Jozef Jankowski, now about 80 and living near Buffalo, NY, learned to build and to play the cymbala in what was then Poland and now is Belarus. His family were furniture manufacturers and also built these instruments.

My instrument by Jozef Jankowski.

He continues to make and sell instruments. His phone is (716) 675-9794 - speak to his wife (whose name I am embarrased to have forgotten, but will remember soon), as he is fairly deaf at this point.

Tuning the Jankowski for the "Ninth Night of Hanuka" at GHC

I have made slight modifications. He strung it with 5 strings per course, I reduced it to 4 per course. It cut weight and tuning time without any difference in sound I can percieve. And the treble bridge was low enough that in the summer the strings in the middle of the bass would sometimes buzz at the top of the holes through the treble bridge. I finally made a shim of about 1/4 inch to raise it and solved the problem.

I use a well temperament (neither equal nor just) common to about 1800, centered on D.

In February of 2004 I replaced the ornate Jankowski spruce soundboard with birch. The spruce had been cracking for 3 years, and had reached a point where the buzzing of the cracks was distracting and unpredictable. I was a bit surprised to find the original soundboard held on with small nails and glue. My replacement is held by friction and pressure only. It is not nearly as pretty - I cut 4 1.25 inch holes instead of the lovely flowers and scrolls that Jankowski made - but the light wood makes it easier to see the strings and the room to float makes breakage much less likely.