Bowed Strings

Price and Confidence Notes

All prices are research snapshots (June 2026). Prices drift; verify before acting. Price bands (~$X-Y) are used throughout. Confidence flags: [ESTABLISHED] well-documented; [PLAUSIBLE] reasonable inference, not directly verified; [UNCERTAIN] limited or contested evidence; [UNKNOWN] outside reliable knowledge.

De minimis note (repeated from prior survey): The US duty-free de minimis exemption remains fully suspended for all countries as of June 2026 (suspended for China/HK May 2025, all other countries August 2025, continued February 2026). Every imported package now faces formal customs entry and full duty. This matters because several white-instrument sources are Romanian, German, or Chinese. US domestic sources (Saga/Anton Breton, StewMac, Metropolitan Music, Old World Tonewood) have a real price advantage now.

Orientation: The Master Structural Fact

The under-$150 reality for bowed strings is overwhelmingly on the electric side. Here is why.

Acoustic bowed instrument building is hard at every tier because the arched carved top, the bass bar, the soundpost, the graduation, and the varnish are all acoustically load-bearing. A wrong graduation can produce an unplayable top; a poorly fit soundpost can collapse the instrument or kill the tone. The result is that every serious acoustic violin kit currently retails above $150 (the StewMac Fiddle Kit is $265.82; the Saga/Anton Breton white violins start at $139.95 for the body but completing one adds $70-100+ in finishing supplies). There is no acoustic cello kit at any price point. There is no acoustic double-bass kit in the ordinary sense.

Electric solid-body bowed building inverts the difficulty almost entirely. No soundpost. No bass bar. No arched-plate carving. No f-holes. The body shape matters almost nothing for acoustic resonance, because you are amplifying via a pickup. The result: a working electric violin can be built from a 3D-print file and a cheap piezo for around $70-100. A working EUB can be built from free plans and a hardware-store mahogany board for under $150. The DIY electric bowed scene is not a footnote; it is the main event at this budget.

This catalog is structured accordingly: electric sections lead, acoustic sections follow with honest treatment of where things actually land on the $150 ruler.

SECTION 1: Electric Solid-Body Violin and Viola

Origin: Western violin/viola as the playing-technique substrate (Italian Baroque tradition, fully developed by the 17th century), applied to a solid-body electric form pioneered by 20th-century electric violinists and the modern open-source maker community.

Close-enough bar: What transfers completely: standard violin technique (GDAE tuning, shoulder rest, chin rest, left-hand stopping, right-hand bowing, all of it). Viola transfers completely on CGDA. What the solid-body electric trades away: acoustic projection without an amp (you need a cable, headphone amp, or PA); tonal warmth (a piezo in a 3D-print body sounds like a thin electric, not a carved maple-and-spruce violin). For practice and exploration it is fully functional. For unplugged performance it is not.

Pickup note, relevant throughout this section: For a DIY electric bowed instrument, pickup choice determines most of the character. The cheapest path is a raw piezo disk ($2-5 on Amazon) wired to a 1/4" mono jack ($2-5) -- this works, it has hum and impedance issues, but a builder can troubleshoot. The next step up is a guitar saddle-style piezo transducer with a shielded lead ($5-15). Above that, a commercial bridge-mount transducer intended for violin/viola ($30-100) produces a noticeably more balanced result. Unless a build note specifies otherwise, the price figures below include a $10-20 budget piezo + jack as the pickup.

1a. 3D-Print Designs (Files Free or Low-Cost; Materials Under $150)

These are the clearest under-$150 electric bowed builds. Files are free or nearly free; cost is filament plus purchased hardware plus a pickup.

Printer notes: All of the above require a standard FFF/FDM printer (PLA or PETG recommended; PLA degrades in heat). Bed size needed varies: Hovalin needs ~200x300mm across two prints; the Modular Fiddle is designed to print in sections on a smaller bed. None require supports on most sections. A borrowed or makerspace printer brings the filament-only cost to ~$15-20 per print.

Bottom line for 3D-print electric violin: Hovalin is the safest bet for a first acoustic/electric printable violin ($70 including electrification, massive community, actively maintained). The Modular Fiddle is the better long-term platform if you want to explore viola/5-string/electric-acoustic configurations and want a community around the build. JAx/Mina is a second option if you want the wiring-channel feature. The F-F-Fiddle exceeds budget.

1b. Wood-Body Plans and Tutorials (Under $150 From Scratch)

Because a solid-body electric violin does not need acoustic resonance from the wood, cheap dimensional lumber works fine. These are free or near-free plans/tutorials.

Fiddlemaker's Worksheets note: W.K. Robertson's Fiddlemaker's Worksheets are cited across multiple Instructables and community builds as the standard dimensional reference for scratch electric violin/viola construction. Availability fluctuates (out of print, occasional reprints); search "Robertson Fiddlemaker's Worksheets" to check current status. The Barbera guide above links to context.

Bottom line for wood-body plans: The 2x4 build at ~$50-80 total is the cheapest credible wood-body electric violin. Any bandsaw or jigsaw will do the body cut. The fingerboard is the most skill-sensitive part (it has to be close to flat for good intonation), but a pre-radiused fingerboard blank from Amazon (~$10-20, ebony or rosewood substitute) bypasses most of that work.

1c. Commercial Kit (Over Budget; Reference Only)

1d. Mislabeled (Don't Buy These as Build Kits)

Any "$50-$200 electric violin kit" on Amazon or AliExpress (Cecilio CEVN-1, NAOMI, unbranded) is a finished instrument with accessories in a box, not an unassembled build. "Kit" in this market means "outfit with a bow, headphone amp, and a case." There is no budget unassembled electric violin kit at that price point.

SECTION 2: Electric Upright Bass (EUB)

The deepest, most active single DIY corner in the whole bowed-string family. The EUB scene lives in free plans and a rich TalkBass community build culture, not in commercial kits, because no EUB kit exists at any price.

Origin: Upright bass, Italian origin (double bass emerged from the viol family in the 16th-17th century); the electric upright is a 20th-century spinoff. Standard arco technique transfers fully from double bass; pizzicato players who have never bowed can learn arco on a well-set-up EUB.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: upright bass playing posture, left-hand technique, right-hand bowing (for arco-capable builds). What the EUB trades away: the resonant boom of an acoustic double bass (even a good EUB with a large piezo bridge is thinner acoustically; it works through an amp). For rehearsals, practice, recording, and gigging with PA support, a well-built EUB is a real instrument. For an orchestral acoustic section, it is not.

Critical arco note on the Libellula (read this first): The standard Libellula (35" scale, 7.25" fingerboard radius, 0.75" string spacing at bridge) is designed and documented as a pizzicato-only instrument. The fingerboard radius is too large and the string spacing too narrow for a bow to clear adjacent strings cleanly. Mottola explicitly says so on the instrument page. The 3/4 beta plan (41" scale per the plan filename) has "fingerboard and bridge dimensions suitable for arco playing" and is the version to build for bowing. Both plans are free downloads on the same page.

Group 2: Plans + Written Tutorials

Group 1: Commercial Kits

No EUB kit exists at any price point. The Pulga/Moscha (below) would be the first if released.

Community Build Scene: TalkBass

The TalkBass EUB subforum is the deepest single DIY resource for bowed-string builders anywhere. Key threads:

• Homebuilt EUB megathread -- 546+ replies, 43,000+ views, active through 2026. The go-to place for build questions, setups, material sourcing, and photos of completed instruments.
• "Baby Bass" sticky -- 369,000+ views; DIY builds of baby bass / EUB style instruments.
• "34-inch scale EUB build" thread -- for those who want bass-guitar ergonomics on an upright body.

All at https://www.talkbass.com/forums/ (search "homebuilt EUB" and "DIY EUB").

Planned-But-Not-Yet-Released: Pulga / Moscha Batch Kit

As of May 2026, a TalkBass community member was developing a batch kit in two scale lengths: "Pulga" (35") and "Moscha" (41"). This kit is not for sale as of the research date. No price, no release date, no SKU. Watch the TalkBass EUB subforum for updates. Included here because the brief specifically calls it out as a notable development to flag.

Folk Cousin: Havlena Washtub Upright Bass

Dennis Havlena (dennishavlena.com/db.htm) documents a 4-string upright bass built on a washtub resonator, using electric bass tuners, a wooden neck, and commercially available bass strings. This is primarily a plucked (pizzicato) instrument by design, but the setup with proper bridge curvature and string height could support arco playing -- the plans do not preclude it. It is closer to a folk bass than a professional EUB.

Bottom line for EUB: Build the Libellula 3/4 beta for a real arco EUB under $150. Build the standard Libellula if pizzicato is sufficient. Both are free plans, one source, well-documented. The TalkBass community is where you go when you have questions. The Havlena washtub bass is a viable folksy alternative if acoustic projection matters more than EUB posture.

SECTION 3: Electric Cello

The electric cello DIY scene is real but thin and uncoordinated. No electric cello kit exists at any price. The from-plans community has two main documented resources. Unlike the EUB scene, there is no community hub equivalent to TalkBass specifically for DIY electric cello builds.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: full cello technique (CGDA, seated posture, bow hold, left-hand stopping). What the solid-body electric trades away: acoustic projection and the characteristic resonant tone of a carved instrument. For amplified playing, a well-built solid-body electric cello is a real instrument.

Under-$150 caveat: Electric cello is the hardest bowed instrument to land cleanly under $150 from scratch. The fingerboard, tuners, endpin, and even a cheap pickup add up faster than for violin. A careful sourcer with some parts already on hand can hit $140-150; a builder starting cold is likely $160-220. Both paths are described.

Group 2: Plans + Written Tutorials

Bottom line for electric cello: Carolyn Matthews' plans are the best resource, full stop. Under $150 is achievable with a cheap piezo and DIY bridge fitting, but you are at the edge of the budget and the under-$150 bar is tight. If you have a woodworking bench and some parts already, it is clearly doable. Starting cold with zero parts inventory, budget for $160-220.

SECTION 4: Acoustic Violin and Fiddle (Honest Treatment)

The acoustic violin is the ONLY bowed instrument in the family with a real kit market -- and even here, most options are over $150. Here is the honest picture.

Origin: Italian; Brescia and Cremona workshops, mid-16th century. The violin form has been essentially stable for 350+ years. The bowed Western violin transferred across folk traditions globally (Celtic fiddle, Appalachian fiddle, Nordic fiddle, etc.), all using identical or near-identical instruments.

Close-enough bar: For a kit or white-instrument build, the resulting instrument IS a violin (or fiddle) -- technique, tuning, posture all identical. What a cheap white instrument trades away versus a master instrument: tonal complexity and projection. A well-set-up VW-1 white violin or a StewMac kit violin is a real playable instrument; it is not a Stradivarius.

4a. White Instruments (Assembled-In-The-White, Buyer Finishes and Sets Up)

A "violin in the white" is a complete instrument -- carved, boxed, bass bar in, purfling inlaid, neck set -- but raw and unvarnished. The buyer applies varnish/finish, fits and sets the soundpost, fits and carves the bridge, cuts the nut, fits the pegs, and strings up. This is finishing-and-setup work, not from-scratch lutherie.

Bottom line for white violins: The VW-1 at $139.95 is the only white violin body currently available under $150 in the US. It is a real instrument with spruce and maple, not a basswood craft object. BUT completing it to playable condition pushes the total project to roughly $200-240. Honest categorization: the body clears the $150 bar; the project does not. Whether you count it as under-$150 or not depends on whether you already own a bow, peg tools, and finishing supplies.

4b. Assembly-Plus Kit (Over Budget; Most Notable Option)

4c. Craft-Grade Mass-Market Kits (Under $150; Not Real Instruments Acoustically)

Name trap to avoid: Cecilio/Mendini/Cremona "violin kit" ($60-200) is a finished student outfit (case, bow, rosin, extra strings) labeled "kit." It is not a build project.

4d. From-Scratch Plans (Tier 3; Materials Far Over $150)

Included for completeness. A from-scratch acoustic violin requires carved plates, arching, graduation, purfling, and varnish from raw tonewood. The tonewood alone ($150-350 for a violin set) consumes the entire budget before a single cut is made, and the full lutherie tool kit runs $800-2,500.

Bottom line for acoustic violin: The only under-$150 acoustic violin body is the VW-1 at $139.95, but the full project runs $200+. There is no under-$150 complete acoustic violin build from scratch -- tonewood alone consumes the budget. The cheapest complete playable violin is the StewMac kit at $265.82. For a builder prioritizing cost, the 3D-print or wood-body electric routes in Section 1 are the real answer.

SECTION 5: Acoustic Viola

The viola has no kit market at any tier equivalent to the violin. No StewMac viola kit exists. The under-$150 picture is essentially nonexistent.

• White viola bodies: Luthier Boutique (Romania) offers white violas at EUR 550-600 (~$595-660 + import duty; three sizes: 40.5, 41, 41 cm). International Violin lists white violas behind their trade login. No US-domestic under-$150 white viola body was found.
• From-scratch plans: Strobel's "Viola Making Step-by-Step" ($25) and H.S. Wake's viola plans (Tertis model included) exist. Viola tonewood sets run ~$200-450. Same situation as violin -- materials alone exceed $150.
• Electric viola: Covered by the OpenFab Modular Fiddle (viola configuration available) and the Barbera guide in Section 1. The electric path is the same as violin; under $150 via 3D-print or wood-body plan.

Honest finding: If you want an acoustic viola, your budget options are extremely thin. If you want an electric viola under $150, the Modular Fiddle viola configuration is the clear path (same plans, Patreon tier for viola files, same hardware kit).

SECTION 6: Acoustic Cello

The cello has no packaged kit at any price. The white-body trade exists but is intermittent and gated.

• White cello bodies: Available through International Violin's trade channel (~$150-600 per body, price ranges vary by source and quality; login required), from Chinese workshops, or occasionally on Alibaba. Quality varies batch to batch; TalkBass and Maestronet consensus is "usable starting point but expect remediation" (re-graduation of top, bass bar reshaping, bridge fitting, soundpost setup). This is intermediate-to-advanced lutherie work.
• Tonewood for from-scratch cello: A figured maple back alone runs $675-1,165+ at Old World Tonewood. Cello spruce top ~$300. Full set ~$800-1,800. Build time 350-600 hours. Far over budget.
• From-scratch plans: Strobel "Cello Making Step-by-Step" ($29.50) is one of the only affordable English cello texts. Multiple Strad cello posters (Montagnana "Farina," "De Munck" Strad, Brothers Amati, Gofriller, Nicolo Amati) at GBP 22.95 each. H.S. Wake cello plans exist.
• Electric cello under $150: See Section 3.

Honest finding: No acoustic cello build qualifies under $150. The cheapest acoustic path involves a white body from the trade channel at $150-600 plus setup materials. Electric cello (Section 3) is the only path close to $150, and even that is tight.

SECTION 7: Acoustic Double Bass

The acoustic double bass is the least-served instrument in the entire bowed family. There is no kit, there is no stocked white body at any mainstream US retailer, and the from-scratch tradition is better supported by plans than by any kit source.

• White bass bodies: Found occasionally on eBay or Alibaba. No mainstream supplier stocks them as a retail item. TalkBass characterizes them as "mediocre, needs a lot of work" but salvageable starting points for someone who understands what they are getting into.
• Tonewood: Bass tonewood is the most expensive in the family. A spruce top ~$340-390; figured maple back ~$550-1,450; neck block ~$320. Total set ~$1,200-2,500+. Build time 500-800+ hours. No path to $150.
• The one standout from-plans resource: Roger Hargrave's "Making a Double Bass" is a free PDF (~24,000 words, 371 photographs, CC NC-ND) from one of the world's most respected luthiers. It is the definitive free bass-building text in English and TalkBass-endorsed. Available at roger-hargrave.de. H.S. Wake's "To Make a Double Bass" is one of the only other dedicated bass plans. The Strad does not make a double-bass poster. Strobel has no bass title.
• The Canotto bass (Mottola): Liutaio Mottola's instruments page includes the "Canotto" bass, another free plan from the same source as the Libellula. Worth reviewing alongside the Libellula if a full acoustic upright appeals.

Honest finding: There is no acoustic double bass build anywhere near $150. The cheapest complete path involves a white body at $150-600 (trade/Alibaba, intermittent, remediation required) plus setup materials. The from-plans route with Hargrave is the better starting point philosophically but requires skills and tools far beyond a first-timer. For a bowed bass under $150, the Libellula 3/4 beta EUB (Section 2) is the real answer.

SECTION 8: Pickup Conversions (Electrify What You Already Own)

If you already have an acoustic violin, viola, cello, or bass, the cheapest path to amplification is not to build an electric instrument but to fit a pickup. This is a mature, well-reviewed product market.

Bottom line: The $2-20 DIY piezo disk is the cheapest electrification path for any bowed instrument you already own. The K&K and Fishman drop-ins are the credible step up if you want a usable-on-stage result without soldering.

Cross-References: Bowed Folk Instruments in Folk Strings Worldwide

The following bowed instruments are fully documented in Build Catalog - Folk Strings Worldwide. They are not repeated here; cross-reference that file for kits, plans, and tutorials.

Remaining bowed instruments not covered in either file: The hardanger fiddle, the nyckelharpa, and the pochette/kit violin are not in the Folk Strings catalog. Brief notes follow.

