Choose a jaw harp
Vyacheslav Rybnikov
Vyacheslav Rybnikov is a jaw harp maker from Chelyabinsk. His surviving catalogue includes both prototypes and designs refined through successive versions. The names of several models refer to the geography of the Southern Urals: “Chelyabinsk”, “Kaldy” and “Tylegandy”.
Rybnikov’s jaw harps are characterised by high volume and a dense, mechanical timbre. Individual series varied noticeably in sound clarity, but his more successful designs achieved stable reed movement during rapid sequences of strokes and precise control over volume.
These qualities were developed further in the “Satellite” series. The VR954 “Satellite 75” represented in the catalogue has a rigid, comfortably shaped frame and a stable reed. It remains controllable during rapid strokes, while additional noise from the reed’s reverse movement is subdued. The instrument is particularly suitable for fast rhythmic playing and short notes, while its buzzing mechanical colour remains a distinctive feature of the sound.
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.
