When I first started the drawings I had decided how I wanted to tune the sympathetic strings. I wanted a system which allows them to be tuned very easily, with no binding of the strings on any of the instrument structure. I am not aiming for “authenticity” – I want a functional kontrabas nyckelharpa, easy to tune and play. The machine heads are the individual type usually found on electric guitars; they fit into a single round hole, with an additional locating screw underneath to hold the mechanism in place.
The main tuning pegs for the playing strings are traditional – because I can use adjusters on the tailpiece.