Hardanger Fiddle (Hardingfele): Norwegian folk fiddle with sympathetic strings beneath the fingerboard. No English-language kit or under-$150 build plan found. Luthier Boutique offers white hardanger bodies at EUR 800+ (over budget, far over). From scratch is advanced (requires a second set of sympathetic string slots, specialized tuning, different neck angle). A documented under-$150 hardanger build does not appear to exist in English. [UNKNOWN as under-$150 build]

Nyckelharpa: Swedish keyed fiddle. Keys press against the strings to produce notes; bowed with a short bow. A functioning Nyckelharpa requires complex key mechanism + resonant box + fiddle setup. No under-$150 kit or plan was found. Estnord and similar Scandinavian shops sell kits at EUR 500+. [UNKNOWN as under-$150 build]

Pochette / Kit Violin: Tiny 16th-18th century dance master's pocket violin. No kit or commercial plan found. A scratch build from scrap hardwood is feasible: very small body, simple f-holes or round holes, short scale. Could be built from a single hardwood offcut. A builder with the Strobel violin reference and a set of Strad-poster dimensions could scale down to pochette dimensions. Genuine under-$150 path exists in principle, but no documented build was found. [PLAUSIBLE as scratch build; UNKNOWN as published plans]

Hard Scope Notes: What Doesn't Exist

Confidence Audit

Evidence quality: Strong for all prices fetched directly from live pages (VW-1 $139.95, VW-3 $319.95, StewMac $265.82, EVL Dragonfly $600, Hovalin $70 BOM, all pickup prices from Gollihur/K&K/Fishman/Schatten). Moderate for OpenFab Modular Fiddle hardware kit price (JS-rendered; prior survey estimated ~$60-100; check at checkout). Plausible for Libellula BOM (~$100-145), Carolyn Matthews electric cello BOM (~$130-200), and Havlena washtub bass BOM (~$75-125) -- all are builder estimates based on publicly known materials, not confirmed purchase receipts.

Biggest confidence limiter: OpenFab hardware kit price and Carolyn Matthews electric cello final BOM are the two entries where the under-vs-over-$150 question is genuinely uncertain. For OpenFab, verify price at the shop page before assuming; for the electric cello, budget to $175 and see where careful sourcing lands.

One thing to verify before acting on any price: Check the Anton Breton VW-1 at $139.95 at a current Saga dealer (not direct from Saga.com, which says "Find a Dealer"). Dealer pricing may vary from the MSRP on the Saga product page.

Cigar Box Guitar

Orientation

The cigar box guitar is the deepest kit market in the entire Sub-$150 series. There are at minimum 15 distinct vendor families, a free-plans ecosystem with multiple canonical sources, a community hub (Cigar Box Nation, 13,000+ members) that has been active since 2008, and a body of instructional books and video series that no other instrument in this catalog comes close to matching. This file reflects that reality: it has sections, not just rows, and each section goes wide.

How to read this file: Section 1 covers kits with the full vendor field. Section 2 covers configuration (string count, fretted/fretless, scale). Section 3 covers acoustic vs electric and the pickup aftermarket. Section 4 covers free plans, books, and from-scratch BOMs. Section 5 covers video build series. Sections 6-8 cover the immediate siblings: diddley bow, canjo, washtub bass.

Source confidence notation: [ESTABLISHED] well-documented, high confidence. [PLAUSIBLE] reasonable inference, not directly verified at the URL level. [UNCERTAIN] limited or contested. [UNKNOWN] outside reliable knowledge; no fabrication.

Price note: All prices are research snapshots (June 2026). Prices drift; verify before ordering. Price bands (~$X-Y) are used throughout.

StewMac note: StewMac's 3-string CBG kit (item #101512-C, $129.99) is listed as "no longer available / sold out" as of the research date [ESTABLISHED]. It is documented here because it may return or be useful as a reference point for what premium spec looks like.

SECTION 1: KITS -- The Full Vendor Field

The CBG kit market has more distinct commercial sources than any other instrument in this catalog. The entries below are organized by vendor, not by product, because vendor identity matters here: C.B. Gitty is the hub of the entire ecosystem, and the other vendors are genuinely distinct. Counting storefronts as separate sources would be misleading; counting a single vendor's 15 kits as 15 sources would be equally wrong.

Source-counting rule used here: Every distinct independent business or maker is one source. C.B. Gitty plus all its retail distribution channels (Amazon, Reverb, eBay, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Walmart, Etsy) is ONE source. MGB Guitars' entire 20-kit catalog is ONE source. Etsy as a marketplace with dozens of individual makers is counted as a category, not a single source.

Source 1: C.B. Gitty Crafter Supply (THE HUB)

Who they are: The central supplier of the modern CBG revival. Based in Rochester, NH. Founded by Ben "Gitty" Baker. Also runs: American Canjo Company (canjo kits), and has sub-brands/kit lines including Hubcap Howler, Red Barn, Tin Pan Alley, Reso-Plate, Rodeo King. All Gitty storefronts (cbgitty.com, Amazon, Reverb, eBay, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Walmart, Etsy) are the same company and the same SKUs. ONE source.

Gitty summary: The anchor of the entire CBG kit world. No other vendor approaches this breadth (13 distinct kit categories). Fretted and fretless, acoustic and electric, resonator variants, bass, diddley bow, and canjo all covered under one roof. Available everywhere -- direct, Amazon, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, and more. If you want a CBG kit in the US, Gitty is where most people start.

Source 2: MGB Guitars (Odessa, FL)

Who they are: The second-largest dedicated CBG kit vendor in the US. All kits use real cigar boxes sourced from specific cigar brands (Tabak, Cohiba Red Dot, Plasencia, Camacho, Arturo Fuente, Atabey, Kuba). All kits come complete with neck, box, pickup, hardware, and strings. Free US shipping on all orders. Kits are aimed at builders with "fundamental knowledge of building stringed instruments" -- meaning you understand how a guitar goes together, even if you've never built one. MGB founder Michael Breedlove is reachable by phone for help.

MGB summary: The most varied kit catalog by far -- 18+ distinct models, real cigar boxes from recognized cigar brands, all hardware included. All fretted (no fretless options). Most use the 24" Easy Neck; several use the 25.5" Super Neck. MGB is the vendor for builders who want the real cigar-box aesthetic without hunting for a box themselves. More expensive than Gitty entry-level, comparable to Gitty mid-tier.

Source 3: StewMac

Who they are: The premier US luthier supply house. Their CBG kit is/was aimed at serious hobbyists who want guitar-grade components.

StewMac note: This was the premium all-in-one kit -- the one closest to a regular electric guitar in component quality. The P-90 and truss rod set it apart from every other CBG kit at its price. Currently unavailable; check the page for restocking. It may return.

Source 4: The Cigar Box Guitar Store (Huntsville, AL)

Who they are: Retail store and build class venue located in Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment (largest privately-owned artist community in the US). Luthier Jeff Mello / Mad Sci Innovations makes the instruments and kits. ~40 finished guitars in inventory at any time. The kit is their E-Z Build series.

Note: This is a brick-and-mortar first source -- best for local purchase or shipping from Huntsville. Classes run for team-building events and school groups. Distinct from Gitty and MGB; genuinely independent.

Source 5: Catoctin Mountain Music (Emmitsburg, MD)

Who they are: Small-scale handmade CBG kit maker selling primarily through Reverb. Located in Emmitsburg, MD (301-447-6962). Not a mass producer -- limited runs, actual wood cigar boxes (not paper/cardboard). Frets machine-cut with a StewMac saw blade and hand-installed one at a time. Multiple kits per listing, different hardware options.

Catoctin note: Older generations of kits also float on Reverb at slightly lower prices. Good source if you want a handmade kit with real quality wood construction and don't mind smaller-batch availability.

Source 6: Chickenbone John (UK, ships to US)

Who they are: UK-based CBG pioneer, "pioneered the making of cigar box guitars in the UK" with over 2,400 made and sold. GBP pricing; ships internationally. At GBP-to-USD conversion (~1.25x) plus shipping, their kits land in the $80-130 range in the US. Multiple kit tiers plus hardware-pack-only options if you already have a box and neck.

Chickenbone note: Best source for European CBG hardware-pack tradition. The short 22.75" scale is intentional -- easier for smaller hands and lower tension. Worth checking shipping costs to the US before ordering.

Source 7: Topnaca (Amazon -- Chinese brand)

Note: The most budget-accessible complete kit on Amazon from a non-Gitty source. Chinese manufacture, quality variable per reviews but generally positive for the price. Budget entry point.

Source 8: Various Amazon Storefronts (non-Gitty, non-Topnaca)

Amazon carries several additional CBG kits from smaller brands. These are generally under-documented compared to dedicated vendors but exist and ship Prime.

Source 9: Cigar Box Guitar Factory (Reverb Storefront)

An independent maker selling handmade kits exclusively through Reverb. Not the same as Gitty or MGB. 26-page assembly guide included with kits.

Source 10: Guitar Center (Retail Channel)

Guitar Center stocks Gitty kits (confirmed: Pure & Simple fretted and slide) and finished CBGs from JN Guitars (European maker, acoustic and acoustic-electric, not a kit). Guitar Center is a retail distributor for Gitty, not an independent CBG source -- but relevant as a walk-in option.

Source 11: Etsy Marketplace (Independent Makers)

Etsy hosts 70+ distinct CBG kit listings from independent makers. These range from hardware-bundle-only kits to complete handmade neck-and-box builds. Quality and approach vary significantly by maker.

Etsy note: The 70+ listings represent dozens of distinct individual makers. Not all ship to the US; filter by location. Prices fluctuate. Best for unusual wood choices, custom sizes, or if you want to support a solo craftsperson.

Source 12: CBG Emporium (cbgemporium.com)

Primarily a parts and resonator-components supplier, not a full kit vendor. Relevant here because their resonator cone kits are the best single-source option for building a resonator CBG from existing components.

Source 13: Twister Strums LLC (twisterstrums.com)

Small independent maker focused on roots instruments. Offers diddley bows and CBG-adjacent instruments. Finished instruments primarily, not kit-focused, but worth knowing as an independent maker outside the Gitty/MGB axis.

Source 14: A-to-Z Music Shop (atozmusicshop.com)

Distributes Gitty diddley bow kit (CBK3600801). A music retail distributor, not an independent kit maker -- but confirms broader retail reach of CBG kits beyond Guitar Center and Musician's Friend.

Source 15: Reverb Marketplace (Independent Sellers)

Beyond Catoctin Mountain Music and Cigar Box Guitar Factory (listed above), Reverb hosts other independent CBG kit sellers.

Source 16: eBay Marketplace

Carries Catoctin Mountain Music kits (confirmed) and independent CBG builders. Parallel to Reverb for used/handmade kit sourcing.

Section 1 bottom line: The CBG kit market has at minimum 16 distinct source families documented above -- 12 named independent vendors/stores, plus Etsy, Amazon third-party, Reverb, and eBay as marketplace channels with additional independent makers. A person doing a 5-minute search finds Gitty and maybe one or two others. This catalog has documented the full depth. The major distinct commercial vendors are C.B. Gitty (anchor), MGB Guitars (most diverse catalog), The Cigar Box Guitar Store (brick-and-mortar Huntsville), Catoctin Mountain Music (handmade Reverb), and Chickenbone John (UK). StewMac was there and may return.

SECTION 2: Configuration Guide

3-String vs 4-String vs 6-String

3-string (dominant form): The canonical CBG. Three strings over an open tuning (GDG, DAD, GBD) make slide playing and barred chords easy without music theory. Approximately 85% of CBG community builds and all kit entry points are 3-string.

4-string: More chords, more familiar to anyone who plays ukulele or banjo. Standard tuning for a 4-string CBG is typically DGBD (same as guitar's four middle strings) or CGBD (related to banjo). MGB offers most kits in 3 or 4-string options at the same price. Gitty's kits also have 4-string variants for several models.

6-string: Rare in the CBG context. Uses standard guitar scale (24.75"-25.5"), standard guitar tuning EADGBE; the cigar box becomes a resonator body for a conventional guitar-scale neck. Plans exist (Amazon: full-scale print plans for 6-string acoustic and 6-string electric CBG). No complete 6-string kit found in the US sub-$150 range at the time of research [PLAUSIBLE -- the component approach works: standard guitar neck + cigar box body + bridge + hardware is within range if parts are sourced carefully].

Fretted vs Fretless

Fretless (slide-focused): The original form. Played with a glass bottle neck, brass tube, or machined slide. No frets means the entire fingerboard is available. Open tuning (GDG or DAD) means the open strings form a chord. This is the slide guitar tradition. Most from-scratch builds start here.

Fretted: Adds conventional fretting -- typically 17-22 frets. Allows both slide and conventionally fretted notes. Gitty, MGB, Catoctin, Chickenbone John all do fretted kits. The fretted CBG plays like a simplified guitar.

Scale Lengths

Standard Tunings

SECTION 3: Acoustic vs Electric -- Pickups and the Aftermarket

Acoustic CBG

A plain cigar box guitar body produces a small, raw, primitive acoustic sound. The wooden cigar box resonates but is not a large acoustic body. Acoustic CBGs are best heard in quiet settings or close-mic'd recording. Most kit builders add at least a basic pickup. Pure acoustic builds (the slide tradition) are valid but expect less volume than a resonator.

Piezo Pickup (Most Common Entry Point)

Piezo disks are inexpensive ($3-15), require no routing, and install inside the box lid. The piezo responds to mechanical vibration -- a trebly, bright, acoustic-forward tone with high-frequency presence. Most Gitty kits with "acoustic/electric" in the name use a piezo disk + 1/4" jack.

Magnetic Pickup Options

Magnetic pickups respond to string movement (like a guitar pickup), not box vibration. They give a rounder, more "guitar-like" electric tone. Require ferromagnetic strings (standard guitar strings work; nylon will not).

Resonator CBG

A resonator cone (aluminum, chrome, or brass) mounted in the box top gives significantly more volume and a dobro-like tone character. Two bridge types: biscuit (round wood disk in the cone well) and spider (metal spider over the cone bowl). Biscuit is far more common in CBG builds.

SECTION 4: Plans + Tutorials -- The Free-Plans Ecosystem

Free Plans

From-Scratch BOM Estimate (3-string, acoustic, fretless)

The cheapest real build, confirmed across multiple sources:

Books

SECTION 5: Video Build Series

Community Hub

Cigar Box Nation (cigarboxnation.com): Founded by Shane Speal in 2008. 13,000+ members worldwide, tens of thousands of photos and videos, dozens of topical groups, hundreds of thousands of forum and blog posts. The single most important online community for CBG builders and players. Has a build class (CBG 101 group) and blog kit templates. NOT primarily a build-video channel -- it is a community record and discussion platform.

Video Series

SECTION 6: Diddley Bow (Sibling)

Origin: African-American folk tradition, the American South. One string under tension on a board or fence post, played with a slide. Blind Willie Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, and many other significant players started on or referenced this instrument. One of the absolute cheapest and simplest instruments in this entire catalog.

Kit market verdict: Genuinely thin. C.B. Gitty is essentially the only commercial kit source in the US. Etsy has a handful of handmade diddley bows and one or two kit-adjacent listings. Twister Strums makes finished instruments but not kits. The diddley bow's natural habitat is the free scrap-lumber build; the $39 Gitty kit is the packaged version.

Bottom line: Build from a scrap board, two lag bolts, and a guitar string for $0-5. The Gitty $39 kit is the packaged option if you want a cigar-box body and proper hardware. No other commercial kit maker in the US makes one.

SECTION 7: Canjo (Sibling)

Origin: American folk tradition. A one-string diatonically fretted banjo using a tin can as the resonator/head. The diatonic fretting means wrong notes are essentially impossible -- the frets are spaced for the major scale only. Played with a pick or finger.

Kit market verdict: Thin but coherent. The American Canjo Company is Gitty's own brand, so Gitty is effectively the only commercial kit source (sold via cbgitty.com and Amazon). The CanJoe Company (canjoe.com) is a distinct long-running maker of finished canjos since 1994, but sells finished instruments only.

Bottom line: $45 kit from Gitty or under $15 from scratch (a tin can, a stick, a string). The diatonic fretting is a genuine advantage for non-players: wrong notes are not on the instrument. Kit market is essentially one source.

SECTION 8: Washtub / Gutbucket Bass (CBG-Adjacent)

Origin: African-American folk tradition, the American South. A single string stretched from a washtub (the resonator) to a pole, played upright by varying string tension for pitch. Used in jug bands, skiffle, and early string band traditions. The instrument is CBG-family by philosophy (found-object, primitive string, cheap) but not by construction.

Kit market verdict: No commercial kits exist. The washtub bass is entirely a free-plans/from-scratch instrument. Multiple documented free plans; total cost $15-40.

BOM (1-string classic): - #3 galvanized washtub ($15-20, Home Depot/hardware store) - 2x12" lumber for the pole ($8-12, or use a broom handle for free) - Plastic-coated clothesline or nylon rope ($3-6 at any hardware store) - String anchor hardware ($2-4) - Total: ~$15-40 -- solidly within $150 with substantial room left over

Bottom line: No kit market. The washtub bass is purely a from-scratch instrument, and the free plans are excellent. The Instructables Superterrific Tub Bass is the best current guide. Havlena's 4-string variant is interesting if you want a more developed instrument.

