Bio
I am an artisan of the family tradition, born into the specialist knowledge which was passed down from father to son.
Since my younger days, in my father's workshop, my senses are stimulated by the fragrances of wood and the beauty of the gesture of the artisan...
OUR INSTRUMENTS
Kotamo 56 Strings – A
3 690,00€Tanpura
1 490,00€Talharpa with Sympathetic Strings
2 190,00€Hylestad Lyre
1 700,00€Pandura Tanagra Custom model
1 790,00€
UNIQUE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Reconstruction of historical models, student instruments or custom models, I am customer orientated for the creation of personalised instruments...
OUR CLIENTS TRUST US
“ I just received the horns yesterday. The Billygoat Bukkehorn is nice but the Oryx Bukkehorn is un-fucking real ! Seriously, it is my favorite instrument aside from my French horn ! ”
5 songs EP | A special collaboration that brought the album an interesting opinion towards the ancient instruments
The Northman - Movie | By Robert Eggers - April 2022
" I have ordered a model of the Trossingen lyre, including all of the very demanding ornaments, as found on the original instrument. Benjamin Simao masterfully completed that order, creating a beautiful musical instrument. Not only did he replicate the ornaments with complete accuracy and astounding craftsmanship, but he also produced a lyre with a beautifully warm tone and a surprising sound volume for an instrument with such a small resonance body. I was able to choose the type of strings I wish to use for the instrument, and the lyre was delivered with a fitting tuning key made of wood. I love working with my lyre and it has become an indispensable tool in my musical work "
Cursed : | Netflix series 2020
“ These days, there are more and more people who are building various ancient instrument types. I have tried many and noticed that there is highly variable quality going around. When searching for the right person to build me a replica of the Trossingen Lyre, I quickly understood from our conversations that Benjamin knew his trade. The instrument itself ended up stunningly beautiful, sounds great and has a level of detail that exceeded my high expectations ”
“ Benjamin’s skill, dedication and knowledge impressed me as much as the sound of his beautifully-crafted instruments when I was fortunate to come across them at a medieval music festival in the UK. He balances historical evidence with the practical necessities of modern performance well and gives good, detailed descriptions of his working methods and choices. I am very much looking forward to receiving my Trossingen Lyre soon, and found the whole process of commissioning and communicating super smooth ”
“ Benjamin is not only a true master building instruments, but also an amazing player. Recording him playing his own instruments for the Dark Era Library has been an incredible experience. Benjamin’s instruments are really beautiful, but the most important, they have an enchanting sound that instantly transport you to ancient times ”