model and individual instrument than on geography.
These are the instrument’s maximum external dimensions: length, width and height, including projecting parts of the frame but excluding the bent end of the reed. They help you choose a case. The dimensions listed for a case are its external dimensions, which are larger than the space inside. All dimensions are given in millimetres.
The reed gaps are the spaces between the reed and the two parallel arms of the frame. Gap width and consistency are important to an instrument’s response, loudness and range of audible overtones. The measurement is given in micrometres: 10 µm = 0.01 mm.
This is the calculated gap remaining when the jaw harp is held against the teeth with the minimum playing force. The calculation uses the reed-stiffness measurement: the force needed to deflect the reed tip by 10 mm. Many makers take the frame’s compression during playing into account when setting the gaps. The measurement is given in micrometres: 10 µm = 0.01 mm.
On our website, reed stiffness is measured as the force needed to deflect the tip of the reed by 10 mm. It describes the resistance you feel when plucking the reed, rather than the hardness of the metal. A stiffer reed is not inherently better or worse than a softer one. If you are choosing your first jaw harp, you do not need to make this parameter your main concern. The value is given in gram-force.
Stiffness of a jaw harp frame is the force needed to compress the frame prongs to zero gaps, i.e. to the moment when the tongue stops oscillating freely. The less this force, the more carefully it should be held, without compressing it with hand, lips of teeth. Shown in gram-force.
When attaching a jaw harp frame to the teeth some force is applied, and in case the frame cross-section is not flat but is “wedging” between the parted teeth (like the majority of jaw harps), some part of this force works to squeeze the frame. The ratio of the force directions (pressing the frame against the teeth and squeezing the frame) depends on the angle of frame slopes. Not counting friction force, the ratio of the most common jaw harp structure (a 45 degrees sloped square bar) is 1:1. In this case the minimum force needed to play is half the force needed to pluck the tongue. Some are holding jaw harp too hard, applying excess force. In such cases frame stiffness may be insufficient, and metal clank will appear as the tongue will touch the frame.
The fundamental frequency is determined by the reed’s vibration rate. The player creates changes in tone and melody by emphasising different overtones.
The frequency range in a model’s specifications describes differences between individual instruments of that model. It is not the tuning range of a single jaw harp. For example, a model listed as 50–100 Hz may include instruments with different fundamental frequencies within that range. Some makers produce closely matched instruments; others make the same model in a wider range of pitches. A wider or narrower range is not a quality rating. Check the available-note list for the instruments currently in stock.
This is the ratio of the main reed length to the length of its bent end. With otherwise comparable reed stiffness, a shorter bent end tends to produce fewer unwanted vibrations when plucked away from the face, making fast playing more comfortable and the sound clearer.
Overtones are components of a sound above its fundamental frequency. Harmonic overtones occur at whole-number multiples of the fundamental: 2, 3, 4 times its frequency, and so on.
The reed produces a combination of frequency components. By changing the shape of the mouth and throat, the player changes the resonances of the vocal tract and emphasises particular overtones. Bringing different overtones to the foreground makes melodic playing possible. Their relative strengths, together with other components of the sound, contribute to the instrument’s timbre.
All models available in our shop are authors’ work; all of them are made by the authors themselves, often all by hand, as piecework. Different mechanical devices or common tools are used in producing elements for popular models, but finishing is done by the master “individually”.
All jaw harps that have production region specified are made just in that region. Russian ones are made in Russia, Chinese – in China etc. All of them are a work of authorship, no sane person will make a jaw harp and mother it on another master or country of origin.
There is no single best jaw harp for everyone. Some instruments are versatile; others excel at particular sounds or techniques. The best choice depends on what you want to play and what feels comfortable to you.
Forging alone does not make a jaw harp better or worse. The result depends on the instrument as a whole. See how the manufacturing method affects the sound.
Not every jaw harp is suitable for use with a magnet. If you magnetize both the frame and the tongue, they begin to influence each other - the sound deteriorates, at a low volume an extraneous buzz appears. Unfortunately, the addition of magnets to jaw harps, not intended for this, has become a ubiquitous fashion. Everyone wants to magically make two or more from one instrument, and the masters act to please customers. However, most of them simply do not pay attention to the nuances or are not able to make sound cleanly. Moreover, many jaw harps are good only in one high-altitude configuration and greatly increase or decrease pitch by any outer means - a compromise with sound quality. Magnets can be used on instruments where at least one of the two parts — frame or reed — is non-magnetic.