Section Summary / Quick Reference

Report-back

Early Music (European)

Master spec: Workers/Briefs/MASTER SPEC - Sub-150 Instrument Build Catalog.md Governing constraint: under $150 total, US-available. All tools and skills assumed. Price in bands with confidence flags.

Cross-references (do not duplicate)

Already covered in Build Catalog - Folk Strings Worldwide.md:

• #30 Welsh Crwth — bowed lyre with fingerboard, British Isles
• #33 Plucked Psaltery — see addendum, end of this file
• #34 Bowed Psaltery — see addendum, end of this file
• #35 Hurdy-Gurdy — see addendum, end of this file (with Nerdy Gurdy price verification)
• #36 Rebec — bowed fiddle ancestor, Medieval European

Orientation

This file covers Western European early music instrument families from approximately 1350–1750: the lute family (Renaissance lute, Baroque lute, theorbo, archlute), plucked hybrids (gittern, cittern, mandore), the viol family (viola da gamba), the recorder consort, and early wind instruments (crumhorn, gemshorn, cornetto). Instruments from this period already covered elsewhere in the series are cross-referenced rather than duplicated.

Anti-default check: This is one of the few catalog files in this series where Western European scope is genuinely the correct and complete scope. The instrument families named in the worker brief are historically specific to European courts, churches, and households. The deliberate non-Western pass was run: the oud is the most significant related instrument (direct ancestor of the lute, staved-bowl construction skills transfer directly) and is cross-referenced in the lute Group 4 below; rebab/rabab appears as a viol cousin; duduk and shawm families are crumhorn-adjacent but are covered in Build Catalog - Other Winds. No scope failure. Confirmed genuinely Western-specific.

Path-state summary (lead read):

1. Lute Family

The named gap. Fullest treatment per worker brief.

Renaissance Lute (6–10 course)

Path-state: NEAR-VOID. No kit under $700. No finished lute under $500. Plans exist; materials with standard commercial sourcing push the total build to $175–280+. A scrounged-materials build from free or reclaimed tonewoods is theoretically possible under $150 but not reliable.

Origin: Europe (Italy, Germany, France primarily), 15th–17th century. Descended from the Arabic oud brought to Europe via Moorish Spain; became the dominant plucked instrument of Renaissance courts and household music.

Close-enough bar: The lute's defining construction feature is the staved bowl back: 7–13 narrow hardwood strips (typically figured maple, yew, or ebony) bent over a mold and edge-glued into a hemispherical bowl. A flat-back body loses the tonal projection and resonance that define the instrument; if the bowl is absent, it is a cousin. Fretted with tied gut. Multi-course with re-entrant tuning. The stave-bending and bowl assembly is the specific construction challenge that has no shortcut; this is not an entry-level build.

Group 1: Kits

No other lute kit found at any price from any source. EMS is confirmed as the only commercial lute kit vendor. No US-domestic kit exists. No Chinese-market lute kit found (oud kits are common on Taobao/AliExpress; lute kits are not). [CONFIRMED VOID under $150]

Group 2: Plans + written tutorials

Materials breakdown (reference): Rib blank set for a 7-rib bowl (~$40–80), spruce soundboard blank (~$20–40), neck blank (~$15–30), fingerboard blank (~$10–20), wooden pegs 7–9x (~$3–5 each = $20–45), nut/saddle/bridge materials (~$10–20), hide glue ($10–20), varnish ($15–30), synthetic gut strings (~$20–35) or real gut (~$35–60), rosette materials (~$5–15). Low-end commercial sourcing: ~$165–315. With free or reclaimed tonewoods (tree falls nearby, furniture scraps, free-cycle maple): possibly $75–115 for materials, making plan+book+materials ~$150–175. The synthetic gut strings (~$20–35) are a cost that cannot be scrounged away.

Group 3: Video tutorials

The video tutorial ecosystem for lute building is genuinely thin. Van Edwards is the main English-language luthier with structured instruction; the paid course is where the real content lives.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Confirmed near-void for all three paths. The lute community's entry-level "affordable build" is around $250–330 with a GAL plan + Lundberg book + commercial materials. The only plausible under-$150 path requires aggressively scrounging free or reclaimed tonewoods (furniture-shop drops, free-cycle, fallen hardwood) and spending $25–35 on a GAL plan + $50 on the Lundberg book. Achievable in principle, not reliable as a plan. If serious interest, treat $250–330 as the realistic floor and plan accordingly. The Van Edwards course is the better instructional investment if committing to the build.

Baroque Lute (13-course)

Path-state: NEAR-VOID. Same as Renaissance lute on all paths. More complex due to 13 courses, swan-neck extension, and different tuning. No kit at any price. Plans exist. Materials over $150 with standard sourcing.

Origin: Europe (Germany primarily), late 17th–early 18th century. Dominant solo instrument of German Baroque music (Bach, Weiss, Falckenhagen). 13 courses with a distinctive double-headed pegbox: a standard neck pegbox plus a swan-neck extension carrying the bass courses.

Close-enough bar: The swan-neck extension (an angled second pegbox carrying courses 10–13 alongside the neck) is the defining construction feature. Without it, the instrument is not a Baroque lute regardless of stringing. The construction challenge exceeds the Renaissance lute.

Group 1: Kits — VOID. No kit found at any price.

Group 2: Plans

Materials are heavier than the Renaissance lute (more courses, more complex neck assembly). Same $250–330+ total applies.

Group 3: Video tutorials — Same as Renaissance lute; Van Edwards is primary.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins — Same as Renaissance lute entry.

Bottom line: All the same constraints as the Renaissance lute with added construction complexity. A 10-course Renaissance lute (GAL Plan #20) can play a substantial amount of earlier Baroque lute music if the specific Baroque instrument is not the priority.

Theorbo / Archlute

Path-state: VOID. Larger and more complex than a standard lute on every dimension. Plans exist. Materials would be even heavier than a standard lute. No path under $150 exists.

Origin: Italy, late 16th–18th century. Long-necked bass continuo instrument, typically 6+ feet in total length. The theorbo has a re-entrant tuning with re-entrant top courses; the archlute (chitarrone) carries more courses. Used as continuo bass in chamber and operatic ensembles.

Group 1: Kits — VOID.

Group 2: Plans

No specific theorbo plan from GAL confirmed. [UNCERTAIN whether one exists; check luth.org/instrument-plans/]

Bottom line: Complete void under $150. The archlute plan is confirmed at $25–30 but the instrument is the most construction-heavy in the lute family. If interest is in continuo bass repertoire affordably, the Baroque guitar (simpler flat-back construction) is a closer and more accessible route.

2. Gittern / Cittern / Mandore

Three distinct instruments sharing a broad period (13th–18th century). Unlike the lute, none requires staved-bowl construction: the gittern and mandore are typically carved from a solid block (neck and body in one piece), and the cittern has a flat back with built or bent sides. This makes material sourcing considerably more accessible than the lute, and all three are plausible under-$150 builds from historical documentation.

Gittern (Medieval / Early Renaissance)

Path-state: PLAUSIBLE under $150 from historical documentation and from-scratch build. No commercial kit confirmed at any price. Solid-body carve construction is simpler than lute staving; materials are modest.

Origin: Europe, 13th–15th century. Small plucked instrument with gut strings; body and neck were typically carved from a single block of hardwood, creating a distinctive waisted pear shape with a carved-out body cavity. Played with a plectrum. Precursor to both the Renaissance lute and guitar families.

Close-enough bar: The carved-in-one-piece neck/body construction is authentic but not strictly required for function. Playing technique (plectrum, small neck, re-entrant tuning) is the practical bar. A gittern with a separate neck and carved body is functionally adequate.

Group 1: Kits

No other commercial kit found. No US-domestic kit confirmed.

Group 2: Plans + written tutorials

Group 3: Video tutorials

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Plausible under $150 from documentation. A carved gittern from a single hardwood block ($20–50 for suitable lumber at a hardwood dealer or salvage), hide glue ($10), wooden pegs ($15–25), synthetic gut strings ($15–25), and finish ($10–15) totals approximately $70–125 in materials. No commercial plan required; historical documentation is freely accessible via museum records. The construction skill (carving the body hollow from a solid block) is the real barrier, not the cost.

Cittern (Renaissance / Baroque)

Path-state: PLAUSIBLE under $150 from documentation and from-scratch build. Flat-back construction is more accessible than lute or carved gittern. No commercial kit confirmed at any price.

Origin: Europe, 16th–18th century. Wire-strung plucked instrument with a flat back and carved or built sides. Pear-shaped outline. Played with a plectrum. Common tavern and household instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods; sometimes called the English guitar in later forms.

Close-enough bar: Wire strings (steel or brass) on a flat-back body produce the characteristic bright, sustained cittern sound. Nylon strings work for playing but significantly change the tone character. Fretted.

Group 1: Kits

Group 2: Plans + written tutorials

Group 3: Video tutorials

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Plausible under $150 from documentation. The flat back makes this more accessible than a lute build. Materials (hardwood back and sides, spruce or cedar top, bindings, wire strings, wooden pegs) can be sourced for $60–120 with reasonable effort. Historical documentation is freely available from museum instrument records. No commercial kit confirmed, but a knowledgeable builder can work from museum measurements.

Mandore

Path-state: PLAUSIBLE under $150, but documentation is thinner than gittern or cittern. Small instrument size reduces material cost significantly. No commercial kit found.

Origin: Europe, 15th–17th century. Small lute-like instrument with a small staved or carved bowl, 4–6 gut courses, played with a plectrum. Also called mandora or bandore in some sources. Direct predecessor to the mandolin family.

Close-enough bar: A small bowl-back (or carved) body with gut courses, plectrum-played. If the bowl is absent, the result is closer to a small mandolin than a mandore. The small size (and correspondingly lower material cost) is the key distinction from the full lute.

Group 1: Kits — VOID. No kit found.

Group 2: Plans + written tutorials

Group 3: Video tutorials — Thin. No dedicated video course found.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: The mandore is lightly documented for amateur builders but the Boissart series is the best available starting point. Material cost ($50–100 for a small instrument) is comfortably under $150. A small staved bowl uses fewer ribs than a full lute (4–6 ribs on a small body vs 7–13 on a full lute), making the bowl work more accessible. Good stepping-stone build for anyone developing lute-family construction skills.

3. Viol Family (Viola da Gamba)

Treble Viol

Path-state: NEAR-VOID. No kit under $1,595. Plans exist (GAL #40). Materials for a viol typically run $150–300+ even with careful sourcing. No finished student instrument under ~$500.

Origin: Europe (Italian/Spanish origin, spread widely), 15th–19th century. Bowed chordophone played da gamba ("at the leg"), held between or below the knees. Distinguished from violin family by: flat or slightly vaulted back (often flat), sloped shoulders, tied gut frets, 6–7 strings in thirds/fourths tuning, C-holes or flame holes, thinner and lighter construction. The delicate, reedy tone is specific to the lighter construction and gut strings; it cannot be approximated by a violin.

Close-enough bar: Gut strings and gut frets are essential to the sound. Bowed, fretted. The flat or vaulted back construction matters acoustically. A student treble viol with tied gut frets and appropriate setup plays authentic early music even if the wood is modest.

Group 1: Kits

No other viol kit found at any price. [CONFIRMED VOID under $150]

Group 2: Plans

Group 3: Video tutorials

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Near-void under $150. Plans exist but materials (even modest-grade tonewoods for a small treble viol) typically run $150–300+. With free or reclaimed wood, hitting $150 total is theoretically possible but difficult. Anyone serious about viol building should expect $200–400 in materials for a first instrument.

Bass Viol (Viola da Gamba)

Path-state: NEAR-VOID. Same constraints as treble viol; a GAL-specific "Low-Cost" design was created to minimize materials. Materials still typically exceed $150 with standard sourcing. The "Low-Cost" label is relative to normal lutherie cost, not our ceiling.

Origin: Same family as treble viol; the standard solo instrument of the solo viol repertoire (Marin Marais, Sainte-Colombe, Abel). Roughly cello-size but much lighter construction.

Group 1: Kits — VOID.

Group 2: Plans

Group 3: Video tutorials — Same sources as treble viol.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins — Same as treble viol.

Bottom line: The Low-Cost Bass Viol design (GAL #29, $32–37 [ESTABLISHED]) is specifically intended to bring construction cost and complexity down. It is the best available entry point for viol building and the plan price is confirmed. With aggressive wood scrounging (free spruce, reclaimed maple), a sub-$150 total is possible but difficult. This is a major project at any materials budget; the "low cost" makes it more reachable, not cheap.

4. Recorder Consort

Path-state: BUY PATH ALIVE at $30–50 for a working soprano+alto consort. Build-from-blank has no commercial kit currently available (post-LMII closure). 3D-printing is viable if equipment is available.

Origin: Europe, 14th–20th century (modern revival from 1920s). End-blown fipple flute with finger holes; the windway is internal (no embouchure control needed). Standard consort: soprano (C), alto (F), tenor (C), bass (F). "Recorder consort" refers to playing these together in polyphonic early music.

Close-enough bar: The fipple/windway construction produces the recorder's characteristic gentle, direct tone. Plastic recorders made by Yamaha and Aulos are genuine instruments used in professional early music education and amateur consort work worldwide; they are not toys. A plastic soprano or alto plays in tune, responds consistently, and is completely adequate for consort music. Upgrading to wood is a choice about tone color and tactile feel, not functional capability.

Group 1: Kits — No recorder kit currently available. (The closest category is "from blank" in Group 2.)

Group 2: Plans, tutorials, and buy options

Plastic finished (buy path — the genuine under-$150 recommendation):

Soprano+alto consort: ~$30–50. Three-part soprano+alto+tenor: ~$70–100. Full SATB consort: ~$120–160 (bass recorder is the expensive piece; borderline).

From-blank build (wood):

Group 3: Video tutorials

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Buy a plastic Yamaha or Aulos. A working soprano+alto consort for $30–50 is the best under-$150 path, and these are real instruments used in professional early music education. Yamaha and Aulos dominate the world's school and amateur consort programs for a reason. The from-scratch wood build is legitimate but has no commercial kit, and reamers alone can approach the cost of several plastic instruments. The 3D-print path works if you have the equipment.

5. Early Wind Instruments: Crumhorn / Gemshorn / Cornetto

Crumhorn

Path-state: NEAR-VOID. No confirmed active kit under $150 from any source. No finished crumhorn under ~$200. Build-from-scratch documentation is thin at the hobbyist level.

Origin: Europe (primarily German-speaking), 15th–16th century. Windcap double-reed instrument with a cylindrical bore. The windcap entirely encloses the double reed; the player cannot affect reed pressure, which fixes the dynamic level to a loud, buzzy tone. The characteristic covered, buzzy sound is inseparable from the windcap design.

Close-enough bar: The windcap covering the double reed is the defining construction feature. Without the windcap, the instrument is a shawm or bagpipe chanter. The cylindrical bore (as opposed to conical for most woodwinds) is also essential to the crumhorn sound.

Group 1: Kits

No confirmed active kit source under $150 found.

Group 2: Plans + written tutorials

No hobbyist-accessible build documentation for crumhorn found at standard sources. The cylindrical bore drilling is simpler than a tapered flute bore, but the windcap and double-reed assembly documentation for amateur builders was not located. [UNKNOWN — if it exists, it lives in specialist early music journals or workshop notes, not in accessible online form.]

Group 3: Video tutorials — Not found at sufficient detail for a from-scratch build.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Near-void. The only active confirmed finished-instrument path is Kelischek/Susato kelhorn at ~$295, over our ceiling. EMS appears to have discontinued the crumhorn kit at affordable prices. RenWks is worth checking directly. Build-from-scratch lacks accessible documentation. This is a genuine gap in the affordable early-music instrument landscape.

Gemshorn

Path-state: ALIVE. ABS polymer soprano confirmed at $69.90 US-domestic (Kelischek/Susato, Brasstown NC). DIY-from-actual-horn path plausible at ~$15–50 total.

Origin: Europe (primarily German-speaking), medieval. Made from animal horn (typically ox or cow), end-blown with an internal fipple block, with finger holes drilled into the tube. The natural conical bore of the horn produces a soft, mellow, slightly reedy tone. The name means "chamois horn" or "gem horn" in German.

Close-enough bar: The conical bore from actual horn produces the characteristic soft tone. The ABS plastic version approximates this well. Playing technique is similar to a recorder (fipple, finger holes) but the narrower conical bore gives a different range and softer, less focused tone.

Group 1: Finished instruments (buy path)

Group 2: Plans + DIY tutorials

Group 3: Video tutorials

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Under-$150 paths alive on two fronts. (1) Buy the Kelischek/Susato ABS soprano at $69.90 from Brasstown, NC — confirmed in stock, US-domestic, no import hassle. (2) DIY from actual animal horn per The Gemsmen guide: ~$15–50 in materials for a real gemshorn. The DIY path produces an authentic instrument; the Kelischek path produces a consistent, well-made one. The gemshorn is the most accessible instrument in this entire catalog for under-$150.

Cornetto (Cornett)

Path-state: VOID. No kit at any price. Finished instruments start ~$200+ even for the simplest straight designs. Complex construction.

