Hemen & Co.
Tanpuras and sarod from Hemen & Co of Kolkata, one of the great names in Indian string making. Strung and set up in our Delhi workshop before dispatch.
Choosing yours
Hemen instruments are concert grade. The tanpuras are known for an unusually even sustain across all four strings, which is the whole point of a tanpura and the hardest thing to achieve.
Size follows the singer, not the player. Male tanpuras are longer and pitched lower, female shorter and higher, and a tanpuri smaller again for travel and instrumental work.
Their sarod is a serious instrument for a player who has already committed to the fretless technique.
Tuning and setup
We string every instrument and set the jawari so each string sustains evenly, which matters more on a tanpura than anywhere: one dull string ruins the drone.
Expect to retune over the first days after shipping. The thread under the strings at the bridge shapes the overtone, and moving it a millimetre changes the voice.
Questions we get asked
What are Hemen instruments known for?
Concert grade string work from Kolkata, particularly tanpuras with an unusually even sustain across all four strings.
Which tanpura size do I need?
Match it to the singer's range rather than the player. A male tanpura under a female voice will fight it.
Do they come with a case?
Concert instruments ship with a fibre trolley case. What is included is listed on each product page.