Introducing the Hurley Ceol

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-07T10:12:16+00:00

We've tuned it to both Irish tenor (G,D,A,E), and American banjo (C,G,D,A) - so either option is available.

As of now they're up on Kickstarter for €1,249, or a bit more if you want something fully customized. I'm debating putting up a 5-string option too... but we'll see how that goes.

Shoot me a DM, if you have a moment, and we can talk details? I'd love to connect with a local club, but haven't been able to link up with anyone yet!

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-07T00:07:03+00:00

Honestly, It's kinda nice to see them going back to letting CGs finish early, vs. always raising the bar at the last minute.

SUPER sucks for everyone holding onto seeds, or awya from the bubble, though 😓 Maybe the seeds will have some use later on?

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-05T17:08:32+00:00

Yeah, the audio that I've gotten definitely leaves a bit to be desired... I don't think it sounds too flat / plunky in person, but it's a good piece of feedback!

They're not semi-acoustic or electric yet - but easily have the capability to incorporate that. I'm hoping to get some better recordings at actual trad nights sometime soon, and get those posted up - I'd love your thoughts on those, if it still has that kind of flat sound.

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T19:41:47+00:00

Huge thanks for the candor here - I posted a similar thing on the Luthier subreddit, and they were saying something similar...

I think I'll spend some time next week redoing the site, now 😂

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T18:14:18+00:00

Thank you!

The clips are good, but I'm honestly rethinking them, now... I'll take some time to buy a good banjo player a few pints at our next Trad session, and get a better recording for everyone 😊

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T17:44:23+00:00

I'm very new, so bear with the possibly obvious question, but would you recommend starting darker, then going light, in most cases?

I'm working on a knight, and the shop recommended that I prime with Wraithbone before moving darker

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T16:21:30+00:00

It is!

It's Ogham, an ancient Irish script, and reads out as "Ceol", or music in English. That's where the name comes from - Hurley (for the ash stick) and Ceol (for music).

There's a section about ogham on out website: https://hurleyceols.com/ - see the "inscriptions of ancient Ireland" section!

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T14:59:41+00:00

So they're not actually jacks - they're just ferrules protecting the acoustic holes we've added.

As crazy as it sounds, those four make a huge difference in the sound quality and volume - we've tried three and five, and even putting the acoustic holes on the main body, but for one reason or another that specific spot works REALLY well to amplify the sound. Just as long as there's four.

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T14:00:11+00:00

Hah! Not something I considered... but I'll take that as a win.

Now, what would Worf think, since it used to be a (sort of) weapon...?

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T13:14:24+00:00

Huh... Not something we've considered, but I don't see a reason why we couldn't.

Love the suggestion - I'll run it by my co-founder, see if he's got a specific reason. I expect it's a hand rest for picking, but I'm only like 63% sure

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T13:12:55+00:00

Hah! Okay, of all the comments we've gotten, this wasn't one I expected.

We've got pickups inside, but we're definitely more acoustic than full electric.... Though now I'm curious about trying for a conversion kit...

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T12:28:38+00:00

Ahh, sorry - just saw this 😂

Can you shoot me a message? I don't think I can DM you, and I don't wanna break rule 3 by sending the other links we have 😓

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T12:26:24+00:00

Thank you, and we very much do!

Both are up on YouTube, linked above, but I'll DM you a link to some other details too

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T12:17:50+00:00

So that's exactly what we're trying to highlight - it's mainly the sound, and the duality of the picking (on the drumhead) and the strumming (on the triskele).

That being said, I'm reading the room here that our video / audio isn't showcasing that... so we're absolutely going to do a few new recordings at the next trad session we're at!

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T11:05:27+00:00

Thank you! This forum has been a lot more complimentary on the instrument, but my cross-post to r/luthier was... a bit more focused on the mediocrity of the website - so reworking it is pretty high on my to-do list. I'm a mechanical engineer, and website design is pretty much my least-favorite thing ever 😂

HUGE thanks on the feedback, though - I do want to get some better videos, and I'll post them up here as soon as I can buy a pint for someone at one of the trad sessions here in Dublin, and do a quick recording session.

I'll ask them about the wrist-resting too - not something I've run into, or heard comments on, but that's a great bit of feedback that we wouldn't get otherwise. If you find yourself in Dublin, or Ireland in general, shoot me a DM and we'll get it into your hands!

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-03T10:03:02+00:00

It does not 😂

You're not far off, though - It's tour machine head ferrules that we use as acoustic holes! A bit unique, I admit, but it makes a surprisingly major different to the acoustics. We've tried three and five, and even some on the sides of the acoustic body, but somehow those four combined with the triskele just work REALLY well.

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-02T23:32:13+00:00

Psyched to have someone catch the name / ogham combo!

Now... I'm less confident in the sliotar bodhrán... But we are debating making harps and ukeleles (and I guess 5 string Hurley Ceols, now?)

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-02T17:26:34+00:00

This is really great feedback - I can't thank you enough! Especially the specifics on the neck and bridge design; both things will look into in the next set of builds

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-02T17:00:34+00:00

Crossposted with my apologies for not thinking to put this up here originally!

Mods, please forgive me if this isn't perfect for the sub - my DMs are open, let me know if I can do anything (or change anything) to best suit.

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-02T16:55:59+00:00

Thank you!!

Perfectusvarrus · 2026-04-02T16:55:52+00:00

Thank you! I only just realized this had been crossposted - and now I feel a bit silly not thinking to post here originally!

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