If you're looking specifically at uncommon instruments its best to Google that instrument directly. You'll find fora devoted to Hardanger fiddles, nyckleharpa, hurdy gurdy, balalaika, etc. Posting guidelines prevent me from including those links here. There is a mandolin forum that will surely turn up many hits if you Google "Hora mandola."
Sure there are some of us here on AGF that are also into obscure strings, but we know we're not likely to find as much knowledge or info here on this guitar forum as we will on the instrument-specific forum. As far as common vs uncommon instruments, a rule of thumb I follow is there are about 1000 guitar players for every mandolin player. There are 100 mandolin players for every mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello or bouzouki player.
|