As always, we offer you a unique range of unusual and exciting instruments from all over the world, as well as the best from British, Irish and American craftsmen. We have introduced many new lines in this edition, from new makers and newly discovered foreign sources. Every item is in the catalog on merit, and we constantly review the range in order to be able to supply the best quality available at each price level. So give us a call, or visit one of our stores, and we’ll do our best to help you find the instrument you want.

See the Hobgoblin price update for prices and availability of all the goods in this catalog, as well as new additions, and a complete list of spares & accessories. We also put out a regular secondhand instrument list for up to date prices on our used and vintage instrument stock (the secondhand items are all held in our English stores).

A Unique Range of Instruments

• To offer a unique range of unusual and exciting folk and acoustic instruments from makers all over the world.
• To be a major outlet for the work of British and Irish musical instrument craftsmen.
• To be a source of antique, vintage and secondhand instruments.

Quality and Value from Beginner to Expert

• Hobgoblin Music will supply the best quality we can find at each price level. Every item is in the catalogue on merit, and we constantly review the range.
• We want to give beginners a chance to take up a folk instrument, as well as to provide the best for those who already play.

Making Real Music

• We want to help keep music live, by making real acoustic instruments widely available.
• We always encourage people to make music themselves, by taking up a musical instrument. You are never too young or too old to start!

A Commitment to Traditional Music

• Everyone at Hobgoblin is involved in folk music, we provide employment to a growing number of folk musicians, makers and repairers.
• We aim to encourage more people to discover and enjoy English, Irish, Scottish & Welsh traditional music.

Our History

Hobgoblin Music was founded in 1976 by my wife Mannie and myself while we were searching Southern England for a concertina to play. Many other interesting instruments came to light, and the search grew into a business as we discovered we were not the only people who wanted to buy folk instruments, but couldn’t find any. The early market stall and barn were quickly outgrown, and Hobgoblin has been based in Sussex, UK since 1977.

In 1979 we set up a Hobgoblin store in South San Francisco, This store is now run independently, but still doing festivals and fairs on the west coast.

In spring 1996 we appointed Stoney End Inc. to run Hobgoblin Mail Order and Internet Sales in the USA, and all orders from US based customers are now being handled by Hobgoblin-Stoney End. Mail orders are now shipped from our US inventory and we price in US dollars. All the best selling lines are in stock, and you have a point of contact within the US. There is also the opportunity to visit the Stoney End workshops in Red Wing, MN where you can try out the Hobgoblin Instruments.

Back in England, in 1992 we opened a second branch in London. Since then we have opened up in Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Wadebridge andBirmingham too, and we hope to add more branches in the future in the pursuit of our aim to make real acoustic instruments as widely available as possible. The shops are better stocked than ever, and we attempt to stock everything in this catalogue, as well as hundreds of secondhand & one off items.

Each summer since 1976 we have set up shop at Folk Festivals all around Britain, and since 1979 across the US too, first with Cody D Grundy of Hobgoblin-Cal, and more recently also with Gary Stone of Hobgoblin-Stoney End. This has proved a great opportunity for us to meet our customers, and keep in touch with what you want, and what the new trends in folk music are. We hope to meet you at a festival or fair soon.

Other folk instrument dealers have come and gone as we have grown, but Hobgoblin is still going strong, and still committed to furthering folk & traditional music by making instruments and resources available to all. We are now into our second generation as both our daughters Sarah and Nikkie are now involved part time too.

Thanks to all our customers for your continued support! We really appreciate it.