1) The vibration force is objective, depends on the mass and stiffness of the tongue and is inversely proportional to the mass of the frame.
2) Vibration also has a frequency, its perception is absolutely subjective and is usually confused with strength (for some it is strong when it "buzzes", for someone when it "shakes").
3) Indirectly, the vibration is inversely proportional to the sensitivity of the jaw harp (one of the aspects of the "technical" quality) - you have to hit very hard on tight, primitive harps, while touching the sensitive harp lightly enough to get the sound of the same volume.
Jaw harp frame material is not significant at all compared to the tongue material. The majority of frames are made of steel or brass, but this information alone does not make any difference, the final features of instrument depend on certain steel grade known only to the master, careful manufacturing and geometry. The most important features are material and other parameters of tongue, not frame.
Those who has already heard that the material of tongue is one of the two most critical features of jaw harps as an acoustic music instrument usually ask this question. The answer to it cannot be so easy as they want to hear it, like “steel”, “brass” or “wood”. Tongues of 99.9% jaw harps are made of steel, but “steel” means actually a very loose concept as its features depend on the amount of admixtures, and there is a huge number of different compositions. Often masters themselves do not know the exact composition, just selecting ready “non-specific” steels by the sound. More than that, different steel features may better or worse combine with different geometries of instruments, so the most trustworthy way of selection is experiment (i.e. trying it by yourself), the matter of material does not make difference from the player’s point of view.
The sound depends on the combination of materials, dimensions, adjustment and construction. A manufacturing method on its own does not provide a useful quality ranking. Compare individual instruments rather than assuming that all forged, bent, brass or steel models will behave alike. Here, “manufacturing method” means how an instrument is made, rather than its design or intended sound.
Neither fastening method is inherently better. The maker’s choice depends on their design, tools and working methods. Both screw and riveted fastenings can give good results when properly made.
Screws are a fastening method; they do not mean that the reed is intended to be replaced at home. Each reed must be carefully fitted and aligned with its frame. On instruments with very small gaps, even a slight change in alignment after loosening and retightening the screws can make the reed hit the frame or change the timbre. We do not sell replacement reeds. Contact us before attempting a repair.
Makers use different shapes for the bent end of the reed, sometimes even within the same model. A metal ball may be added to provide the mass needed for a particular tuning; if the instrument reaches the intended note without it, the maker may leave it off. A rounded ball or ring can feel smoother against the finger, while an L-shaped end can give more grip for strokes towards the face. The absence of a ball or ring is not, by itself, a defect.
In case the tongue of an arc-shaped jaw harp or the frame of a lamellar one, unfortunately, in most cases nothing can be done. However, some masters make advance and replace or repair instruments; some even do this for free. Please contact us to clarify this possibility, and bring or send the jaw harp to us. In case the master who made the jaw harp does not do any repairs or is not available, it is possible to try and contact another one. However, keep in mind that the sound depends entirely on the tongue – its geometry and material – so, even if one makes a copy of the original shape with maximum accuracy and set the same gaps, most probably the sound will be different. And it will not necessarily be worse. The extreme way of repairs is to use the same broken tongue in case it was broken at the very base (which usually happens). That will require shortening the frame. In this case the tone features will remain the same, but the frequency and specific stiffness will get higher.
A jaw harp is faulty if it does not play from the very beginning. If it was broken later, that was caused only by hitting the tongue too hard. After such a hard stroke, even if the tongue is not broken away at once, a crack at its base will appear, which may be invisible, but will grow with each stroke. Often this is accompanied by steep decrease in oscillations duration, and a mild chatter appears, especially at low amplitudes. Finally, the tongue is broken apart, even with a slight stroke. How to avoid this.
Do not make very hard strokes, and everything will be okay. One can control stroke strength two ways: 1) geometric: do not let the tongue tip deflect to distances longer than the elbow; and 2) watch the loudness; when you make weak strokes, the tongue is oscillating with minimal amplitude, and the sound is quiet; as strokes become stronger, loudness is increasing more or less evenly, and then the moment comes when the force is increasing, but loudness is not; stop at this moment and step back a little.
