Firewind Flutes
Gemshorns
Originally, Gemshorns were made from Mountain Goat "gems" (the ‘g’ is strong as in ‘good’) or Chamois horns and were the forerunner of the modern Recorder which is tuned to a chromatic scale. Our Gemshorns are tuned to the minor pentatonic scale and played like the five hole Native American flutes. Their playing range is one full octave.
AMERICAN BISON
Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, was symbolized by the American Bison. The bison was revered and honored by the Native Americans of the plains. Since the bison provided sustenance and shelter and symbolized spirituality, it is no wonder that their horns sing with such a lovely voice. We polish the horns only enough to enhance their natural beauty while leaving their rustic character intact. All horns are black. They typically measure 7” to 13” in length. Price range: $150 - $500.
BLESBOK
This medium-sized African antelope has a hollow horn that is superior in acoustic properties to the original ‘Gems’ or mountain goats. The Blesbok horns are the larger of the African antelope horns which we offer so they produce lower notes. We import our horns from legally harvested African stock. Each horn is tan, dark grey and black. They typically measure 10” to 13” in length. Price range: $150 - $250.
SPRINGBOK
A medium-small sized African antelope, the Springbok has a hollow horn that is thinner and smaller than the Blesbok’s, thus producing a crisper sound in higher keys. Ours are imported from legally harvested African stock. All horns are black. They typically measure 7” to 10” in length. Price range: $150 - $250.
COW
Our cow horns are the most variable of any material that we use. Size and thickness vary greatly, which allows us to produce them in a large variety of keys. Colors range from solid black to ivory and variegated browns and tans. They typically measure 4” to 14” in length. Price range: $100 - $400.
