Unusual instruments we insure

Dung Chen

Walking in to the large open plan showroom is awe inspiring. The large guitar showroom in the older store was always a show stopper but the impact of the layout here is something else.
Touches of theatre added around the store are something of a PMT hallmark and it's fitting that the Black Sabbath Cross, an original set piece from the 1981 Mob Rules tour, is the highlight at the Birmingham store.
Friendly welcomes greet you at every turn, which is nothing new from PMT but noticeable when compared to non-music retail sites of this size.

The Pibgorn is a Welsh reed aerophone, which translates to ‘Pipe-Horn’. It uses a single reed, like those used in bagpipes, and has 6 small finger holes and a thumb hole to give it it’s dynamic sound. The bell is shaped from a section of cow-horn which amplifies the sound. We’ve got over 10 of these insured at the moment.

The Didgeridoo is part of the wind instrument family and is made from hollow wood. They were first played by aboriginal people in northern Australia and often used in ancient tribes in songs and ceremonies. By blowing into the long wooden tube it creates continuous vibrations which produce a deep and drone like sound. It’s great to see that musicians are still playing instruments like the Didgeridoo; we’ve got over 50 of these covered.

Part of the Lute family, this stringed instrument has an extended neck and a hollow and curved-back sound box. It was used at the end of the 16^th Century to accompany singers in the first operas. It can have anywhere from 11 to 19 strings, with the most common Theorbo having 14 strings - seven fretted and seven bass strings.

Another instrument part of the Lute family, this stringed instrument is most popular in northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It plays a central part in Indian classical music ensembles. The sitar has a long and wide wooden neck along with a pear-shaped body. We currently insure over 150 of these!

This stringed instrument is one of the more interesting ones we insure. To produce its great sound, a wheel that rubs against the strings is turned by hand, similar to a violin bow moving against the strings. It was most popular during the European Renaissance era and has entertained everyone, including royals. Although not commonly used today it’s great to see over 100 of these currently insured with us.