Jaw harps do not need any special care. The majority of them are made of steel and corrode in course of time, but this does not influence the sound. If one does not just leave the instrument in water for a week, the rust will be only a slight brown coat. The most efficient way to clean it (regarding effort and result) is just wipe the tongue at both sides with a finger to remove most of the moisture. The rest will evaporate itself, especially if the metal is warmed up. You can do it with a cloth. In any case, any foreign substance collected on the tongue should be periodically remove, otherwise, coming into the gaps it will cause weak side-sounds – rustle and chatter.
Just like a knife. If you put it on the table and go away, nothing will happen ;) In case you are leaving your home for a long time, and the only place available to store your jaw harp is bathroom (all living rooms are already stuffed with other jaw harps), or if you are living in a swimming pool, then a non-stainless jaw harps may be covered with oil or grease and put into a leak-tight plastic bag to save the look. And in case you are not leaving you jaw harp at home, please note that salty water impacts metals many times harder, so be more careful when near seas or oceans.
We try to keep our model names consistent with the instruments’ acoustic characteristics. A maker may change the construction while keeping the same name and frame design; if the playing characteristics change significantly, we may use a different name. Instruments from different production batches can also look similar while sounding different. Read the description as well as the model name when comparing them.
Let’s start with the names themselves: all of them - Jaw harp, Vargan, Doromb, Maultrommel, Khomus etc. are national names of one and the same instrument. It means, in Russia one can easily name instruments of any nations as Vargan, in Germany – Maultrommel etc. And they usually do so. Common English name, recommended by International Jew's Harp Society is Jew's harp.
How to stress the names right:
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If a card transfer or SBP transfer is available for your order, you can select it from the payment options in the cart. Follow the payment instructions for your confirmed order. The available methods depend on your country and delivery service; see payment options.
The archive contains models that we no longer sell regularly. Archived instruments cannot be ordered unless they return to stock. Some models do occasionally become available again, but the gap between batches can be several years.
If we have an estimated restock date, it is shown on the product page. If no estimate is available, the maker may not yet know when the next batch will be ready. Use the restock notification option on the product page to receive an email when the item becomes available again.
We guarantee the instrument is functional and has no defects at the moment of selling. In case you received a damaged instrument, please contact us by email, and we will replace it or return the money. The majority of problems with jaw harps, if they appear, are tongue breaks, and they happen only by player’s fault, so there is no sense to set any warranty period, this is not necessary. But in case something happened to the jaw harp except a break, for example, tongue attachment went loose, and the tongue started wobbling or touching the frame with no visible damage (one case for 10000), we will solve the problem within a reasonable time.
Oberton Pro has been working with jaw harps since 2008. You can find customer discussions and feedback on our forum, and our contact details on the Contacts page. Our delivery and warranty terms explain our responsibility for your shipment and what to do if there is a problem.
All jaw harps are checked before shipment. By the moment of parcel hand over we are responsible for each delivery; in case anything happens, we will just replace the jaw harp or return money (for this you need to check the instrument integrity right at the post office when receiving the parcel, and make an enclosure damage report). It is in our interest that customer receives a good and functional instrument – everyone will be happy with that.
All jaw harps are authors’ piecework and handwork. There cannot be any original or false ones; though, in non-specialized shops one can face mistakes in names or authorship of instruments, as often jaw harps are supplied to them from third parties of third parties. We are working directly with masters and, thanks to high specialty, we provide information of all instruments with encyclopedic accuracy. See also " Who makes jaw harps?"
We have been delivering jaw harps for several years already, and pack them taking into account highest possible loads. Actually there have been no cases of instrument damage during delivery, but if it happens, we will just replace the jaw harp or return money (for this you need to check the instrument integrity right at the post office when receiving the parcel, and make an enclosure damage report). It is in our interest that customer receives a good and functional instrument – everyone will be happy with that.
The product page states whether a case is included. For instruments supplied without a case, we provide a wooden reed protector for transport. You can also choose a compatible case separately.
Use the case selection section on the jaw harp’s product page to find compatible options. You can also use the case builder to order a custom-made case. If you are unsure which case to choose, contact us.
A wooden reed protector is a small block made to fit an instrument supplied without a case. It protects the reed during shipping and can also be used for everyday storage and transport.
Enter your country and city in the cart to see the delivery services available for your destination. Availability depends on the country, city and service. See delivery options for an overview.
