Instruments

Good quality instruments not only sound great, but are a joy to play and to own. We are fortunate in owning some top instruments which give us - and hopefully the audience, tremendous pleasure.

Donald’s main fiddle is a 1979 Antonia Capela and is a  copy of a strad model ,specifically the messiah which is the famous pristine strad violin on display at the Ashmolean museum in Oxford. In addition he sometimes uses his Guarneri del Gesu copy by Ewen Thomson (Shetland) and his bows are by Hill and Arcus.

He also plays a 10 string large-bodied mandola (also sometimes known as a cittern) hand made by Stefan Sobell from Northumberland.

Laurie also plays a Stefan Sobell instrument - his Cocobolo 'Model One Sicilian' guitar has fantastic tone, sustain and projection. Laurie also owns a Martin 00015M ‘Hogtop', a Larrivee P-09 Parlour guitar and a Taylor T5 custom semi-acoustic.

Andrew plays Scottish small pipes; three sets in the keys of A, C and D, made by John Rutzen (D chanter by Ian Kinnear). He also has a collection of whistles by Michael Burke, John Sindt and Generation.