Origin: Europe, 15th–17th century. Lip-vibrated instrument made from two carved wooden halves joined and wrapped in leather, with a cup mouthpiece carved from wood or bone. Conical bore, finger holes. Sound falls between a recorder and a small trumpet. Used in the highest voice of Renaissance and early Baroque wind bands and church music (the loud choral cornett voice in Monteverdi, Schütz, etc.).

Close-enough bar: Playing technique is fundamentally like a brass instrument (lip vibration into a cup mouthpiece), not a woodwind. There is no affordable substitute that shares both the technique and the range. The construction (split-carved wood block, steam-bent or pressure-bent to shape, leather-wrapped, cup mouthpiece with narrow conical bore) is specialized.

Group 1: Kits — VOID. No kit found.

Group 2: Plans + tutorials — No hobbyist-accessible build documentation found. This instrument appears in specialist lutherie literature but not in accessible hobbyist form at the standard search depth. [UNKNOWN — specialized workshops exist but are not cheap]

Group 3: Video tutorials — Not located.

Group 4: Close-enough cousins

Bottom line: Complete void. EMS sells simple straight cornetti from ~£150–200+ (~$200–260 USD) and mute cornetti higher. No kit, no accessible plans, no under-$150 path of any kind. The cornetto is a specialist workshop instrument; a determined builder would need to find specialist instruction (workshops exist in Europe) rather than commercial kits or free plans.

6. Cross-Reference Addenda

Hurdy-Gurdy

Full entry: Build Catalog - Folk Strings Worldwide, entry #35. Not duplicated here.

Nerdy Gurdy price update as of 2026-06-05 (confirmed during this research fire):

The Nerdy Gurdy is the most commonly cited "budget" entry for hurdy-gurdy kits. Prices have been verified:

Confirmed: all kit paths are over the $150 ceiling. Free plans exist (Nerdy Gurdy open-source + GAL). See Folk Strings Worldwide entry #35 for full treatment.

Plucked Psaltery

Full entry: Build Catalog - Folk Strings Worldwide, entry #33. No update — no new paths found.

Bowed Psaltery

Full entry: Build Catalog - Folk Strings Worldwide, entry #34. No update — no new paths found.

Report-back

Folk Strings (Worldwide)

Orientation

This is the pilot file for the Sub-$150 Instrument Build Catalog series. It covers folk string instruments of the world: from the simplest one-string musical bow through developed regional lutes, fiddles, zithers, and harps. The cigar-box-guitar / diddley-bow cluster is in, but it is a small slice. The anti-default pass was run deliberately: the file is organized to put Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia first.

Price note: All prices are research snapshots (June 2026). Prices drift; verify before acting. Price bands (~$X-Y) are used throughout. Confidence flags per source: [ESTABLISHED] well-documented; [PLAUSIBLE] reasonable inference, not directly verified; [UNCERTAIN] limited or contested evidence; [UNKNOWN] no reliable path found.

URL note: Only URLs confirmed live or appearing in multiple credible search results are included. A few are flagged [PLAUSIBLE link] where the site's existence is established but the specific page was not directly fetched.

PART ONE: SUB-SAHARAN & EAST AFRICA

1. Kora (West African Harp-Lute)

Origin: Mandinka / Mande tradition, The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau; griot instrument; 21 strings in two banks.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: 21-string layout, two-bank bridge, thumb-and-index-finger playing style, drone-over-melody texture. What the cheap build trades away: the large natural calabash resonator (swapped for a bowl or substitute), exact tonal darkness, and the skin head tone. A IKEA-bowl kora sounds close; it is not the same as a 50-year-old Senegalese kora.

Bottom line: Dennis Havlena is the richest single non-kit source in this catalog for any one instrument -- one site, five kora variants, all free. The Kora-Lite at ~$60 (confirmed BOM) is the entry point; the IKEA bamboo bowl is his own preferred substitute for a hard-to-find large gourd. String settling takes 2-3 weeks. Large calabash gourds (42-48cm diameter, 12-16mm wall) are the traditional target and genuinely hard to source in the US north; grow your own in a warm climate or use the bowl workaround. Note: the five variants are five creative paths from one builder, not five independent sources.

2. Akonting (Gambian Folk Lute, Banjo Ancestor)

Origin: Jola/Diola tradition, The Gambia, Senegal, Casamance. Three strings, gourd body, skin head. Widely cited as a direct ancestor of the American banjo.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: three-string fretless gourd/skin lute played with downstroke picking; thumb drone on a short string; pentatonic vocabulary. What the build trades away: the specific tonal character of a large Gambian calabash (bowl gourd substituted). Technique is genuinely close.

Bottom line: The cheapest gourd/skin plucked lute in this catalog and the most complete free-plans build for any African folk instrument. Goatskin rawhide rounds (10-18") are $7-20 on Amazon. Bushel gourds are available on Etsy or from gourd farmers at craft fairs (~$10-20 for the right size). Cedar or any straight-grained softwood for the neck. Total cost confirmed under $50.

3. Ngoni / Kamale Ngoni (West African Lute)

Origin: Mandinka/Bambara tradition, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso. The ngoni is a plucked lute with a calabash or skin-covered wooden body and a neck passing through the body. The kamale ngoni is a modern youth version with more strings.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked calabash/skin lute, neck-through-body construction, similar picking approach to the akonting. What the build trades away: exact calabash acoustics (substitutable), specific string arrangement of the traditional form.

Bottom line: No English-language written plans with BOM exist for a US builder. The YouTube builds are the primary reference. A from-scratch scratch build (small calabash or gourd $15-30, goatskin $10, hardwood neck $10-15, friction pegs $15-20, nylon strings $5) totals $55-90 and is feasible for anyone who has done the akonting first. The neck-through-gourd construction is the key technique; the YouTube references show it.

4. Berimbau (Afro-Brazilian Musical Bow)

Origin: Central and West African musical bow traditions transplanted to Brazil; foundational instrument of capoeira.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single-wire-string over a flexible stave, gourd resonator for amplification, struck with a stick and modulated with a coin (dobrao) to produce two pitches plus overtones. The $20 scratch build with a substitute stave and grown-or-bought gourd produces the instrument's core technique completely. What the build trades away: exact biriba-wood resonance (substituted well by ash, locust, or bamboo) and the precise tonal darkness of a hand-seasoned cabaça.

Bottom line: The cheapest path with a real instrument at the end is ~$20-50 in materials if you season a local stave (ash or locust from yard trimmings) and grow or buy a gourd. Biriba is over-exploited; the Papoeira guide explicitly endorses maple, ash, red oak, and bamboo as substitutes. Arame (wire string) is available as a 3-pack on Amazon (~$5-8) or recycled from a bicycle spoke. Capoeira Connection in Austin is the US supplier for awkward-to-source parts.

5. Musical Bow / Uhadi (Nguni / South African)

Origin: Nguni tradition (Xhosa, Zulu), South Africa. A flexible stave strung with a single string; a gourd resonator is attached to the bow. The player hums or sings near the gourd opening to amplify specific harmonics. The San people use a mouthbow (bow against the lips as the resonator) without an attached gourd.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single-string bow, resonator amplification, harmonic manipulation technique. The basic construction is essentially the same as the berimbau minus the cultural context and minus the stick-and-coin playing technique (the uhadi is plucked or struck with a stick and the gourd swung). The mouthbow version needs no attached gourd at all.

Bottom line: The simplest possible folk string instrument in this catalog. A flexible stave (ash, locust, green sapling, or bamboo), a string, and a gourd. The hardest part is finding a stave with the right combination of flex and resonance. No dedicated build plans exist for the uhadi specifically in the US; use berimbau build guides for technique and materials sourcing. Total cost: $15-30 if you forage the stave.

6. Masenqo / Masenko (Ethiopian / Eritrean Spike Fiddle)

Origin: Amhara/Tigrinya tradition, Ethiopia and Eritrea. One-string spike fiddle with a diamond-shaped skin-covered resonator box. The defining instrument of the azmari (wandering musician-bard) tradition.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single-string spike fiddle bowed with a horsehair bow; fretless; the left hand pinches the string to change pitch. What the build trades away: the exact diamond-shaped hardwood resonator (substituted with any small wooden or gourd box) and the specific horsehair string (substituted with nylon monofilament). The technique transfers; the tone is related but different.

Bottom line: No English-language written plans specifically for the masenqo. The diamond-shaped resonator box requires joinery skill (four boards glued precisely). A cheap violin bow works perfectly ($15-20, Amazon). Rawhide goatskin for the soundboard: $5-10 on Amazon. The spike fiddle YouTube covers the construction family in enough detail for an experienced woodworker to reconstruct. Confidence on materials cost: [UNCERTAIN] -- this is a genuine scratch-from-description build.

7. Goje / N'ko (Hausa Spike Fiddle, West Africa)

Origin: Hausa tradition, northern Nigeria, Niger, Ghana. A one-string spike fiddle with a gourd or wood resonator and an animal-skin soundboard. Central to Hausa praise-music traditions. The n'ko refers to closely related instruments in neighboring traditions.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: one-string spike fiddle played with a horsehair bow; fretless continuous pitch. What the build trades away: exact gourd acoustics and the specific snakeskin soundboard (snakeskin sourcing is complex in the US; rawhide substitutes acoustically).

Bottom line: Build path same as masenqo. Rawhide is the US-available soundboard substitute for the traditional snakeskin. Actual snakeskin can be sourced from taxidermy suppliers and Etsy but requires checking state import regulations by species. Domestic rawhide (goat, elk) is a confirmed acoustic substitute and raises no CITES issues. Technique is the same spike fiddle approach.

8. Krar (Ethiopian / Eritrean Bowl Lyre)

Origin: Tigrinya/Amhara tradition, Ethiopia and Eritrea. A 5 or 6-string bowl lyre, plucked with a plectrum or fingers, with a gourd or wooden bowl resonator and sometimes a skin face.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: pentatonic/heptatonic plucked lyre played with a plectrum, bowl resonator + yoke + crossbar structure, similar to ancient Greek kithara family. What the build trades away: skin-covered bowl tone if you use a wooden bowl substitute, and exact traditional tunings.

Bottom line: No dedicated US plans. A wooden salad bowl from IKEA ($10-20) makes the resonator trivially simple; the skin-covered gourd form is more authentic but harder. Yoke arms from hardware store hardwood dowels or lumber; crossbar from a small hardwood strip. Friction pegs (violin-style) from Amazon. Fishing line works well for strings per Havlena's kora experience. Total under $65 with careful sourcing.

9. Valiha (Malagasy Tube Zither)

Origin: Malagasy tradition, Madagascar. A tube zither where strings run longitudinally along the surface of a bamboo tube, raised by small carved bridges. One of Africa's most distinctive chordophone forms; the national instrument of Madagascar.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: tube zither form -- strings along a tube, plucked with both thumbs and fingers, using the body of the tube as the resonator. Traditional strings are strips of the bamboo skin itself raised on small bridges; modern versions use guitar or nylon strings. What the build trades away: the specific resonance of a large-diameter dried bamboo culm (substitutable with ABS pipe, losing some warmth).

Bottom line: One of the cheapest possible builds in this catalog. The Oakland Discovery blog (confirmed live) shows an ABS-pipe version that costs $10-20. A true bamboo version requires a large-diameter culm (5-6"): garden centers and bamboo farms stock this, or free if you're in the US South or Pacific Coast where bamboo grows prolifically. Bamboo culm must be fully dried (several months or kiln-dried). No kit exists anywhere; this is a pure scratch build and one of the most genuinely accessible ones.

PART TWO: MIDDLE EAST / WEST ASIA

10. Saz / Baglama (Turkish / Central Asian Long-Neck Lute)

Origin: Turkish and broader Anatolian tradition; the baglama/saz family is the national folk instrument of Turkey and central to Greek, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, and Central Asian related traditions. Three double-courses, movable (tied) frets in a quartertone-capable layout.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: long-neck fretted lute with movable frets; plucked with a plectrum or fingers; three double courses. What the build trades away: the specific mulberry/juniper tonal character (substituted with linden/maple) and the quartertone fret layout (requires a specific calculator; standard Western fretting will not produce the correct scale).

Bottom line: The d'Herouville PDF (a French-language guide built from named Istanbul and Ankara luthiers) is the most credible construction reference. The Instructables Greek baglama guide uses a carved bowl instead of stave bending, which is significantly more accessible. Materials for the acoustic scratch build are tight but feasible under $150 with domestic woods (linden from a lumber yard, inexpensive spruce). The quartertone fret layout is a technical hurdle: use an online calculator (khafif.com has a reference). A solid-body electric saz is the simplest route -- no bowl, no bending, standard guitar logic.

11. Folk Oud (Simplified)

Origin: Arab/Ottoman tradition, broadly the Middle East and North Africa. A 5-double-course (11-string) fretless lute with a deep bowl back. The premier melodic instrument of the Arab world.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: fretless plucked lute, right-hand plectrum technique, deep resonant bowl body. What the build trades away: an authentic bowl-back oud is a major luthiery project requiring stave bending. The guitar-conversion route gives a fretless lute with oud strings and partial oud feel, but the body shape and response are a cousin, not an equivalent.

Bottom line: The guitar-to-oud conversion is the only path under $150 and it is a cousin, not an oud -- it gives you a fretless 6-string instrument with oud strings and roughly similar playing logic, not a bowl-back Arab oud. The full scratch oud is a major project and blows the $150 material budget. The Havlena conversion is free in plans and costs only oud strings (~$15-25) if you have a sacrificial guitar.

12. Arab Rebab / Spike Fiddle (Folk Forms)

Origin: Arab/Berber/Persian tradition; the rebab family covers the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. A one- or two-string bowed spike fiddle with a skin-covered resonator.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single/double string fretless spike fiddle bowed with a horsehair bow; continuous pitch modulation with the left hand. What the build trades away: exact regional body shape (coconut, gourd, or wooden box all work similarly). Technique transfers completely.

Bottom line: The cheapest complete build: coconut shell from a grocery store, a broom-handle dowel as the spike, a small rawhide round, and a cheap Chinese erhu bow from Amazon ($10-15). Total ~$30-40. The Cigar Box Nation forum thread shows this exact approach with photos. For a more formally documented path, the Ben Stone rebec plans ($5-10 PDF) are essentially the same instrument under a Western name.

PART THREE: SOUTH ASIA

13. Ektara (South Asian One-String Drone Lute)

Origin: Bengali, Rajasthani, and broadly South Asian folk tradition. Used by Bauls and other wandering musicians. A single-string lute with a gourd or coconut body, skin head, and bamboo neck. The name means "one string."

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single-string drone lute plucked repeatedly; the player typically sings over a continuous drone. The cheap build has the same fundamental function. What the build trades away: the tonal qualities of a large seasoned gourd vs. a coconut or small bottle gourd.

Bottom line: The $38 Banjira ektara from mid-east.com is the cheapest complete instrument purchase in this catalog. From scratch, the chandrakantha.com guide (confirmed live, complete) produces a working ektara for $5-20. A grocery store coconut, a garden-center bamboo stalk, a small calfskin drumhead ($8-15 from drum supply), and a guitar high-E string. Burning holes in bamboo (rather than drilling) prevents splitting -- the guide is explicit about this.

14. Gopichand / Khamak (Bengali Percussion-String)

Origin: Bengali folk tradition, Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. A one-string instrument where two bamboo tongs attached to a drum-like resonator are squeezed to vary the string tension and produce a sliding pitch. Used by Bauls. The khamak is essentially the same instrument played differently (shaken/struck).

Close-enough bar: What transfers: the sliding pitch effect (squeezing the tongs tightens the string) and the drone/percussion role. What the build trades away: nothing significant -- the bamboo-tong mechanism is fully reproducible from the chandrakantha.com plans.

Bottom line: Effectively the same build as the ektara with one additional feature: the bamboo neck is split into two springy tongs that the player squeezes. The chandrakantha.com guide covers this explicitly. Bamboo from a garden center is the main material; calfskin drumhead from Remo or any drum supplier; one guitar string. Under $20 total.

15. Dotara (Bengali / Assamese Two-String Lute)

Origin: Bengali and Assamese folk tradition, Bangladesh and Northeast India. A two-string carved-body lute with a goatskin head. Central to baul and folk music of Bengal.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: two-string plucked carved lute; the playing approach (both strings used melodically) transfers to the scratch build. What the build trades away: exact mango/jackfruit body resonance (substituted with local hardwood) and the specific skin-head tone.

Bottom line: No English written plans with BOM exist. The YouTube build video is the main reference (language barrier present, but the construction is visual). The body is carved hollow from a single softwood block with a Dremel or carving gouges. Goatskin drumhead soaked and glued wet. Total materials $30-80 depending on wood source. An intermediate project for someone who has done basic carving.

16. Folk Sarangi (Simplified Spike Fiddle, South Asian)

Origin: Nepali / North Indian folk tradition. A carved-body bowed lute used across South Asia in multiple regional forms; the folk sarangi is simpler than the classical Hindustani sarangi.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: bowed carved-body lute, fretless, continuous pitch. Folk sarangi technique (bowing with a simple bow, stopping strings with the fingernails rather than fingertips) transfers to the scratch build. What the build trades away: sympathetic strings (which most folk forms omit anyway) and the complex internal resonator of the classical form.

Bottom line: The hrisouthasian.org guide (confirmed live) gives dimensions and material guidance. The NYU archive fills in additional construction details. Total materials $20-50; the key difficulty is carving the hollow body from a single piece of softwood. A bamboo bow with nylon monofilament or fishing line for bow hair costs almost nothing. Guitar strings work as playing strings.

PART FOUR: CENTRAL ASIA

17. Dombra / Dombyra (Kazakh Two-String Lute)

Origin: Kazakh tradition, Kazakhstan and the broader Kazakh diaspora. Two strings, pear-shaped or oval body, long neck with 8-24 frets. The national instrument of Kazakhstan.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: two-string long-neck fretted lute; melodic/rhythmic strumming technique. What the build trades away: specific Kazakh tonewoods and body acoustics. A scratch-built dombra approximates the technique; the tone will differ.

Bottom line: No formal English-language plans with BOM. The jezra.net blog documents a build and the YouTube is visual reference. The body can be stave-bent (similar to lute construction) or carved from a single block. Materials under $120 are achievable with domestic woods; the stave-bending method requires a bending iron and is the main skill hurdle. [UNCERTAIN] on the full build path.

18. Komuz (Kyrgyz Three-String Fretless Lute)

Origin: Kyrgyz tradition, Kyrgyzstan and the Kyrgyz diaspora. Three strings, small carved body (body and neck from one piece of wood), fretless, plucked or strummed. One of the most ancient surviving Central Asian instruments.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: three-string fretless carved lute, finger/thumb plucking technique. What the build trades away: specific juniper or walnut tonal quality (substituted with any soft/medium hardwood). The fretless design means the skill is in technique, not fret accuracy.

Bottom line: The komuz body and neck are carved from a single piece of wood -- roughly the shape of a large spoon with a hollow resonator cavity. This is achievable with carving gouges. No English plans; the YouTube video is the primary visual reference. Under $80 in materials with domestic softwood.

19. Dutar (Central Asian Two-String Long-Neck Lute)

Origin: Uzbek, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uyghur traditions across Central Asia. A long-neck lute (~130cm total) with a pear-shaped body; traditionally mulberry wood; 15 frets; two nylon or silk strings.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: two-string long-neck fretted lute; the melodic/rhythmic playing technique. What the build trades away: the specific bowl-back body acoustics and traditional mulberry tonewoods.

Bottom line: The bowl-back body construction (bent stave ribs over a mold) is the main skill hurdle; identical to oud or lute construction technique. No formal English plans. The MIMF forum is the best available English-language discussion. Materials under $130 with domestic hardwoods; total under $150 is technically feasible but this is a challenging advanced project. [UNCERTAIN] overall.

PART FIVE: EAST ASIA

20. Erhu Substitute Builds (Tin-Can / Coconut Erhu)

Origin: Chinese tradition; the erhu is the most prominent instrument of the huqin (spike fiddle) family. The tin-can and coconut-body DIY versions are a maker-community adaptation, not a traditional form.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: two-string spike fiddle with the bow threaded permanently between the strings; left-hand fingering produces pitch; a skin or thin membrane over the resonator is essential for the characteristic tone. What the build trades away: the python-skin membrane (CITES-restricted in the US; substituted with rawhide or drumhead material) and the specific gourd/wood resonator acoustics.

Bottom line: The cheapest bowed folk instrument build in this catalog. A coffee can, a broom handle, a calfskin drumhead scrap, and a cheap Chinese erhu bow from Amazon (~$10-15, pre-threaded between two strings). Under $25 total. The key acoustic element is the skin membrane over the can opening -- Remo drumhead material, thick parchment paper, or actual rawhide all work. An erhu bow must contact both strings simultaneously; buy a dedicated Chinese erhu bow (the bow is permanently threaded between strings at the factory).

21. Saw Duang / Coconut Fiddle (Southeast Asian Folk Fiddle)

Origin: Thai, Cambodian, and broadly Southeast Asian traditions. The saw duang and saw u are Thai spike fiddles with coconut or wooden resonators; many regional cousins exist across SE Asia. Some forms use a snakeskin soundboard; domestic rawhide substitutes.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: spike fiddle bowed between two strings; fretless; continuous pitch. The bow-between-strings setup is characteristic and requires both strings to be set up so the bow passes between them (not above). What the build trades away: exact coconut shell acoustics and snakeskin membrane (substituted with rawhide or thin drumhead material).

Bottom line: Coconut halves are available on Amazon and Etsy ($3-8). The bow-between-strings setup is the one technique gotcha: the two strings must be set at the right spacing so the bow hair contacts them in the bow's natural position. Chinese erhu bows work and are pre-threaded. Snakeskin is traditional; rawhide from a drum supply is the US substitute.

22. Morin Khuur (Mongolian Horsehead Fiddle, Simplified)

Origin: Mongolian tradition. Two-string bowed instrument with a rectangular sound box and a carved horse-head scroll. The strings and bow are traditionally horsehair. The national instrument of Mongolia.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: two-string bowed fiddle; fretless; the playing posture (held between the knees) and bow technique. What the build trades away: the horse-head carving (optional for a functional instrument) and horsehair strings (heavy nylon or cello strings substitute).

Bottom line: No formal English plans. The box body (spruce top, maple/similar sides and back) is the manageable part; the horse-head carving adds time but is optional for a functional instrument. Horsehair strings are hard to find in the US; violin/cello strings or heavy nylon work. A cheap Chinese erhu bow (~$10-15) can substitute for the horsehair bow. Total materials for a simplified build (skip horse-head carving): ~$50-100. [UNCERTAIN] given limited documentation.

PART SIX: SOUTHEAST ASIA

23. Dan Bau (Vietnamese Monochord)

Origin: Vietnamese tradition. A one-string instrument with a flexible bamboo wand that bends the string to produce microtonal glissandos. Played with a plectrum while the other hand deflects the wand. The modern form uses an electric pickup; the original form used a bamboo tube or long wooden box as a resonator.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: single-string microtonal instrument where the left hand bends the string for pitch (using the wand's flex) while the right hand plucks. This is a unique technique without close parallels in Western instruments. What the build trades away: the modern amplified tone (the original bamboo tube form is acoustic and much simpler to build).

Bottom line: No English-language tutorial found. The original bamboo form is structurally very simple: bamboo pole, gourd resonator, flexible bamboo wand, one heavy guitar string. A determined builder can reconstruct from photos and written descriptions. The wand must be genuinely springy bamboo -- rigid bamboo will not produce the characteristic pitch bend. [PLAUSIBLE] that the materials build works; [UNKNOWN] on accessible tutorial documentation.

PART SEVEN: OCEANIA / PACIFIC

24. 'Ukeke (Hawaiian Musical Bow)

Origin: Hawaiian tradition; Hawaii's only indigenous string instrument. A flat wooden bow (traditionally koa, 16-24 inches long, 1.5 inches wide) with 2-3 strings tied at both ends. One end is held to the open mouth, which acts as the resonating chamber. Related to Marquesan and other Polynesian mouth bows.

Note on Oceanic string instruments generally: String instruments were comparatively rare in pre-contact Oceanic traditions. The 'ukeke and related Polynesian mouth bows represent the primary documented indigenous string tradition in the Pacific. Tube zithers exist in Melanesia and SE Asian borderlands but are extremely thinly documented for DIY builds.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: mouth-bow technique (one end to open lips, harmonics changed by shaping the mouth cavity). What the build trades away: specific koa wood resonance (any flat, resonant hardwood substitutes).

Bottom line: The most architecturally simple instrument in this catalog after the musical bow. A thin, resonant piece of hardwood, notched at both ends, with two or three strings pulled tight. The Widess book is the most accessible US resource for the 'ukeke specifically. Total materials for a scratch build: under $15 with a piece of hardware-store hardwood and guitar strings. Hawaiian cultural revival organizations (Papahana Kuaola) are the appropriate context for this instrument's use.

PART EIGHT: EUROPE (FOLK)

25. Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer

Origin: Appalachian US folk tradition, with roots in the German scheitholt / épinette drone zither family. A fretted diatonic zither played flat on the lap, melody string bowed or fretted with a noter, drone strings provide continuous accompaniment.

Close-enough bar: What transfers completely: the diatonic noter-and-drone playing style; all techniques. The kit and scratch builds produce functional dulcimers. What the cheap build trades away: tonal richness and sustain compared to a solid-walnut instrument.

Bottom line: The dulcimer kit market is genuinely deep and well under the $150 cap. Cheapest kit: Backyard Music at $69 (cardboard soundbox, real wood fretboard, fully functional). Most construction-focused: the AnnalisesCrafts Etsy kit at ~$95 (wood body, choice of hardwood neck, box-jointed laser-cut frame). Most brand recognition: Folkcraft cardboard at $105. From-scratch with Folkcraft's free plans + hardware-store pine: $30-50. Over-budget-but-close references: Musicmakers Teardrop solid-wood kit ($169) and McSpadden kits (~$165 per forum reports) are the next tier up if budget flexibility exists. One of the best-supported builds in this catalog for beginner entry.

26. Épinette des Vosges (French Drone Zither)

Origin: Vosges mountains of northeastern France; an old regional drone zither that is structurally identical to the Appalachian dulcimer -- a long soundbox, melody string fretted diatonically, drone strings not fingered. Played flat on the lap.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: diatonic fretted drone zither, noter-and-drone technique, identical in form and playability to the Appalachian dulcimer. It is arguable they are the same instrument under different names. What the build trades away: nothing significant compared to a dulcimer build.

Bottom line: Anyone who can build a dulcimer can build an épinette from King's plans. The French free PDF is comprehensive but in French; King's English notes plus the free PDF together cover the build. Materials are identical to a dulcimer: small soundbox, hardwood frame, a few zither pins, and strings. Under $50 total materials plus ~$15 for King's plans.

27. Langeleik (Norwegian Drone Zither)

Origin: Norwegian folk tradition; a long narrow box with one melody string and up to 8 drone strings, fretted diatonically. A cousin of the Swedish hummel and the German scheitholt. The traditional instrument of Valdres and other Norwegian regions.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: same fretted drone-zither logic as dulcimer and épinette; noter-and-drone playing style. What the build trades away: the specific resonant character of a centuries-old Norwegian spruce box.

Bottom line: Plans require reaching a Norwegian museum or working from the blog/forum. Construction is equivalent to a dulcimer; any dulcimer builder can adapt the approach. The Ringve drawings are the authoritative source but require contact and international shipping for a paper plan set.

28. Kantele (Finnish Zither)

Origin: Finnish tradition; the national instrument of Finland. In its simplest form (5-string), a wedge-shaped wooden box with strings pinned at both ends. Can be carved from a single block or built as a box with a thin soundboard.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked zither, pentatonic (5-string) or diatonic (10+string) layout, finger plucking. What the build trades away: the larger resonant spruce soundboard of a high-end instrument.

Bottom line: The 5-string from-scratch build with the free PDF plans is one of the best beginner luthier projects in this catalog. A single 2" thick hardwood block (maple, cherry, walnut from a hardware store), 5 zither pins, and 5 loop-end strings. Under $35 total materials. The Musicmakers 10-string kit at $275 is the premium kit option if you're willing to go over budget.

29. Jouhikko / Tagelharpa (Nordic Bowed Lyre)

Origin: Finnish/Scandinavian tradition; the jouhikko is the Finnish form, tagelharpa the broader Scandinavian term (also strakharpa, talharpa). A bowed lyre with 2-4 strings and an arm-hole cutout that lets the left hand reach through to stop strings from behind.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: bowed lyre, each string producing a different note; the bow works through a gap in the yoke. Playing technique (bow tilts to contact individual strings; left hand reaches through the arm hole) is unique to this instrument family. What the build trades away: the precise sound of aged spruce and horsehair if using substitute materials.

Bottom line: Plans route is well under $150 and well-documented in English. King's plans at ~$13 are the best single resource; the Instructables tutorials provide free alternatives. Body carved or shaped from a single plank of pine or basswood, violin friction pegs, viola/cello strings ($10-20 on Amazon), horsehair for bow. Total: ~$40-60 with King's plans. The Italian Etsy kit is the only packaged kit found but does not ship to the US -- contact the seller for potential special shipping.

30. Welsh Crwth (Simplified)

Origin: Welsh folk tradition; one of Europe's oldest bowed instruments, combining a flat fiddle fingerboard with a lyre-style body. 6 strings (4 fretted, 2 open drones), flat bridge, played with a horsehair bow.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: bowed rectangular lyre/fiddle hybrid; the fingerboard allows chromatic playing. What the build trades away: the exact rectangular resonator acoustics and the specific open-string drone interplay.

Bottom line: An intermediate build; the rectangular body requires some joinery (not a carved bowl). King's plans are the essential resource. Wood (sycamore, maple, or similar) $30-60, violin strings $10-15, friction pegs $5-10, bow (modified violin bow) $0-20. Total: ~$60-110 with plans.

31. Psalmodikon (Scandinavian Church Drone Zither)

Origin: Scandinavian Lutheran church tradition (Norway, Sweden, Denmark); 19th century. A one-string bowed zither with frets, designed to teach hymn tunes. Simple, straightforward, and very accessible to build.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: bowed one-string fretted instrument; completely linear fret layout (one string, chromatic scale, very easy to learn). What the build trades away: nothing significant -- it is a purpose-built simple instrument and the scratch build replicates it fully.

Bottom line: The Musicmakers kit was $175 (over budget) and is now discontinued, but the PDF assembly instructions remain publicly accessible and serve as a de facto free plan. A scratch build using a small wooden soundbox, one violin string and peg, and fret wire runs ~$30-50. One of the easiest bowed instruments to build and one of the easiest to play immediately.

32. Scheitholt / Hummel (German / Scandinavian Drone Zither)

Origin: German and Scandinavian folk tradition. The scheitholt is the German ancestor of the dulcimer and épinette; the hummel is the Swedish cognate with a slightly different body form. A flat drone zither with one or two melody strings and several drone strings.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: fretted drone zither, noter technique, drone-over-melody logic. Identical playing concept to the dulcimer. What the build trades away: historic tonal character of a carved old-growth spruce box.

Bottom line: The Kuhfeld free plans are the best available English-language scheitholt resource (full text confirmed live). Materials are minimal: a few pieces of hardwood, zither pins, fret wire, banjo strings. Under $40 total. The pocket scheitholt (Peter W.) is particularly well-suited for a quick test build.

33. Plucked Psaltery

Origin: European medieval and folk tradition; a flat soundbox with strings stretched across pins, plucked with fingers or a plectrum. The hog-nose form (an irregular triangle with a notched end) is the common American folk psaltery.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked chromatic zither; the flat layout makes it immediately playable without technique prerequisites. What the build trades away: sustain and tonal complexity compared to a high-grade instrument.

Bottom line: One of the best-documented free builds in this catalog. Havlena's free plans produce a working instrument for under $20 (scrap wood + $8-9 zither pins from Musicmakers + music wire $5). The Musicmakers blueprints are also free and their parts store fills the hardware needs.

34. Bowed Psaltery

Origin: European/American folk revival tradition; a triangular psaltery where individual strings are bowed on the sides -- each string is accessible individually to a clean bow stroke.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: each string produces one clear pitch when bowed; chromatic range; immediately playable. The bow technique is simple (light contact, straight draw). What the build trades away: tonal depth vs. a high-grade rosewood-pinned instrument.

Bottom line: Havlena's free plans with scrap wood and $8-9 in pins + music wire is the cheapest real build in this catalog alongside the musical bow. The Musicmakers $92 plans+hardware bundle is the best mid-range option (you supply only the wood). The discontinued $299 kit is over budget. For the bow: Havlena makes one from a 36-inch yardstick and 40-lb fishing line.

35. Hurdy-Gurdy (Simplified)

Origin: Medieval and European folk tradition; a droning stringed instrument where a cranked rosined wheel acts as a continuous bow. Keys change the melody string pitch. Central to French, Occitan, and Hungarian folk traditions.

Close-enough bar: The UGears kit produces a functioning demonstration instrument, not a professional-grade hurdy-gurdy -- the community is explicit about this. What transfers: the mechanical concept (wheel, key mechanism) works and produces the characteristic sound. What the build trades away: the tonal richness and key responsiveness of a properly set up hurdy-gurdy.

Bottom line: The UGears kit at ~$110 is the only under-$150 option and produces a working demonstration instrument. The community is clear: it is not a professional learner instrument. If you want a real playable hurdy-gurdy, the Nerdy Gurdy at ~$360 is the recommended entry kit (but over budget). From-scratch builds via GurdyWorld plans are a serious multi-week woodworking and mechanical project with materials well over $150.

36. Rebec (European Medieval Bowed Instrument)

Origin: European medieval tradition; a pear-shaped one- to three-string bowed instrument, direct Western cousin of the Arab rebab. Popular in 12th-15th century Europe; the ancestor of the modern violin family.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: bowed carved pear-shaped body, fretless pitch production, horsehair bow. What the build trades away: the exact resonance of a properly carved arched top (easily skipped by using a flat soundboard). Technique is essentially spike-fiddle / early violin.

Bottom line: A very achievable intermediate build. The body is carved from a single piece of hardwood (pear-shaped hollow), flat spruce soundboard glued over the top, 1-3 strings, simple bridge. Ben Stone's plans at $5-10 are the easiest starting point. Materials: one hardwood block $15-30, spruce soundboard piece $15-25, strings and bow $25-35 total. Under $80 realistically.

37. Balalaika (Russian Three-String Triangular Lute)

Origin: Russian folk tradition; a three-string plucked lute with a distinctive triangular body. The prima balalaika is the most common; its bright staccato timbre defines Russian folk ensemble sound.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: three-string triangular plucked lute, finger strumming technique. What the build trades away: the exact birch/spruce tonal character if substituting domestic woods.

Bottom line: The Flynn book is free and complete; it covers the full construction including the triangular top assembly and bracing. Scratch build materials: spruce top, maple/birch sides, maple neck, three balalaika strings (~$8-15). Total well under $100 with domestic hardwoods. One of the more buildable European folk lutes with good English-language documentation.

PART NINE: LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

38. Charango (Andean, Wood Body Only)

Origin: Andean tradition, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina. A small 10-string (5 double-course) lute. Traditionally made from armadillo shell (illegal and unethical; all modern plans use carved wood). Scale ~370mm.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: 10-string double-course lute, re-entrant tuning, finger-and-plectrum technique, Andean musical traditions. What the build trades away: armadillo shell sound (wood is now the standard; not a meaningful loss ethically or practically). The scratch build is essentially miniature-guitar lutherie.

Bottom line: No kit exists anywhere. This is fully a plans-based build and the Spanish-language resources are the richest. Materials (hardwood body block, spruce or cedar top, rosewood or ebony board, charango strings ~$8) total ~$55-100 depending on wood source. Build complexity is real: miniature guitar lutherie requires precision. The de Leon blog is the main Spanish-language reference. Note: armadillo shell is legally and ethically off the table; use carved wood.

39. Venezuelan Cuatro

Origin: Venezuelan folk tradition; the national instrument of Venezuela. Four nylon strings (re-entrant tuning A-D-G-B), guitar-like body. The defining instrument of joropo, llanero, and Venezuelan popular music.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: four-string guitar-family plucked instrument, standard chord and melody technique. What the build trades away: the specific brightness of a Venezuelan-crafted cedar or spruce top.

Bottom line: The cuatro is essentially a small guitar. Plans from GAL or the Guitar Making School. Materials (tonewood set for top/sides/back, neck wood, tuners, bridge, nut, strings): $55-130 depending on wood source. Feasible under $150 with careful sourcing.

40. Cuban Tres

Origin: Cuban folk and popular tradition. Six strings in three double courses (GGb-CCe-EEa), guitar-family body shape. The defining instrument of son cubano.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: double-course plucked guitar-family instrument, chord and melody technique. What the build trades away: the particular bright/nasal tone of a Cuban-crafted tres.

Bottom line: Structurally identical to a small guitar. No dedicated tres plans found in English; adapt a cuatro or small guitar plan. Materials under $150 with domestic woods and careful sourcing. The skill bar is guitar lutherie.

41. Paraguayan Folk Harp (Simplified / Lever-less)

Origin: Paraguayan and Venezuelan plains tradition. A diatonic lever-less harp with 32-37 strings. Lighter and more portable than concert harps; the defining instrument of Paraguayan music.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: diatonic folk harp playing, all basic harp technique. A 22-string lever-less build gives a narrower range but the same fundamental technique. What the build trades away: the full range (36+ strings) of a traditional harpa llanera and the specific resonant character of a large handmade soundbox.

Bottom line: The Kovac PVC kit ($144.60) and HMS No-Book kit ($144.72) are the two kits that land just under $150. Both confirmed live June 2026. Both require you to supply the structural material (lumber or PVC pipe) from a hardware store; total all-in would be ~$175-200 after wood. The Sligo Waldorf free plan is the best from-scratch starting point; hardware and strings from Musicmakers add ~$100-130.

42. Washtub Bass / Gutbucket

Origin: American jug band and folk tradition; an African-American improvisational form using a metal tub as a resonator, a broomstick neck, and a single string. The simplest bass instrument in any tradition.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: one-string bass with pitch varied by changing neck angle (increasing tension changes pitch). The basic playing technique (thumping rhythm, walking bass lines) transfers completely from the hardware-store build. What the build trades away: nothing significant.

Bottom line: One hardware-store trip. A metal washtub or garbage pail (~$8-15), a broomstick, and a dacron or nylon string. Total under $25. Havlena's plans (online for ~25 years) are the canonical reference. No kit needed; no lumber yard needed.

PART TEN: NORTH AMERICA

43. Cigar Box Guitar (CBG)

Origin: American folk tradition, with roots in Depression-era and post-Civil War improvised instrument building. Three or four-string slide or fretted guitar built in a cigar box resonator. Electric CBGs with piezo or magnetic pickups are central to the tradition.

Note: This is the deepest kit market in the catalog -- multiple distinct US vendors, Amazon, and Etsy builders. Full detail in the AAAAAAA worker file (Cigar Box and Primitive String Kits and Plans.md); this entry surfaces the distinct vendor landscape.

Bottom line: The deepest kit market in this catalog with at least 5 distinct vendor families: C.B. Gitty (the anchor, Rochester NH), MGB Guitars (Florida, 10+ models), StewMac (premium luthier supply), Chinese Amazon brands (Topnaca and others under $65), and dozens of Etsy makers. Gitty's free plans + a hardware-store box is the cheapest entry. MGB is the strongest alternative commercial vendor. The AAAAAAA worker file has full depth on every variant.

44. Diddley Bow

Origin: African-American folk tradition, the American South. The simplest possible string instrument: one string under tension over a board, played with a slide. Blind Willie Johnson and many other blues artists started on this instrument.

Bottom line: Commercial kit market is genuinely thin -- essentially Gitty plus its own storefronts. The diddley bow's natural habitat is the free board-and-bolts build: a scrap of lumber, two lag bolts, a piece of wire or guitar string, and a glass bottle for a slide. Total cost: $0. The $39 Gitty kit is the packaged option for someone who wants everything in a box.

45. Canjo (Tin-Can Banjo)

Origin: American folk tradition. A one-string, diatonically fretted banjo using a tin can as the resonator/head. The diatonic fretting means wrong notes are essentially impossible.

Bottom line: $45 kit or under $15 from scratch (a tin can, a stick, and a string). Canjo kit market is thin: the American Canjo Company is Gitty's own brand, so Gitty is essentially the only commercial kit source (sold via cbgitty.com and Amazon). The CanJoe Company (canjoe.com, TN) is a distinct long-running maker of finished custom canjos, not a kit. The diatonic fretting is a genuine advantage: wrong notes are not on the instrument.

46. Apache Fiddle / Tsii' Edo'a'tl (Note: Ethical Flag)

Origin: Western Apache tradition (White Mountain Apache, San Carlos Apache), Arizona. A one-or two-string bowed instrument made from an agave or mescal stalk. The name means "wood that sings." Used in social dances and storytelling contexts. This is a LIVING Indigenous tradition, not a historical artifact -- it was actively suppressed during the US assimilation era and is undergoing cultural revival.

Ethical consideration: The AMIS 2022 presentation "Apache Fiddles: Tradition, Forced Assimilation, Commerce, and Museums" directly addresses the tension between non-Apache commercial interest and cultural stewardship. Non-Apache builders should research this context carefully before proceeding. This entry is included for completeness of the survey; Mark should determine whether building this instrument aligns with his personal ethics and the respect he wishes to show to Apache cultural heritage.

Structural note (for reference only): The instrument uses a dried agave or mescal stalk as the body (split in half, hollowed, rejoined), pine pitch as a sealant, horsehair strings, and horsehair bow. Agave stalks are freely available in the US Southwest after the plant has bloomed and died.

Bottom line: [UNKNOWN] for build plans. [ETHICAL FLAG] for non-Apache builders. This entry is documented but not recommended as a build project without engaging with the Apache cultural revival community first.

PART ELEVEN: SMALL LEVER-LESS FOLK HARP (Cross-Regional)

47. Small Folk Harp / Lap Harp (Lever-Less, 22-String)

Origin: European harp tradition broadly; the lever-less folk harp is associated with Celtic, Paraguayan, and global folk traditions. Covered here as a separate entry because the kit options are distinct from the Paraguayan harp section and deserve their own treatment.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: full diatonic harp technique; all basic melody and chord playing. A 22-string lever-less harp gives a 3-octave range and enables folk and traditional repertoire. What the build trades away: the ability to change keys without retuning (sharping levers, at $10-25 each, can be added later).

Bottom line: The two Kovac kits at ~$145 each are the most legitimate under-$150 small harp kits confirmed in the US market. Both require hardware-store materials (PVC or lumber) that add ~$20-30, making true all-in cost ~$165-175. The Sligo Waldorf free plan is the best scratch-build starting point; Musicmakers' hardware ($100+) makes up the balance. The Backyard Music Fireside Folk Harp kit is the cheapest complete one-stop assembled kit but is currently $289 (well over budget); the Kovac hardware kits at $145 plus $20-30 in materials are the realistic under-$175 path.

MATERIAL SOURCING ACROSS THE CATALOG

Goatskin / rawhide: Amazon (pre-cut rounds $7-20), Centralia Fur & Hide (furandhide.com), Etsy (drum head sellers). No CITES issues with domestic or imported goat/elk rawhide.

Gourds (calabash, bushel, bottle): Etsy gourd sellers, The Gourd Place (thegourdsplace.com), Martha's Gourds (marthasgourds.com), craft fairs. Large gourds (42-48cm) for a full kora are genuinely hard to find; grow your own in warm climates or use Havlena's IKEA bowl workaround.

Bamboo: Garden centers (thin to medium diameter), Asian grocery stores (some types), bamboo farms (search "bamboo nursery + your state"). Arundo donax (giant reed) is free to forage in California (invasive) but not well-stocked as tube cane.

Berimbau parts (verga, arame, cabaça): Capoeira Connection, Austin TX (capoeiraconnection.com).

Zither pins / tuning pins: Musicmakers/harpkit.com ($0.55 each), Folkcraft, elderly.com (21-pin packs).

Violin friction pegs: Amazon, StewMac, elderly.com (set of 3-4, $5-15).

Erhu / bowed instrument bows: Chinese erhu bows, Amazon ($10-15, pre-threaded between strings; required for erhu-family instruments).

Cheap violin bow: Amazon ($15-20); works for masenqo, goje, rebab, morin khuur, jouhikko.

Music wire / zither strings: Musicmakers, elderly.com, Amazon.

Luthier woods (spruce, mahogany, cedar): StewMac.com, Luthiers Mercantile International (lmii.com), Woodcraft, local hardwood dealers.

Harp hardware (strings, eyelets, tuning pins): John Kovac Harps (johnkovac.com), Musicmakers/harpkit.com.

Coconut shells: Amazon, Etsy ($3-8 each).

COVERAGE GAPS AND HONEST VOIDS

These instruments were researched and no viable US build path was found:

[UNKNOWN] paths confirmed absent: - Begena (Ethiopian large bass lyre): No English-language plans or kit; specialized religious instrument. - Afghan robab/rubab: Double-chambered body; no plans; no kit; complex enough that no accessible path found. - Dan tranh (Vietnamese zither): No English plans; related to guzheng which also has no plans. - Kobza (Ukrainian folk lute): No English plans in accessible form. - Domra (Russian round-body lute): No plans or kit found. - Nyckelharpa (Swedish keyed fiddle): Full instrument is $500-2000+ to build properly; over budget; Instructables and plans exist but materials well over $150.

Thin coverage (non-English sources likely richer): - Dutar, dombra, komuz: Build paths are plausible but documentation in English is very thin. Non-English YouTube (Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Uzbek) almost certainly has more. - Goje / masenqo: No written plans in English. Spike fiddle YouTube covers the construction family generically. - Mvet / ngombi (Central African bow-lute family): Not documented for DIY in English. - Pacific/Melanesian tube zithers and musical bows: Documented in museums; no DIY builds in English found.

ANTI-DEFAULT CHECK: WESTERN VS. NON-WESTERN SPLIT

Total entries (including ethical flag): 47

Non-Western origins: - Sub-Saharan & East Africa: 9 (Kora, Akonting, Ngoni, Berimbau, Musical bow/Uhadi, Masenqo, Goje, Krar, Valiha) - Middle East / West Asia: 3 (Saz, Folk oud, Arab rebab) - South Asia: 4 (Ektara, Gopichand, Dotara, Folk sarangi) - Central Asia: 3 (Dombra, Komuz, Dutar) - East Asia: 3 (Erhu substitutes, Saw duang/coconut fiddle, Morin khuur) - Southeast Asia: 1 (Dan bau) - Oceania / Pacific: 1 ('Ukeke) - Latin America & Caribbean: 5 (Charango, Cuatro, Tres, Paraguayan harp, Washtub bass) - Non-Western total: 29 (62%)

Western origins: - Europe (folk): 12 (Dulcimer, Épinette, Langeleik, Kantele, Jouhikko/tagelharpa, Crwth, Psalmodikon, Scheitholt, Plucked psaltery, Bowed psaltery, Hurdy-gurdy, Rebec) - Eastern Europe / Russian: 1 (Balalaika) - North America: 4 (CBG, Diddley bow, Canjo, Apache fiddle) - Small folk harp (cross-regional): 1 - Western total: 18 (38%)

Anti-default verdict: PASS. 62% non-Western, 38% Western. The African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Central Asian passes found buildable instruments that would not have appeared in a Western-defaulted search.

REPORT-BACK

Guitar & Bass

Knowledge tags: [ESTABLISHED] well-documented, high confidence; [PLAUSIBLE] reasonable inference, not directly verified; [UNCERTAIN] limited or contested evidence; [UNKNOWN] outside reliable data.

Critical Context: The 2025–2026 Import Duty Situation

This affects every kit that ships to you directly from outside the US. Read once before using any price in this file.

De minimis exemption: suspended. The US $800 duty-free threshold was first suspended for China-origin goods (2 May 2025), then extended to all countries by Executive Order (29 August 2025), and explicitly continued by a second EO on 20 February 2026 [ESTABLISHED] (NAMM Tariff Explainer, Apr 2026). There is no duty-free floor. Every imported parcel, regardless of value, now faces customs processing and applicable duties.

IEEPA tariffs: struck down. The US Supreme Court ruled 6–3 on 20 February 2026 (Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump) that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs [ESTABLISHED] (NAMM, Feb 2026). The broad reciprocal tariffs of 10%+ that had applied to most trading partners — and the "drug trafficking" tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China — are invalid. Refunds for IEEPA duties already paid are being processed via the CBP CAPE portal (60–90-day timeline, not automatic).

Section 122 tariffs: 15%, all countries, temporary. Following the Supreme Court ruling, President Trump immediately imposed a 15% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 [ESTABLISHED] (NAMM, Feb 2026). Section 122 is capped at 15% for 150 days without a Congressional extension; 150 days from 20 February puts the expiry at approximately 19 July 2026. As of the date of this file (5 June 2026), these are active.

Section 301 tariffs on China: intact. Section 301 tariffs, imposed for unfair trade practices, were not affected by the IEEPA ruling and remain in place [ESTABLISHED] (NAMM, various). For HTS Chapter 92 (musical instruments, including electric guitars under 9207.10), the Section 301 rate for Chinese-origin goods is approximately 7.5% [PLAUSIBLE — rate confirmed by Dutify.com tariff table as "USA: 5.0%" base, Section 301 China adds ~7.5% per 2019 rulemaking; exact rate should be verified at trade.cbp.gov for 9207.10.00].

Country of origin vs. shipping origin. Harley Benton kits are manufactured in China and stocked in Germany by Thomann. For US customs purposes, the country of origin is China, not Germany. This means HB kits are subject to Section 301 China tariffs even though they ship from Germany. Solo Music Gear (Canada) assembles in Canada but uses Chinese-sourced components; USMCA preferential rates require meeting rules of origin that kits built from Chinese parts may not satisfy — [UNCERTAIN], verify with customs broker. Pit Bull Guitars (Australia) assembles in Australia; Australian-origin goods are not subject to Section 301 but face the Section 122 global tariff.

Net tariff stacking for a direct import from Germany (HB kit), June 2026: - MFN base (HTS 9207.10): ~5% - Section 301 China surcharge: ~7.5% - Section 122 global: 15% - Approximate total: ~27.5% of customs value (kit price + shipping)

Illustrative landed-cost calculations:

Shipping estimates: Thomann to US ~$58–78 per forum reports (exact: calculated at checkout) [UNCERTAIN — verify live]; Solo standard to US ~[UNKNOWN — check solomusicgear.com checkout]; Pit Bull EMS to US was AU$79.95 (~$51) as of prior survey. Section 122 tariff expires ~19 July 2026; after that, stacking drops to ~12.5% for non-China and ~12.5% for Canada (or 0% if USMCA-qualifying), reducing but not eliminating the gap.

Practical implication: Under June 2026 tariff conditions, no kit shipped directly to you from Thomann (Germany), Solo Music Gear (Canada), or Pit Bull (Australia) appears to land under $150. The sub-$150 market in the US is currently the US-stocked kit pool on Amazon and domestic storefronts. This is a real, recent change from the market described in the prior survey.

