| Unicorn Strings Bowed Psalteries |
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Unicorn Strings Bowed PsalteriesFor just over 40 years, Gene and Jessica Jaeger made and promoted traditional instruments, including bowed psalteries. Their "Unicorn Strings" psalteries were consistently solid, well-built, and sweet-sounding. As far as I can tell, they probably built more bowed psalteries than all other manufacturers put together.While I review other psalteries from time to time, I'm profiling Unicorn Strings' psalteries specifically, since:
Because I have collected bowed psalteries for demonstrations, clinics, and articles, I have a few Unicorn Strings example, including a very early model, a very late model, and a few in between. All are delightful. Their psalteries came with several helpful accessories inside a box that could serve as a carrying case in a pinch. If Gene could do anything to help you get off on the right foot, he would.
Gene was also very helpful when I needed any sort of assistance. Once when I needed a bow re-haired, the one I sent him got slightly damaged in the shop, and he sent me a brand new bow. That was only a few months before they closed up shop, to my dismay. By the way, my first bowed psaltery was a reasonably well-made kit-built instrument that I got third-hand, so I have no idea who built the kit or who put it together. But when I got my first Unicorn Strings instrument, the other one went back in the case and mostly stayed there. Yes, other folks have made notable instruments, some with better features, exotic woods etc. Even a few that sound better. But for sheer consistency, knowing what you're getting and what you're going to get out of it, it's hard to beat a Unicorn Strings product. Products OfferedIn their heyday, Unicorn Strings offered everything from a stripped-down model with a pattern drilled into the face instead of a rosette to a fancy "Classic" model with a black finish and Celtic-inspired rosette. The latter is my favorite but the base models are just as much fun to play.
Accessories that came with the psalteries included.
While they were in business, Unicorn Strings also offered a fine aftermarket "gig bag" and a handcrafted birch wooden case. Sadly, I have not come across either of these. They also made stands for displaying your psaltery and for attaching to a camera tripod, which would allow you to play it with two bows at once.
Tuning and Restringing - Tuning a bowed psaltery is a lot like tuning an autoharp or zither. The tuning wrench is similar and, in many cases, interchangeable. If the psaltery is way out of tune, tuning to a keyboar first can help you get it close faster than trying to use a digital tuner - which may not guess properly which note you're trying to tune. One unusual characteristic of Unicorn Strings' psalteries is the use of one 10 gauge string for two different notes. It could probably be done on most bowed psalteries, since they tend to use similar hitch pins. And you can use other setups if you want to on the Unicorn Strings psalteries. But it makes sense when your string source provides only 30"- 36" strings, and the longest string on your psaltery is 18", to get double use out of it. Materials and Support - The Jaegers were heavily invested getting people interested in bowed psalteries and getting them off to a good start when they did make a purchase.
Not to mention that Gene was very helpful if you contacted him directly. Closing - After some 40 years scrupously building and promoting a little instrument with a whole lot of potential, Unicorn Strings closed down without warning some time around 2022-2023. I was in contact with Gene just months before the business shut down and had no idea they were that close to closing the doors. Our prayers are with the family, along with a heart of gratitude for seeing this instrument through so much growth over the years. If you have an update you can share, either privately or for publication, please contact us and let us know. Unicorn strings was undoubtedly a labor of love, and psaltery lovers owe a huge debt to its owners. Even if you bought your psaltery from someone else, that manufacturer was/is serving a market that might not even exist if Gene and Jessica Jaeger hadn't done everything they could to promote it. For More Information
ConclusionLike most of the articles on our HarpersGuild and CreekDontRise pages, this article came as a result of reader inquiries, and discovering that much of the "information" on these things was either patchy or unreliable. So I've picked up a few different pieces to make certain what I was writing about them was correct and tracked down what seem to be the most reliable sources of information. That said, if you have a correction or a question, please contact me and I'll be glad to hear from you. Also, if you make or play bowed psalteries, and want to provide additional information, corrections, etc. we'd be glad to hear from you.
And please stay in touch! - Paul Race
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All material, illustrations, and content of this web site is copyrighted ? 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,
Note: Creek Don't Rise (tm) is Paul Race's name for his resources supporting the history and music of the North American Heartland as well as additional kinds of acoustic and traditional music. For questions, comments, suggestions, trouble reports, etc. about this page or this site, please contact us.
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