Hans Weehuizen Playing the Bones CD, Guidebook, and 'Old Dutch' Bentwood Bones

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Hans Weehuizen's 'Playing the Bones' Old Dutch Style Kit

Hans Weehuizen Playing the Bones CD, Guidebook, and 'Old Dutch' Bentwood Bones

Bone Dry Music Co. is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Hans Weehuizen bentwood bones.

Why shop here?

If Bought Separately: $68.98

Kit Price: $57.99

Discount Price: $57.99 complete kit

You save $10.99!

Here's what you get: 1 pair of Bones, 1 CD, 1 Guidebook

Product Code: 106-5

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Hans Weehuizen's Playing the Bones 'Old Dutch Style' Kit

This kit includes Hans Weehuizen's Playing the Bones CD, the six-page guidebook, plus one pair of his 'Old Dutch Style' bentwood bones.

I prefer the full-size bones kit. But kids or folks with a smaller grip might like these 'Old Dutch Style' bentwood bones (which are slightly shorter and reminiscent of bones from the nautical whaling days).

This delightful kit from the Netherlands makes a fun addition to your musical bones resource center. It is something you will not find at the local music store.

Look What You Get in Hans Weehuizen's Playing the Bones 'Old Dutch Style' Kit:

One pair of 'Old Dutch Style' Bentwood Bones
You don't see bentwood bones every day.

Commercial products made of bent wood are few and far between. That's because special equipment and techniques are required to produce them.

The Art of Bending Wood
The woodbending process requires a bending jig plus the application of water, heat, and pressure. For most cottage industry woodcrafters, the return on investment just ain't worth the effort to produce such goods.

But our musical bones community is lucky to have two skilled woodbenders in our midst. They are Dutchmen Hans Weehuizen and his good friend Rik Homan. "Rik has a little shipyard and builds beautiful classic open boats," says Hans who lives in the picturesque coastal town of Enkhuizen in the Netherlands. The two craftsmen steam-bend their musical bones in a 'pressure-cooker' at Rik's shipbuilding shop. The shipyard is located at the tip of a small Dutch peninsula that juts into a freshwater lake that was once the Zuider Zee.

Every now and then bonemakers talk about how to bend wood into musical bones. Now you can actually order a pair.

One Playing the Bones CD
Hans was going to send me an English only version of his how-to CD.

But I asked him to leave the Dutch version on the CD because I thought it would appeal to American bone players. I probably shouldn't admit this in public, but my wife absolutely loves the Dutch part better than anything else on the CD. (Truth in advertising: She doesn't play bones.) Still, I think you will enjoy listening to the Dutch version, too. At least once.

The CD features how-to instruction in Dutch and English plus a selection of eight play-along tunes. Seven of the tunes repeat following the English how-to explanation.

Here's what's on the CD

1. Explanation (Dutch) 3:57
2. Johnny Come Down 2:05
3. Yarmouth Town 2:12
4. Ja, Ja, Ja 1:04
5. Bell Bottom Trousers 2:04
6. Polka Ruud 1:36
7. The Fu Fu Band 3:00
8. Bristol Hornpipes 1:18
9. Niagra Falls 2:20

10. Explanation (English) 4:10
11. Johnny Come Down 2:05
12. Yarmouth Town 2:12
13. Ja, Ja, Ja 1:04
14. Bell Bottom Trousers 2:04
15. The Fu Fu Band 3:00
16. Bristol Hornpipes 1:18
17. Niagra Falls 2:20

Musicians and Bands
Shanty Jack & Monkey's Orphan
Dutch Courage
Erick Ilott
Hoolie

One Playing the Bones Guidebook
The easy-to-read oversize (8-1/4" x 11-3/4") booklet runs just six pages including the cover.

I would characterize the bone playing method Hans teaches as American with a Dutch twist. The grip he describes is standard American (i.e. bones separated by a single finger). The twist is his recommendation to start the initial click toward you, rather than away from you.

Guidebook Topics: