“I play a David Hofer hurdy-gurdy, and it has been an exceptional instrument in nearly every respect. The build quality is outstanding—solid, responsive, and clearly made by a luthier who deeply understands both the mechanics and musical demands of the hurdy-gurdy.

The sound is rich, focused, and powerful without being harsh. The drones are stable and resonant, the melody strings speak cleanly across the entire range, and the trompette is precise and reliable, making rhythmic playing both expressive and consistent. It holds tuning well, even under extended professional use, which is critical for rehearsals, recording sessions, and live performance.

From a player’s standpoint, the ergonomics and setup are excellent. The key action is smooth and accurate, the wheel is beautifully balanced, and the overall feel of the instrument supports both subtle articulation and aggressive rhythmic work.

There are a couple of minor drawbacks worth noting. The placement of the screw used to adjust the wheel is not in the most advantageous spot (Note from David: The Screw is now longer and easier to reach), and it took a bit of reworking of string thickness to get the dogs functioning exactly as desired (Note from David: reworked the string choice). That said, these were not major issues, and David was extremely responsive throughout the process—he always answered my questions immediately and was genuinely open to feedback, listening carefully to my suggestions and ideas for improvements.

As a professional, internationally performing hurdy-gurdy player, I need an instrument I can trust on stage and in the studio. David Hofer’s gurdies meet that standard completely. This is a serious, concert-level instrument, and I would confidently recommend his work to advanced players and professionals looking for reliability, musical depth, and exceptional craftsmanship.”

“After my first meeting with David I immediately noticed that he is a hurdy-gurdy maker with a great passion and talent for building and developing the instrument. He has technical knowledge and a genuine openness to improving the instrument in a practical way. With inspiration drawn from the existing traditions and innovations surrounding the instrument, but equally important – his own ideas, will, and ability for innovation – he creates modern acoustic and electric instruments. His instruments already show a good level of dynamics and projection, with some technically interesting and innovative details still in development. I sense that David has a genuine interest in collaborating with the musicians who create with his instruments, something that, at its best, leads to a synergy in the development of the instrument. I know that David sets high standards in his work, and although he is still a relatively new name on the market, I consider him to be one of the most interesting makers of the instrument right now.
After many years as a professional, creative, and touring musician specializing in the hurdy-gurdy, particularly in a modern context, as well as collaborating with leading hurdy-gurdy makers. I am very much look forward to seeing how both David’s instruments and his own development as a luthier will evolve in the coming years. I wish him all the best in this, and I am happy to recommend him to anyone interested.”

“David let me try his prototype instrument at Le Son Continu, and I was pleasantly suprised. The instrument has a very modern and deep alto or tenor sound and seems suitable for solo playing with less strings at a time, and focused on dynamics and expression. The way you can adjust the wheel pressure - both static and dynamic, is well thought out. Overall I am happy to see another young maker doing quality work and I am eager to see his next instruments.”

“Die vorgestellte Drehleier gab mir als Spieler das
Gefühl ein professionelles Instrument in den Händen zu halten. Bis auf kleine Nuancen in der klanglichen
Balance bot das Instrument eine absolut zeitgemäße Klangfülle und Dynamik, die viele Instrumente
traditioneller, etablierter Hersteller*innen vermissen lassen.
Darüberhinaus entwickelte David Hofer sehr interessante funktionelle Ansätze - wie zB. bei der
Schnarraushängevorrichtung, der Befestigung des Innenlagers und auch die Konstruktion des Innenlagers in
einem höhenverstellbaren Schlitten um so den Saitendruck über die Kurbelhand beeinflussen zu können.
Alle diese Ideen sind sauber und professionell umgesetzt.
Mit diesem Instrument befindet sich David Hofer in bester Gesellschaft mit führenden Drehleierbauer*innen
unserer Zeit und wird sicherlich sehr bald eine Rolle im zeitgenössischen Drehleierbau spielen.
Darüberhinaus habe ich von mehreren Seiten Lob darüber gehört, dass er aktiv Kontakt zu erfahrenen
Drehleierspieler*innen sucht um Kritik konstruktiv in seine Arbeit einfließen zu lassen.”

“Die Instrumente sind solide gebaut, praktisch und sehr elegant in Linie und Klang. (...) Seiner Arbeit ist ein sehr kreativer Ansatz zueigen: es werden neue Mechanismen und Möglichkeiten gesucht, Spieltechnik und Klang zu erweitern, sowie das Instrument
praktischer zu gestalten. ”

“In terms of sound quality, after i tested and played for a few hours David’s new Hurdy Gurdy, i can
highlight a very well balanced and full-bodied sound both acoustically and also when recorded
with professional microphones, which helps us understand that frequency sampling is very well
distributed and without discrepancies or imbalances. I see this as a sign of great efficiency, which
I only find in high quality and professional instruments.
The playability of the instrument it’s very comfortable and I can conclude that this was an aspect
that David paid a lot of care and attention to. ”

“David Hofer’s hurdy gurdies are meticulously crafted to achieve optimal playability,
ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience with a balanced and resonant tone.
The build quality of his gurdies reflects an engineering background, they are instruments
that not only sound exceptional but also possess a stunning aesthetic.
Innovations such as the dynamic wheel demonstrate David’s forward-thinking approach
to instrument design. These inventive features enhance the overall expression and
responsiveness of the hurdy gurdy, setting his creations apart in the market.”