Shipping costs depend on your order, delivery address and payment method. Add the items to your cart, enter the requested destination details and calculate delivery to compare the available options. See delivery options for an overview.
A parcel locker is an automated set of compartments where you collect your parcel yourself, usually using a collection code. Unlike a staffed pickup point, it has no attendant handing over parcels. Follow the carrier’s notification for the collection instructions and deadline.
The estimate in your cart includes order preparation and dispatch. For prepaid orders, it assumes payment is made now. Delivery time depends on the destination and chosen service. You can also check our actual delivery statistics for shipments to your country or city. See delivery options for more information.
No. Courier routes are planned in advance, so we need the delivery address when you place the order. Please make sure someone will be available to receive the parcel there.
If you choose our local courier in Saint Petersburg, you can discuss a suitable meeting point with the courier. For deliveries handled by an external carrier, a street address is normally required. Any alternative arrangement must be agreed directly with that carrier.
In Saint Petersburg, our courier agrees with you on the delivery time by phone or email. In case the order is delivered by a transport company courier (as it is done in other cities), they will not call, as the delivery date is established when making the order, and it is fixed. The courier comes according to his schedule (usual working time is 9AM-2PM, 1PM-6PM, or 9AM-6PM). You can state the time convenient for you in the comment to order or contact the transport company directly and postpone the delivery date.
Payment on delivery is available only for eligible domestic delivery services. The cart shows the payment methods available for the delivery option you select. International orders and deliveries to Ozon pickup points require advance payment.
The contact fields shown in the cart depend on the delivery and payment options selected. Choose those options first, then complete the fields the cart requests. We use email for order correspondence. If a required phone field is not working, contact us and describe the problem.
Check the stock status and available variants on the product page. The available-note list shows which tuned instruments can currently be selected.
No.
No. We order new stock independently of individual customer requests. Please use the restock notification option and wait for the item to become available. See when an item may return to stock.
These labels describe the variants currently in stock. A note letter followed by a slash and a number, such as G/1, identifies the note and octave using scientific pitch notation. Other labels may indicate colour, shape or another characteristic. See which note to choose.
The notes currently available for a model are listed on its product page, near the stock status and “Add to cart” button. If no notes are listed, we do not have precisely tuned specimens of that model available. “Not tuned” means that the fundamental frequency does not match a note within our tolerance of ±10 cents; it may fall between notes. This matters when playing with other precisely tuned instruments. See also the variant labels.
Add the model to your cart, then choose the note or other variant from the available options for that item. Check the selected variant before submitting your order.
We have no data about the tone of sound samples recorded many years ago. Please use a tuner (for example AP Tuner) or a spectrum analyzer (for example, in Audacity). In most cases, a tuner will well identify the frequency of the sound even played through loudspeakers. To analyze the sample it is necessary to download the mp3 file and open it in the program; then select a short section and choose "Analyze->Plot Spectrum" tool from the menu.
Open the page with the instrument you are interested in, look at its number after the symbols "id=": for example, link to Tibet jaw harp is "https://www.oberton.pro/?id=101", so its number is 101. Audio files are stored in /audio folder and are named by the formula "<item ID>-<recording number>.mp3", while <recording number> is just an ordinal number starting from 1. Thus, the first mp3 of Tibet is named "https://www.oberton.pro/audio/101-1.mp3", the second one - "https://www.oberton.pro/audio/101-2.mp3", and the first one of Vladimir Potkin’s jaw harp is "https://www.oberton.pro/audio/26-1.mp3".
A recording illustrates one instrument of a particular model. Individual instruments and later batches can differ, so matching a current instrument exactly to an old recording is not practical. See why the sound may differ from a recording.
many jaw harps are made by hand and there are practically no absolutely identical visually or acoustically copies among them, and the presence of traces of the toolss, any irregularities, etc. allowed. Masters who make good musical instruments focus primarily on sound - and it may not match the look. Many people know that even and small gaps are one of the key components of success and begin to examine them, instead of playing. This does not make sense if you do not know all the intricacies of the correspondence between visual geometry and sound - the harp can play perfectly, being curved in appearance, and vice versa. Just close your eyes and play)
Some reed materials need to be heated before the bent end can be formed without breaking. The process can leave visible heat marks. These marks are common on many models and, by themselves, do not indicate a quality problem.
It is not crack but a technological notch and this is how it should be.
