Saturday, 31 May 2025

Low-Tech Musical Instrument Costs and Weights

Low-Tech Musical Instrument Costs and Weights

Bard is my least favorite "core" class. Despite that, I've been a bit frustrated because GURPS doesn't have that many low-tech musical instruments detailed. There are several on page 49 of GURPS Low-Tech, a few in DF1 and DF8, and a whole bunch of skill specialties in LTC1 with examples, but without costs and weights. I have no idea what 90% of these instruments even are. I found people asking about this on the forums and getting "it's too difficult to research" in response. If even GURPS authors found it too difficult to research, then I will not even try. I decided to look into D&D books (Song & Silence, The Quintessential Bard I and II), but found only lists of instruments with no costs and weights. Thus, I fed the data from GURPS Low-Tech into Deepseek and told it to extrapolate/interpolate the values. So, here's the slop.

AEROPHONES

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (BAGPIPE) (IQ/H) (Double Reed, Flute, Recorder, Serpent, and Single Reed at -6)

Bagpipe

32

$150

8

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (DIDGERIDOO) (IQ/H) (Horn, Serpent, and Trombone at -6)

Didgeridoo

32

$100

5

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (DOUBLE REED) (IQ/H) (Recorder and Single Reed at -3; Bagpipe, Flute, and Serpent at -6)

Bassoon

16

$800

10

Nadaswaram

64

$300

4

Oboe

8

$700

3

Shawm

32

$250

4

Taragato

16

$300

3

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (FLUTE) (IQ/H) (Panpipes at -3; Bagpipe, Double Reed, Recorder, Serpent, and Single Reed at -6)

Fife

16

$100

1

Flute

8

$120

1

Shakuhachi

8

$150

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (HORN) (IQ/H) (Serpent and Trombone at -2; Didgeridoo at -6)

Alpenhorn

128

$200

10

Bugle

32

$150

2

Conch

16

$30

1

Hunting Horn

16

$200

2

Shofar

16

$80

5

Trumpet

32

$200

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (PANPIPES) (IQ/H) (Flute at -3)

Panpipes

4

$50

1

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (RECORDER) (IQ/H) (Double Reed and Single Reed at -3; Bagpipe, Flute, and Serpent at -6)

Recorder

4

$80

1

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (SERPENT) (IQ/H) (Horn at -4; Trombone at -5; Bagpipe, Didgeridoo, Double Reed, Flute, Recorder, and Single Reed at -6)

Ophicleide

32

$400

12

Serpent

16

$350

8

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (SHENG) (IQ/H) (Panpipes at -5; Bagpipe at -6)

Sheng

4

$200

3

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (SINGLE REED) (IQ/H) (Double Reed and Recorder at -3; Bagpipe, Flute, and Serpent at -6)

Clarinet

8

$500

3

Hornpipe

8

$120

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (TROMBONE) (IQ/H) (Horn at -4; Serpent at -5; Didgeridoo at -6)

Sackbut

32

$400

6

Trombone

64

$500

8

CHORDOPHONES

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (DULCIMER) (IQ/H) (Tuned Percussion at -4; Keyboard, Psaltery, and Zither at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Dulcimer

4

$200

10

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (FIDDLE) (IQ/H) (Rebab at -3; Guitar and Psaltery at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Ravanastron

4

$100

3

Viol

4

$500

8

Violin

8

$600

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (GUITAR) (IQ/H) (Fiddle, Lute, and Rebab at -3; other chordophones at -6)

Balalaika

4

$150

3

Banjo

8

$200

4

Double Bass (plucked)

8

$1,000

25

Guitar

4

$300

5

Pipa

4

$250

4

Shamisen

8

$300

5

Violin (plucked)

4

$400

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (HARP) (IQ/H) (Lyre and Zither at -4; Keyboard at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Harp

4

$600

7

Kora

4

$350

8

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (LUTE) (IQ/H) (Guitar at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Kora

4

$350

8

Lute

8

$150

5

Mandolin

4

$200

3

Oud

4

$400

5

Sitar

8

$500

10

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (LYRE) (IQ/H) (Harp or Zither at -4; other chordophones at -6)

Lyre

4

$300

4

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (PSALTERY) (IQ/H) (Dulcimer, Fiddle, Keyboard, Rebab, and Zither at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Crwth

4

$250

5

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (REBAB) (IQ/H) (Fiddle at -3; Guitar and Psaltery at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Double Bass

16

$1,000

25

Rebab

4

$200

3

Viola da Gamba

4

$700

10

Violoncello

8

$900

15

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (ZITHER) (IQ/H) (Harp and Lyre at -3; Dulcimer and Psaltery at -4; Keyboard at -5; other chordophones at -6)

Koto

4

$600

20

Zither

4

$250

8

IDIOPHONES

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (BELL) (IQ/H) (Large Concussion, Tuned Percussion, and Untuned Percussion at -3)