Mark should verify externally: (1) The exact Thomann shipping rate to US at checkout; (2) Whether Solo Music Gear's Canadian-assembled kits qualify for USMCA origin treatment (call their customer service — they are known for responsive support); (3) The Section 122 tariff status after July 19, 2026; (4) The exact Section 301 rate for HTS 9207.10.00 at trade.cbp.gov. Post-July 2026 the import options may re-open partially.

Section 1: Electric Guitar Kits Under $150

Origin and scope

Electric guitar as a commodity instrument: US, 1950s (Leo Fender's bolt-on designs, Gibson's carved-top tradition). The body styles cataloged here all derive from those roots. The global manufacturing reality is that virtually every sub-$150 kit is Chinese-made, regardless of which brand name or country it's sold through. This is not a default; it is the actual supply chain. There is no meaningful non-Western kit tradition for electric guitars at this price point — the instrument and the DIY-kit market are both Western-origin commercial categories that happen to be manufactured in China. The closest non-Western contribution is the Japanese Hosco (noted below), which was historically significant but is no longer a primary sub-$150 source in the US.

What transfers at this tier: Six-string fretted electric, bolt-on neck, standard 25.5" scale, SSS/HH/HSS/P90 pickup configurations. You are building a playable instrument, not a boutique one. The wood is poplar, basswood, or paulownia; the hardware is generic; the pickups are ceramic. All of that is fine and expected. The builder's effort — cleanup lutherie and finish — determines the final result far more than the kit quality does.

What the cheap version trades away: Fit and finish from the factory. Expect: fret ends that need dressing, a nut cut too high, off-drilled pilot holes, cheap strings, and instructions ranging from "minimal" to "absent." Budget $20–50 in finishing supplies and a few afternoons of setup work for any kit in this section.

Group 1: US-Stocked Kits (Domestic Amazon / Brand Website — No Import Exposure at Point of Sale)

These kits are already in US warehouses. You pay the listed price; no customs transaction falls on you. The seller absorbed import costs (or sourced domestically). These are the genuinely sub-$150 options under current tariff conditions.

Note on FretWire pricing: FretWire is a US brand selling kits on Amazon (ASIN examples: B079H42TCC for Offset P90, B077H5T3XV for Offset 3SC). Amazon pages are JavaScript-rendered and did not return prices in this research session. The range $100–149 is based on general FretWire brand positioning and third-party Reverb listings; verify directly at Amazon before relying on this range. [UNCERTAIN]

Note on ammoon availability: ammoon also sells via its own site (ammoon.com) but the most reliable US-available stock is through Amazon and Walmart. Check that the fulfilled-from warehouse is US before ordering.

Sub-band: no-solder vs. solder

Most kits in this table ship with electronics pre-wired and connected via plug-in connectors (Fistrock, Glarry, Leo Jaymz, Muslady). No iron required. FretWire kits require soldering the pickups to the pre-built harness. ammoon and Ktaxon vary by model — check the listing. Glarry explicitly states no welding required (confirmed on product page, Jun 2026 [ESTABLISHED]).

Group 2: Direct-Import Kits — Sub-$150 List Price, Over $150 Landed (Under Current Tariffs)

These kits are genuinely competitive in list price and are the most-reviewed, best-documented options in the category. Under June 2026 tariff conditions they do not land under $150 for a US buyer ordering direct. They are listed here because: (a) the tariff situation is volatile and may change after July 2026; (b) a buyer who can accept the landed cost around $180–210 should know these exist; (c) some builders use a reshipping service or buy in a multi-kit batch to amortize shipping.

Harley Benton (via Thomann US storefront, thomannmusic.com, prices live 5 June 2026) [ESTABLISHED]

All prices USD as listed on the US storefront. Add Thomann US shipping (~$58–78, exact at checkout) plus approximately 27.5% duty on the customs value (CIF). See the import section above for the full calculation.

HB kit notes: - All bodies are rengas (a Southeast Asian wood, color varies); necks are maple; boards are laurel. Bodies come pore-filled/primed — ready to paint, not to stain without sanding first. - Electronics are pre-soldered and connect via plugs. Truly solderless for the builder. - Review base: ST-Style has 1,175 ratings at 4.2/5; JA has 338 at 4.6/5 (Thomann verified purchase, Jun 2026) [ESTABLISHED]. - Common issues across all models: high plastic nut, tuner pilot holes may not align, sharp fret ends after one season in dry climate. All are cleanup work, not structural failures. - JA-specific: headstock is a blade shape you cut to preference. Neck is praised consistently; no fret sprout reported in reviews. Body weight very light. Solderless connector under the pickguard; upgrading pickups requires soldering. - CST-24 and DC Style ship with hardware assembled at the tune-o-matic and stop-tail; body routing is done. Good option for non-trem builds.

HB kits also available on harleybenton.com directly (same prices, same products). Thomann US storefront is the canonical US-facing channel.

Solo Music Gear (Canada, solomusicgear.com)

Solo's key differentiator: frets are pre-leveled and dressed before shipping. This removes the most skill-intensive cleanup step. Necks are hard maple; bodies basswood; pre-wired pots. All prices in USD at solomusicgear.com (also available on Amazon but prices vary). USMCA origin status: [UNCERTAIN] — if the kit qualifies as Canadian-origin under USMCA rules of origin, duty after Section 122 expires (~July 19) could drop to ~5%. Call Solo before ordering if this matters. Their customer service is praised consistently and they will know their customs situation.

Pit Bull Guitars (Australia, pitbullguitars.com)

Cheapest in-stock guitar kits as of June 5, 2026 (USD, incl. Australian GST per the site's USD currency converter):

Note: These prices include Australian GST per the site's notation. For overseas export purchases, Australian GST should not apply — the checkout price may be slightly lower than listed. Verify at checkout.

Pit Bull landed cost for US buyer: At EMS shipping (~$51) + 20% duty (Section 122 15% + MFN 5%; Australian-origin, no Section 301) on a $126 ST-1: ~$177 + $39 duty = ~$216 minimum. Sea-freight custom orders at Pit Bull advertise "no shipping cost" (3–4 month lead time) — if accurate, the ST-1 would land at $126 + ~$25 duty = ~$151 [UNCERTAIN — verify with Pit Bull directly].

Pit Bull's differentiation vs. the Amazon generics: an active owner community (buildyourownguitar.com.au + TalkBass), solder required (iron-in-box some models), and the widest range of body styles in the kit market (see bass section). Their Hollow Body, Offset, and Double-Cut categories include styles not available from Amazon generics.

Group 3: Plans and Scratch Builds Under $150

Solid-body electric guitar is among the most buildable from scratch because the body is simple flat woodwork — no bending, no joining under tension. A body template, a router, and poplar or pine from a lumber yard can make a playable body for $15–25.

Free plans (confirmed live, Jun 2026): - eGuitarPlans.com — $8 PDF plans with full measurements, wiring diagrams, construction tips. Multiple styles (ST, TL, LP, offset). [ESTABLISHED — site confirmed live] - Electric Herald (electricherald.com/guitar-templates/) — free downloadable templates at 1:1 scale for multiple body styles. [ESTABLISHED] - John Anthony Guitars (johnanthonyguitars.com/free-plans.html) — free solid-body plans. [ESTABLISHED — site confirmed live] - GenOne Luthier Services (genone-luthier-supply.com/collections/free-plans) — free specialty plans including bridge layouts and neck profiles. [ESTABLISHED] - MyMyDIY (mymydiy.com) — aggregator listing 11 free guitar plans from various sources. [ESTABLISHED]

BOM estimate for a scratch solid-body S- or T-style (US materials):

A lean build targeting the low end of each category (poplar body, cheap maple neck, generic hardware, basic paint) can hit $130–150 in the US. It is not guaranteed and requires sourcing discipline. The fretboard and fretwire are the hardest to cheapen without hurting playability; do not cut corners there. [PLAUSIBLE]

Key BOM gatekeepers: The neck is the problem. A scratch neck requires: truss rod installation, fret slots, fret installation, nut slot, tuner holes, finishing, truss access. If you skip scratch-building the neck and buy a budget replacement neck (Amazon: ~$25–45 for generic bolt-on maple necks with pre-installed frets), the total comes down and removes the highest-skill step. A pre-fretted generic neck + scratch body + GFS electronics can land around $110–145. [PLAUSIBLE]

Plans-only resources: eGuitarPlans has the most complete package for $8. Electric Herald's free templates are better for routing guides than full build instructions. For video walk-through: search "build electric guitar from scratch" on YouTube — several full-length documented builds exist with supplier links in descriptions (independent builders, not kit companies). No single dominant video series emerged from this research pass; the field is scattered. [PLAUSIBLE]

Group 4: Close-Enough Cousins (and why they are cousins, not equivalents)

These are instruments that share playability with electric guitar but differ in key ways. Plucked, fretted, right-hand pick/fingers technique transfers. Tone, electronics, and setup differ.

Bottom Line: Electric Guitar

The cheapest real path under $150 in the US right now: Glarry GST DIY at $89.99 from US warehouse with free shipping — no import exposure, no customs paperwork, ships in 3–5 days. Solderless. Mahogany body and maple neck are better specs than the prior-generation basswood-only wave. Second-best in this band: Fistrock ST (~$109–119) and Leo Jaymz ST/TL (~$89–119), both on Amazon with US-based fulfillment and return rights.

Best build: Any Harley Benton kit (especially the JA offset at $95 list, or the ST at $77) once the tariff situation normalizes or if you can absorb the landed cost around $180–205. The JA's praise-consistent neck and the deeply documented HB community (1,175+ verified Thomann reviews for the ST alone) make these the most information-rich kits in the under-$200 world. They are just not sub-$150 to your door in June 2026.

Offset coverage: HB JA ($95 list, over $150 landed) and FretWire Offset (several variants, US-stocked, ~$100–149, exact price unconfirmed). The FretWire offset is the most accessible US-stocked offset kit. HB JA is the one with the most documented build experience.

Semi-hollow coverage: Batking, DBL, and FretWire ES on Amazon are the accessible options; exact prices were not confirmed in this research pass — check Amazon directly.

Key trade: Pay less ($90–120 US-stocked generics) and do more cleanup lutherie. Import a better-documented kit (HB, Solo, Pit Bull) and pay more once duties are factored. There is no budget kit under $150 that arrives with frets dressed, nut slotted, and action set — that work is on you.

Section 2: Electric Bass Kits Under $150

Origin and scope

Electric bass: US, 1951 (Leo Fender, Precision Bass). Four-string fretted electric bass, standard 34" scale, split-coil P or J pickup configurations dominate the budget market. Five-string and fretless options exist but are scarce under $150. Origin is Western, supply chain is Chinese, same as electric guitar above. No distinct non-Western kit tradition exists for electric bass.

What transfers: The same fretted, plucked, plugged-in technique as electric guitar. Playing technique is plucked (fingers or pick), long-scale neck (34"). Bass body kits are uniformly heavier than guitar kits — paulownia is the lightweight exception (Fistrock).

What the cheap version trades away: Same as guitar: fret ends, nut height, strings, instructions. Additionally, bass neck geometry is more demanding — higher string tension, longer scale — so a neck that is merely close-enough on guitar becomes a real problem on bass. Neck pocket fit and truss rod accessibility matter more.

Group 1: US-Stocked Bass Kits (No Import Exposure at Point of Sale)

Fistrock P-bass specifics (best-documented US option): Paulownia body is the lightest in this price range (6 lb 8 oz completed, per AxeKit build). Pre-assembled pickguard with pre-wired split-coil pickup; all electronics connect without soldering. Maple neck with dyed poplar fretboard. No printed instructions — seller emails pictorial guide + 6-minute assembly video. AxeKit verdict: "recommend for any level of kit builder, especially for beginners." Common issues: fret ends need filing (expected at any price), slight neck pocket play (does not affect string alignment once correctly seated), butterfly-style tuners (not Fender-style). [ESTABLISHED — reviewed Dec 2024; price current as of that date, verify before ordering]

Group 2: Direct-Import Bass Kits — Sub-$150 List Price, Over $150 Landed

Harley Benton Bass Kits (Thomann US, June 5, 2026)

Same duty + shipping calculation as guitar kits above. At ~27.5% on ~$163 CIF (P-bass $98 + ~$65 shipping), duty is ~$45, landing at ~$208. Not sub-$150 under June 2026 conditions.

HB P-bass notes: 514 Thomann ratings at the time of the prior survey. Pre-soldered electronics with connectors. Recurring issues: neck dive (heavy tuners on long neck), soft nut, junk strings. Same cleanup pass as guitar kits. Bodies rengas; neck maple; board laurel.

Solo Music Gear Bass Kits (Canada, solomusicgear.com)

Same USMCA uncertainty as guitar kits above. Solo pre-levels frets; solder required (pickups to jack and switch). Same premium quality vs. generic caveat.

Pit Bull Guitars Bass Kits (Australia, pitbullguitars.com)

Pit Bull has the deepest bass kit catalog of any maker in the world: 30+ bass kits including 7 five-strings and the only 6-string DIY bass found anywhere in this research. Selected options at USD (incl. Australian GST as listed):

All Pit Bull bass kits appear to start above $150 USD even before shipping and duty. The community (buildyourownguitar.com.au + TalkBass) is the largest of any kit maker, which is worth knowing if you want to absorb the landed cost (~$225–270 range for US buyers under current conditions).

For 5-string, 6-string, and exotic-shape basses: Pit Bull is the only source that can reach under $200 list price; there is no other sub-$150 or even sub-$200 source for 5-string DIY bass kits in this research pass. This is genuinely a thin market.

Group 3: Plans and Scratch Bass Builds Under $150

Precision and Jazz bass body shapes are simple, flat, contoured routes — easier than some carved-top guitar bodies. The neck is the hard part (same truss rod + fret challenge as guitar, but longer scale).

BOM estimate for scratch P-bass (US materials):

The floor (lean sourcing, common woods, Amazon generic hardware): ~$130–155. Staying under $150 requires either very cheap wood sourcing or a pre-fretted replacement bass neck. Budget bass necks (bolt-on, 4-string, pre-fretted) are available on Amazon and AliExpress for ~$35–55, which is the single biggest line item to economize. [PLAUSIBLE]

Free plans for P- and J-bass: Electric Herald and eGuitarPlans both have bass plans. John Anthony Guitars has bass templates. BOM estimates above apply.

Group 4: Close-Enough Cousins

Bottom Line: Electric Bass

The cheapest real path under $150 in the US right now: Fistrock P-bass at $109.99 from Amazon — US-warehoused, solderless, pre-assembled pickguard, paulownia body (lightest in class), strongly reviewed. Best beginner kit in this section. Second option: Leo Jaymz J-bass (~$99–129) or Ktaxon (~$80–100), though these have lighter review coverage.

Best build: Harley Benton P-bass ($98 list) — best-documented budget bass kit at this price point, with 500+ Thomann verified reviews. Not currently sub-$150 landed. Same post-July 2026 tariff opportunity as guitar kits.

5-string / fretless / exotic: Genuinely thin market under $150. Pit Bull Guitars is the only maker with depth here, but all their options land over $150 to US buyers. If you want a 5-string DIY bass, expect to spend $200+ landed. If you want fretless, buy the cheapest P-bass kit above and do not install frets — the body and neck blank work the same way.

Key trade: Bass kits reward simplicity. The P-bass is mechanically the easiest: one split-coil, one volume, one tone, hardtail bridge. The Fistrock P-bass executes this formula at $109.99 with the additional advantage of paulownia weight savings. Nothing else in the US-stocked pool touches it at that price for build ease.

Section 3: Acoustic Guitar Kits — Brief Note

No acoustic guitar kit exists under $150 in the US in June 2026. The cheapest credible acoustic kit is the Solo ACK-10 Classical at $159.99 on sale (solomusicgear.com; prior survey, verified Apr 2026). Standard acoustic dreadnoughts start at $199.99 (Solo ADK-10). Acoustic building requires: go-bar deck or substitute, radius dishes, clamping jigs, brace shaping, and glue-up of a closed box — fundamentally more tool-intensive than bolt-on electric. This scope is documented in "Guitar and Bass Build Kits.md" (the parent file); it is out of scope here.

Same-Kit, Different-Label (OEM Rebranding)

The sub-$150 market is a shared OEM catalog. Key confirmed patterns:

Confirmed same-kit or same-maker: - Glarry GST DIY: same kit appears on Temu (Temu-fulfilled, different price), Amazon, and Glarry's own site — three storefronts, one product [ESTABLISHED per AxeKit]. - Bogart = Fistrock: same maker, name change. Individual components still appear under Bogart. [ESTABLISHED]. - Muslady = Ametoys: same factory, shared neck/body CNC origin, documented across multiple kits including the "children's LP" short-scale [ESTABLISHED per AxeKit].

Probable OEM family (same factory pool, not identical SKUs): - Leo Jaymz, Fesley, Ktaxon: one builder who purchased all three documented near-identical poplar-glued CNC bodies, solderless connectors, and identical pictorial manuals. Same factory pool, different QC pull and surface prep [PLAUSIBLE per AxeKit]. - "LeoTone": named in earlier research, produced no credible US DIY-kit footprint. Likely a conflation with Leo Jaymz. [UNKNOWN] — do not use as a distinct source.

