Stoney End Music + Hobgoblin USA

08/19/2026

Almost a year ago, our lives changed pretty dramatically.

We bought Stoney End Music and took on a music business, a barn in rural Minnesota, and a whole world of folk and traditional instruments.

Many of you have been following Stoney End for years, so you may already know the business — but we thought it was time to start sharing a little more of the story behind what happens here.

There are harps being built, instruments being played, music being made, and yes… apparently dragons in the sales room. 🐉

We're excited to bring you along for the next chapter. ❤️

07/30/2026

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07/29/2026

07/17/2026

Heading to this weekend? Come say hi at the Stoney End booth! 👋

We’re so excited to show you three of our favorite collections in person—including the brand-new from our collection.

Whether you want to test out our gothics, celtics, , or harps, there’s nothing quite like feeling that renowned Stoney End resonance for yourself. 🎶

We’ll be here through the end of the day Saturday. Stop by to try out a harp, meet the new owners (peep the baby bump), and enjoy free shipping on any orders placed at the booth this weekend!✨

07/11/2026

07/09/2026

The final test before the journey begins. 🔍🎵

We are exactly one week away from the Somerset Folk Harp Festival, and The River Song has reached Step 6: Final Quality Inspection.

Every lever is flipped, every note is played, and every joint is checked under bright lights. We don't look for sterile, machine-stamped perfection; we look for harmonic perfection. We ensure the regulation is flawless, the tone is balanced from the lowest bass wire to the highest nylon string, and that the instrument lives up to the heirloom standard our community expects.

Once it passes this room, it gets carefully packed up for its journey to the festival. Next stop: Somerset! ✈️🚚

07/07/2026

Giving The River Song its voice. 🎶⚙️

This is the moment everything changes. In Step 5, our 26-string Celtic folk harp meets its hardware. We carefully install the bridge pins, tuning pins, sharpening levers, and thread the very first set of strings.

Stringing a handcrafted instrument is a dance. Unlike a factory guitar or digital keyboard, a wooden harp is a living, breathing thing. As we bring all 26 strings up to pitch, the wood compresses and adjusts to hundreds of pounds of tension. It takes days of stretching and tuning for the harp to settle into its true voice.

The countdown is getting real—Somerset Folk Harp Festival starts next week! We can't wait for you to hear how sweet this 26-string range sounds.

07/02/2026

Protected for generations—and officially numbered. 🏷️✨

Step 4 takes The River Song into the spray room for its lacquer and finishing coats. This isn't just about making the cherry, maple, or walnut pop visually (though the way the grain wakes up under the finish is magic!). It’s about creating an acoustic-grade barrier that protects the wood from humidity and time.

This stage holds a special milestone for every instrument we make: it’s when we press our signature serial coin directly into the nose of the harp. 🪙

This coin is our stamp of authenticity and your harp's unique birth certificate. Once it's in, this River Song is officially ready for the world.

We are just two weeks out from the Somerset Folk Harp Festival!

06/30/2026

The beauty is in the friction. ⏳👋

We are in the thick of crafting The River Song, and Step 3 is where the instrument becomes truly tactile: Sanding.

This is the bridge between a rough wooden structure and a fine musical instrument. Every angle, pillar, and soundbox edge is sanded by hand through progressively finer grits until the wood feels like silk to the touch.

Machined instruments can feel cold and rigidly uniform. Hand-sanding allows the luthier to respond to the unique density of this specific piece of wood. If you look closely at a completed folk harp, you might spot the tiniest, beautiful variances in a curve—that’s the mark of a human hand shaping your instrument, giving it a soul before it ever plays a note.

06/25/2026

Step 2 of building The River Song is Rough Assembly. This is where individual pieces of cherry, maple, or walnut are carefully matched, glued, and clamped to form the core 3D structure.

In a world of automated factories, human hands do this work. It takes time, immense pressure, and a sharp eye to ensure the joints are perfectly aligned to withstand the massive tension of 26 strings. Right now, it looks a little raw, and you can see the honest work of the glue and clamps. It’s a puzzle coming together, built to last a lifetime.

We’re officially three weeks away from Somerset! Who is planning to join us in July? 🎶