Church Bell, 36”

128

$20,000

900

Church Bell, 48”

128

$47,000

2,115

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (JEW’S HARP) (IQ/H) (Singing at -6)

Jew’s Harp

2

$10

0.5

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (LARGE CONCUSSION) (IQ/A) (Bell, Rattle, Scraper, Small Concussion (IQ-based), and Untuned Percussion at -3; Untuned Drum at -4)

Cymbals

32

$100

3

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (MBIRA) (IQ/H) (Tuned Percussion at -3; Harp, Lyre, and Zither at -4; Dulcimer and Keyboard at -5)

Kalimba

2

$50

1

Mbira

2

$60

1

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (RATTLE) (IQ/A) (Large Concussion, Scraper, Small Concussion (IQ-based), and Untuned Percussion at -3; Untuned Drum at -4)

Hand Bell

8

$80

1

Maracas

4

$20

1

Sistrum

4

$50

2

Tambourine (shaken)

8

$40

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (SCRAPER) (IQ/A) (Large Concussion, Rattle, and Untuned Percussion at -3; Small Concussion (IQ-based) and Untuned Drum at -4)

Washboard

4

$10

3

Yü

4

$70

2

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (SMALL CONCUSSION) (DX/A) (Dancing, Large Concussion, and Rattle at -3; Scraper, Untuned Drum, and Untuned Percussion at -4. Use DX-based levels)

Castanets

4

$30

0.5

Zils

4

$20

0.5

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (TUNED PERCUSSION) (IQ/H) (Bell and Untuned Percussion at -3; Dulcimer, Keyboard, and Mbira at -4)

Bell Lyre

16

$300

10

Chimes

16

$400

15

Saron

8

$500

25

Xylophone

16

$600

30

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (UNTUNED PERCUSSION) (IQ/A) (Bell, Large Concussion, Rattle, Scraper, Tuned Drum, Tuned Percussion, Untuned Drum at -3; Small Concussion (IQ-based) at -4)

Gong

64

$1,000

50

Triangle

8

$30

1

Wood Block

4

$15

1

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (HURDY-GURDY) (IQ/H) (Keyboard at -4; Psaltery at -6)

Hurdy-Gurdy

8

$800

15

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (KEYBOARD) (IQ/H) (Dulcimer and Tuned Percussion at -3; Harp, Lyre, and Zither at -4; Psaltery at -5)

Carillon

256

$50,000

5,000

Clavichord

4

$1,500

50

Harpsichord

8

$3,000

200

Organ

256

$50,000

10,000

Virginal

4

$2,000

100

MEMBRANOPHONES

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (TUNED DRUM) (IQ/H) (Untuned Drum at -3; Untuned Percussion at -4)

Bongos

16

$100

10

Kettledrums

32

$250

28

Tabla

16

$200

12

Talking Drum

32

$40

2

Timpani

64

$1,500

100

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (UNTUNED DRUM) (IQ/A) (Tuned Drum and Untuned Percussion at -3; Large Concussion, Rattle, Scraper, and Small Concussion (IQ-based) at -4)

Bass Drum

64

$500

40

Bodhran

8

$120

5

Snare Drum

32

$200

15

Tambourine (struck)

8

$40

2

OTHER INSTRUMENTS

Name

Audibility Range

Cost

Weight

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (BULLROARER) (IQ/A)

Bullroarer

128

$30

1





2 comments:

  1. If you're interested, here's a rough TL of each instrument based on a superficial Google search of each:

    TL 0 Instruments: Didgeridoo; Flute; Conch; Shofar; Sheng; Ravanastron; Sistrum; Wood Block; Bullroarer

    TL 1 Instruments: Bagpipe; Hunting Horn; Pan Pipes; Harp; Lute; Oud; Lyre; Cymbals; Kalimba; Tambourine; Yu; Castanets; Zils; Bell Lyre; Xylophone; Gong; Bodhran

    TL 2 Instruments: Shakuhachi; Dulcimer; Pipa; Koto; Zither; Church Bell; Maracas; Saron; Organ

    TL 3 Instruments: Nadaswaram; Shawm; Fife; Recorder; Shamisen; Mandolin; Crwth; Rebab; Jew's Harp; Mbira; Triangle; Hurdy-Gurdy; Clavichord; Harpsichord; Kettle Drums; Talking Drum; Timpani; Bass Drum; Snare Drum

    TL 4 Instruments: Bassoon; Oboe; Taragato; Alpenhorn; Trumpet; Serpent; Clarinet; Hornpipe; Sackbut; Viol; Violin; Banjo; Double Bass; Guitar; Kora; Viola da Gamba; Violoncello; Hand Bell; Chimes; Carillon; Virginal; Tabla

    TL 5 Instruments: Bugle; Ophicleide; Trombone; Balalaika; Sitar; Washboard

    TL 6 Instruments: Countrabass Balalaika; Bongos

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