There are several reasons:
A performance can make you want the exact instrument used in the video, but much of its effect comes from the music and the player’s skill. The room, microphone, audio processing and your speakers or headphones also shape the recorded sound.
A skilled player can make a simple instrument expressive, while an expensive instrument cannot replace practice. Use videos for inspiration, but choose your own jaw harp by its description, sound and playing characteristics rather than the model name alone.
It is wrong handling, not the defect. Read here how to handle it properly. The frame stiffness is different for different jaw harps and, in cooperation with reed stiffness and gaps width (see "gaps under load"), it determines handling simplicity. Hard frame and big gaps an be handled in any style, roughly squeezing by hand and teeth, but most of such instruments produce only primitive sounds - gaps size is the first level of technical jaw harp quality and the smaller they are the better the sound (volume/sensitivity is higher and spectrum is wider). But smaller gaps increases requirements for handling accuracy and some instruments are very capricious - but resulting qualities are really rewarding. There are many case when somebody used to play "simple" jaw harps like altay komuses or USA/China Snoopy JAW HARPS can not understand why new instrument not working and reed constantly hitting frame... Most common reasons for this, as stated in handling guide (see link above) are squeezing the frame with lips and hand.
This is most probably about Hungarian dorombs; each of the models is manufactured in two colors, black and white. This covering does not influence the sound, these are equal instruments, and there is no clear indication of color in order. In any case, if there is something you do not like, we can replace the instrument or return money.
Cases sold together with jaw harps are a free attachment, and their look may be different. Their function is the same for all – to protect the tongue against mechanical damage.
Tracked delivery services include a tracking number, which we send by email after dispatch. An untracked service does not provide a tracking number. Check the delivery service named in your order and shipping confirmation.
Tracking information may take 1–2 days to appear. Please try again later.
A tracking number can occasionally contain a typing error. Email us so that we can check it.
Check the dates and destination shown in the tracking history: an old entry may refer to an earlier shipment. If the information does not match your order, contact us so that we can check the tracking number.
You have chosen untracked economy mail in your order - "untracked" means exactly that it has not tracking number. We do not have any tracking information about it. The shipping terms are stated here, please take a look. Only one thing is possible for untracked - wait and ask sometimes at your local post office about any incoming mail to your name and address.
The first confirmation email is sent when you place your order and usually arrives within a few minutes. If it has not arrived:
A mistyped address or a delivery delay at the email provider may be the cause. Contact us with the name or phone number used for the order so that we can look it up.
We email order updates, including dispatch confirmation and tracking details. If you have not received a dispatch notification, your order may not have been shipped yet. Check your spam folder and the estimated preparation time for your delivery option. If that time has passed, contact us.
Our Jaw Harp Centre in Saint Petersburg combines a showroom, teaching space, workshop and small museum. You can visit to compare instruments, learn the basics of playing and handling them, and choose a jaw harp.
Our email address is on the Contacts page. Oberton Pro manager Oleg Rodnin answers email enquiries. You can also use the chat button in the bottom-right corner of the website.
The telephone number for our Saint Petersburg centre is on the Contacts page. The person on duty can help with general questions about the centre. For detailed questions about instruments or online orders, email us.
Yes. If you can visit, trying the instruments in person is a good way to choose. We can create the order at the centre. If you already know which instrument you want, place an order online to reserve it before your visit, especially if only one is left.
After each visitor, we treat the jaw harps in a UV germicidal chamber.
Items are reserved automatically when you place an order. We hold unpaid orders for 3 days while awaiting payment. If you have already paid by bank transfer but the funds have not arrived, let us know so we can extend the reservation until the payment is received. Choose pickup if you would like to collect your order at our centre. We can hold paid orders for up to three months.
Yes. The delivery and payment options available depend on your country, city and selected service. Enter your destination in the cart to see the current options and rates. International orders require advance payment. See delivery and payment information for details.
If you make jaw harps professionally and can produce consistent batches of the same model, email us first to request the address for sending samples. Once we have examined the instruments, we can discuss the size of an initial batch and, if you wish, give feedback and technical recommendations.
Please send physical samples rather than audio or video recordings: recordings alone do not let us assess an instrument properly. We do not work with one-off pieces, because examining and documenting each model takes considerable time.
| C | DO |
| D | RE |
| E | MI |
| F | FA |
| G | SOL |
| A | LA |
| B/H | TI |
The best one.
Yes.