Sam Goble Cornetto Maker Cornett Instrument

Curved cornetts:

Based on my own design, these perform evenly over the entire range with a warm sound. I also copy instruments from museum originals which are as close as possible. Pitch is often slightly raised or lowered to bring them to modern pitch standards. Made from fruitwood or castello boxwood, as an extra. and covered with leather. Supplied with a mouthpiece and bag.

Straight cornetts:

Available in 1 or 3 pieces and based on the same design as my curved instruments with the external design based on various originals. Available in fruitwood or maple. Supplied with a mouthpiece and bag.

Mute cornetts:

Made from a single piece of wood, with the mouthpiece turned into the end of the instrument. The sound is very soft and warm. Treble instruments are based on originals in Vienna and Altos on those in Leipzig.

I also offer an alto instrument with a key for low F as suggested by Preatorius. This is based on my Leipzig model with the turning inspired by MI 92 in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.

Made with a V shape mouthpeice as standard. Bowl shape as an option. Available in fruitwood or maple. Supplied with a bag.

I have been making cornetts since 2008, based on museum originals that reflect the playing and sound characteristics of the time, and instruments after my own design.

All instruments are hand made from start to finish using tools that would have been very familiar to 16th & 17th century craftsmen, no CNC technology is used. I try to use local hardwoods, native to the UK, that have good properties for cornett making and that would have been readily available in the 16th and 17th century. Fruit woods are the perfect choice: cherry, apple, plum and pear. I also use castelo boxwood from South America.

Delivery of a new wooden instrument currently takes 4-6 weeks. However I often have some instruments ready. See my 'For Sale' page or send me an email for details.

Treble cornett:

A = 440 & 466

A = 492

A = 415

Cornettino:

(lowest note D)

A = 440, 466 & 415

Alto cornett:

(1 tone lower than a treble)

A = 440 & 466

S shaped alto:

A = 440

S shaped alto with key for low F:

A = 440

Tenor Cornett with key for low C:

A = 466

Cornetts copied from museum originals:

A = 440 - after Christ Church, Oxford

- after St. Petersburg - small bore

A = 465 - after Vienna

after Edinburgh

Straight three piece treble cornett:

A = 440 & 466

A = 492

Straight treble cornett:

A = 440, 466 & 492

Mute cornett, treble :

A = 440, 465 & 415 - based on Vienna

Mute cornett, alto:

A = 440 & 465 - based on Leipzig

With a key for low F

Straight cornettino:

A = 440 & 466

Mute cornettino:

After Vienna A = 466

My own design A = 440 & 466

Extras:

Castelo boxwood:

Cornettino

Vellum binding:

Cornettino

2 part cornetts:

Instruments for Sale

Cornett A = 492 Wild Cherry & Round Body & Two Part Cornett A = 440 - Round Body - To make travelling on budget airlines easier

Three part straight cornetts in 440, 465 & 492

Blanks are cut from a board. Castelo boxwood in this case.

The halves are carved by hand using gouges. Scrapers are then used to finish the bore.

At this point the outside dimentions are formed. The instrument has a square cross section.

Both halves are then glued together using a waterproof glue.

Marking in preperation to remove the corners of the square.

I can start to see the final shape.

More marking.

The corners have been removed and now the cross section is hexagonal.

Now finger holes need to be drilled, troughs for linnen binding have to be carved and the top of the cornett needs to be decorated. This time the customer wanted a spiral design.

The instrument is then bound in either leather or vellum. Brown leather was choses to finish this one. The final step is tuning which takes places over many days.

How a cornetto is made.