The Hosco exception: Hosco (Japan) is a historical budget kit maker, still available in the US via Solo and Amazon. In the under-$150 electric guitar band, Hosco does not appear to have in-stock US-priced electric kits below $150 independently; their catalog under Solo is acoustic. Their historical significance is their origin work on budget kit manufacturing; they are the reason why "budget Japanese kit" has different connotations than "budget Chinese kit," though the practical distinction has blurred. [ESTABLISHED as historical note; current Hosco US-stocked electric selection under $150: UNKNOWN]

General mechanism: Budget kits are sold under many brand names from the same China factories. Bodies are uniformly poplar, basswood, or paulownia; CNC-cut; some with veneer tops. The defensible claim is a shared OEM pool with overlapping but not always identical models. Count vendors, not listings, when judging how many options exist.

Confidence Audit

Evidence quality: Moderate to Strong for named items.

Strong: Live-fetched prices from Thomann (June 5, 2026) for all HB kits; live-fetched Glarry GST at $89.99 from glarrymusic.com (June 5, 2026); Fistrock P-bass at $109.99 from AxeKit (Dec 2024 — may have drifted by June 2026); Solo STK-1 pricing from solomusicgear.com (search-confirmed June 2026); Pit Bull ST-series USD prices from pitbullguitars.com (June 2026); NAMM tariff narrative (April 2026 update); AxeKit hands-on reviews of Fistrock P-bass, Fistrock ST, Leo Jaymz TL, Leo Jaymz Explorer Bass, Muslady LP.

Moderate: FretWire offset and semi-hollow price ranges (Amazon pages are JavaScript-rendered, prices not fetched directly); Leo Jaymz, ammoon, Ktaxon, Batking, DBL pricing (search-confirmed existence, prices approximate); Solo bass kit pricing (prior survey, not re-fetched); Thomann US shipping costs (forum-reported ~$58–78, not fetched from shipping page).

Weak: HTS 9207.10 Section 301 exact rate (7.5% is the documented general musical instrument rate, but the exact current rate for this specific subheading needs verification at trade.cbp.gov); scratch-build BOM (built from component price estimates, not a live-purchased BOM); FretWire prices.

Biggest confidence limiter: Amazon product pages are JavaScript-rendered and did not return prices in this session. FretWire kit prices (key US-stocked offset option) remain [UNCERTAIN] for June 2026. Verify before purchasing.

What Mark should verify before acting: 1. FretWire offset kit prices on Amazon (search "FretWire Offset" and check current pricing). 2. Fistrock P-bass current Amazon price (was $109.99 in Dec 2024; may have moved). 3. Solo STK-1 actual checkout price in USD (listings say $119.99–$129.99 but CAD/USD exchange may affect final amount). 4. Thomann shipping cost to US at checkout for the specific kit. 5. Section 301 exact rate for HTS 9207.10.00 at trade.cbp.gov/tradepublic. 6. Section 122 tariff status after ~July 19, 2026 — if Congress does not extend, direct-import options from Thomann/Solo/Pit Bull become significantly more viable.

Summary

The under-$150 electric guitar and bass kit market in the US in June 2026 splits cleanly into two pools.

Pool 1 — US-stocked, genuinely sub-$150: Glarry ($90, US warehouse, solderless), Fistrock ($110, Amazon, solderless, highly reviewed), Leo Jaymz ($89–149, Amazon, solderless), ammoon ($56–105, Amazon/Walmart), Ktaxon ($80–100, Amazon). Covers S-style, T-style, LP, SG, V, Explorer, offset (FretWire), semi-hollow (FretWire, Batking, DBL), P-bass, J-bass, Explorer bass. This pool is the actual $150-and-under market right now.

Pool 2 — Better kits, over $150 landed under current tariffs: Harley Benton ($77–$109 list, ~$180–210 landed), Solo ($120–130 list, ~$180–210 landed), Pit Bull ($119–146 list, ~$200+ landed). These are the most-reviewed and most-documented kits in the world at this price band and should be considered seriously after the Section 122 tariff expires (~July 19, 2026), when the calculation may shift to closer to $145–165 landed for the cheapest HB kits.

Parts builds are possible under $150 with careful sourcing (pre-fretted Amazon neck + scratch poplar body + GFS electronics), but the floor is genuinely $130–150 and requires buying discipline. Not obviously better than buying a kit.

Acoustic guitar is out of scope: no acoustic kit under $150 exists in the US market.

Bass is thinner but covered: Fistrock P-bass ($110) is the standout US-stocked option. Everything over that — Solo, HB, Pit Bull — lands at $200+ under current conditions.

Lyre & Harp

Orientation

Lyres and harps are related but distinct instrument families that span cultures from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Scandinavia to the Middle East. Both use strings stretched over a resonating body; the key structural difference is that lyres have a yoke and two arms framing the strings (all strings roughly the same length), while harps have a soundboard-column-neck triangle with strings of graduated length. For building purposes, this matters: lyres are generally simpler and cheaper to build from scratch; harps require more precision, more hardware, and (if you want key-changing) sharping levers that are a separate budget entirely.

Lyre anti-default note: Lyres are routinely defaulted to the ancient Greek or Anglo-Saxon form in English-language instrument-making content. They are not. The krar (Ethiopia and Eritrea), the kinnor (Hebrew/Middle Eastern), and multiple other bowl-lyre and box-lyre forms exist globally and some have build paths. This file covers the full spectrum.

Lyres vs. finished Amazon "lyres": The mass-market "7-string lyre" sold on Amazon and AliExpress is typically marketed as a "DIY kit" but is better understood as a pre-cut, pre-drilled assemble-and-string kit (no woodworking skill required, just assembly). Fully finished identical instruments also exist at the same price point. For the purposes of this catalog, the 7-string and 16-string Amazon lyres are listed under Group 1 (Kits) because they require assembly, but with a note that finished versions are interchangeable at the same price.

THE HARP LEVERS CALLOUT (read before the harp section)

Sharping levers are the single biggest hidden cost in harp building and the main reason most harp builds blow the $150 budget even when the kit does not. They are rarely included in any harp kit or plan; they are a second project installed after the harp is finished, strung, tuned to pitch, and stable.

• Approximate per-lever costs (2026): Loveland ~$17-18 each, Truitt ~$26 installed, Camac ~$34 installed. [ESTABLISHED on order of magnitude; PLAUSIBLE on exact figures]
• Fully levering a 34-string harp: ~$600-1,150+ on top of any kit cost.
• The under-$150 harp path is either (a) lever-less or (b) plans-only where levers are deferred indefinitely.
• String sets are model-specific and not interchangeable. A generic 34-string nylon set runs ~$50-60; maker-specific wound bass string sets are higher. [PLAUSIBLE]
• New strings on any harp or lyre require 1-2+ weeks of repeated retuning before holding pitch.

PART ONE: LYRES (WORLDWIDE)

1. Generic 7-String Assemble-and-String Lyre (Modern; floor entry)

Origin: Modern; manufactured in China, marketed globally. Design draws loosely on ancient Greek lyre aesthetics. Sold under many brand names on Amazon, AliExpress, and Etsy worldwide.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked 7-string lyre, basic finger-plucking technique, diatonic or re-entrant tuning. What the build trades away: any tonal depth or sustain compared to a properly built wooden instrument; QC consistency varies significantly between units. This is the floor entry, not a fidelity claim.

Kit note (per the brief): These are assemble-and-string kits (insert posts, set bridge, tension strings -- an evening's work), not woodworking projects. Fully finished versions of the identical instrument also exist in the same $25-60 price band; the distinction matters only if you want to say you "built" it.

Bottom line: Deep commodity market; the brands are essentially interchangeable. Basswood body with a metal-string set and assembly wrench for under $35 is the floor. Recurring owner complaints: poorly illustrated stringing instructions, occasional missing parts, strings snap during initial tensioning. Sound is "surprisingly OK" once strung correctly. For "I want to build a lyre tonight," this is the path. For "I want to build a lyre that will last and sound good," see entries 7-9.

2. Generic 16-String Finished Lyre (Modern; finished instrument, not a kit)

Origin: Modern; manufactured in China, marketed globally. 16-string design, mahogany body, metal strings. Essentially a finished playable instrument in the same Amazon ecosystem.

Close-enough bar: Same as entry 1 but more strings (wider range) and sold fully assembled. What the "build" trades away: nothing -- these are finished instruments.

Kit note: The 16-string lyres are generally sold as finished instruments, not DIY kits. Listed here for completeness since the brief called them out. They are not a build option.

Bottom line: Finished instruments in the $60-100 band. Not a build; not a kit. Bought for the same reasons you'd buy a ukulele: quick entry. The 16-string format is more versatile than 7-string but the quality ceiling is still the same commodity tier. The levered Roosebeck at the high end has consistently bad reviews for its levers specifically; the body is fine.

3. Ancient Greek Lyra / Kithara (Mediterranean)

Origin: Ancient Greek tradition (1200 BCE to late Antiquity); the lyra (bowl-resonator, arm-yoke-crossbar construction) and kithara (box resonator, larger, professional form). Revived by the modern ancient-music scene.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked multi-string lyre with arms and crossbar; finger-or-plectrum plucking; diatonic or re-entrant tuning. What the build trades away: traditional tortoiseshell bowl resonator (legally off the table; a wooden or IKEA bowl is the standard substitute), the specific tonal character of an authentic kithara soundboard. The playing technique (plectrum strumming with simultaneous left-hand damping) is fully achievable on a scratch build.

Bottom line: Free plans for a functional scratch build are abundant: the Instructables 6-step is the quickest path; the 1927 cigar-box design is the most interesting materials approach; the ancientlyre.com guide gives the best structural dimensions. Under $30 total materials for any of these. The Getty cardboard version is a genuine under-$5 proof-of-concept. Luthieros is the reference modern-Greek-lyre maker but sells only finished instruments; their "full package" accessory bundle (bridges, plectra, strap, gut strings) is NOT a build kit.

4. Kinnor / Biblical Lyre (Middle East / Hebrew tradition)

Origin: Hebrew/Israelite tradition; the kinnor is the biblical instrument associated with King David. A bowl or box lyre, 10 strings traditionally, plucked with fingers or a plectrum. Played across the ancient Near East; modern reconstructions range from simple to highly ornate.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: multi-string plucked lyre, plectrum or finger technique. What the build trades away: the specific tonal character of a traditional kinnor, which is debated among scholars (the exact original form is uncertain).

Kit gap note: A true kinnor build kit essentially does not exist. The cheap 7-string Amazon lyres are sometimes marketed as "King David lyres" or "kinnor" and are the closest thing in kit form. Dedicated kinnor kit makers do not appear to exist.

Bottom line: The kinnor kit market is genuinely empty. The cheapest path to a playable kinnor-style instrument is the $25-35 Amazon 7-string "King David" assemble-and-string kit, which is not a legitimate kinnor but is the floor. A real scratch build follows Friedman's or King's lyre plans (see entries 7-9) and adapts the form. The finished Mid-East Mini Kinnor at ~$80-130 is the cheapest ready-to-play option; House of Harrari and Mountain Glen are custom and expensive. [ESTABLISHED that no build kit exists for the kinnor specifically]

5. Krar (Ethiopian / Eritrean Bowl Lyre)

Origin: Tigrinya/Amhara tradition, Ethiopia and Eritrea. A 5- or 6-string bowl lyre, plucked with a plectrum or fingers. The resonator is traditionally a wooden bowl or gourd covered with skin; modern forms use a wooden box resonator. One of Africa's primary surviving lyre traditions. Closely related to the ancient Greek lyre family.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: plucked pentatonic/heptatonic bowl lyre, plectrum technique, yoke-and-arms structure. What the build trades away: the skin-covered bowl resonance if substituting a drum-head-and-hardware assembly (audible difference; the JOS design below uses this substitution intentionally and considers it a functional trade). Full gourd or wooden bowl versions are more traditional.

Bottom line: The only kit under $150 does not exist -- the Rall Guitars DIY kit at ~€185 + import shipping from Germany is over budget. The two viable under-$150 paths are: (1) the JOS Travel Krar (free PDF, UK-derived design using a small drum as the soundboard -- materials ~$50-90 US, practical and acoustic), and (2) the IKEA bowl scratch build (~$40-65 if you source carefully). The JOS guide is the most complete English-language instruction set for a krar-type build. Neither is a traditional skin-over-gourd krar; both are acoustically functional instruments in the same lyre family. [PLAUSIBLE on US materials costs for both paths; [ESTABLISHED] that the Rall kit exists but is over budget and non-US]

6. Begena (Ethiopian Large Bass Lyre; Build Path Status)

Origin: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church tradition; a 10-string large bass box-lyre used in sacred music and meditation. Associated with King David in Ethiopian cultural tradition. A living sacred instrument, not just a historical artifact.

Build path: [UNKNOWN] No English-language DIY plans found. The begena is a large instrument (approximately 1 meter frame height) with a complex wooden box resonator, stretched skin soundboard, 10 strings arranged in two banks of five, and tuning toggles. The Folk Strings Worldwide file also flags this as a confirmed [UNKNOWN] path.

If you want to attempt it anyway: The construction is a scaled-up box-lyre (similar logic to the kinnor or Anglo-Saxon lyre, entry 7). You would need a large wooden box resonator, stretched rawhide soundboard, two vertical wooden arm pillars, a crossbar, 10 tuning toggles (wooden pegs or metal tuning machine heads), and gut or nylon strings (~$20-40). The total materials cost is potentially under $150, but the plans gap is real: no English-language source exists that documents begena construction dimensions or construction sequence. [UNKNOWN on the build path; [PLAUSIBLE] that raw materials could be under $150 if you derive dimensions from museum photographs and academic documentation]

7. Anglo-Saxon / Germanic Round Lyre (Sutton Hoo, Trossingen, Snape types)

Origin: Anglo-Saxon and Germanic tradition, 5th-10th century CE. A rounded-rectangle box lyre with a hand-hole cutout; 6 strings; one surviving intact instrument is the Trossingen lyre (Merovingian grave, 6th century). Associated with bardic and court music in early medieval Northern Europe.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: 6-string plucked box lyre with hand hole; one hand strums all strings while the other damps the strings not wanted, producing a form of polyphonic melody. The scratch build replicates this completely. What the build trades away: the carved decorative surface of the Trossingen lyre (skip it; it has no acoustic function) and exact aged-wood resonance.

Bottom line: Kits exist but are over the $150 budget. The FREE plans path (Friedman or Instructables) is the viable under-$150 route: maple plank ~$15-25, oak soundboard (or 1/8" hardwood plywood from Home Depot ~$10 for a sheet), 6 zither pins ~$5-8 from elderly.com or Musicmakers, 6 nylon guitar strings ~$5-8, finish ~$5. Total: ~$40-60. The Vassar/Morrisson article is the elder reference; Friedman's is the most complete English build documentation. King's individual plans at £10 (~$13) are the cheapest paid option with detailed measured drawings.

8. Kravik Lyre / Norse Round Lyre (Norwegian tradition)

Origin: Norwegian tradition; the Kravik lyre is a 7-string round lyre surviving from the 16th century in a style continuous with earlier 12th-14th century forms. Associated with Norwegian folk revival musicians including Einar Selvik (Wardruna). A "giant hand-carved spoon" in cross-section -- more three-dimensional and complex to build than the flat Anglo-Saxon lyre.

Close-enough bar: What transfers: 7-string plucked round lyre; the playing technique (similar to the Anglo-Saxon form, but the additional string and curved profile affect voicing). What the build trades away: the warm tonal character of a well-seasoned wood body; the exact rounded-spoon profile (requires gouge work).

Bottom line: King's plans at £20 (~$25) are the primary resource and explicitly the best-documented Kravik build path in English. Materials are the same hardwood approach as the Anglo-Saxon lyre but with more gouge work for the 3D curved body profile: a suitable piece of hardwood (~$20-40 depending on species), finish, strings, zither pins. Total all-in ~$60-80 with King's plans. The round-body carving is the key skill hurdle above entry 7. [ESTABLISHED on plans source and price]

9. Michael J. King's "Build Your Own Lyre" Comprehensive Plans Resource

Origin: Michael J. King (UK luthier, making and designing instruments full-time since 2002). His plans resource is the single richest English-language lyre-construction archive in existence, covering over 13 plucked lyre types plus multiple bowed lyres. Listed separately because it is the mother lode for anyone building any historical European or generically Western lyre.

What is included (confirmed on michaeljking.com and payhip.com/lyreshop):

Plucked lyres: Sutton Hoo, Bergh Apton, Snape, Morning Thorpe, Prittlewell, Trossingen, Irish lyre, St. Severin's, Kravik, Oberflacht, and several others.

Bowed lyres: Jouhikko, Welsh Crwth, Shetland Gue, 3-string generic bowed lyre.

Bottom line: If you want to build any historical Western or Northern European lyre with confidence, King's plans are the definitive starting point. The individual plans (£10-20) are each well under the $150 materials budget on their own; the full collection is a one-time buy that opens the entire historical lyre catalog. [ESTABLISHED that individual plans exist and are priced; [PLAUSIBLE] that a full-collection bundle or low combined price is available -- verify at payhip.com/lyreshop]